Constant updates to the Creative Cloud app

[jeffhalmos]

Is this the worst written Adobe app or are the 2 – 3 updates a week required to keep all other apps flourishing?

Today the app showed illustrator, InDesign, and photoshop had updates, but again the Creative Cloud had an updates, after which the three apps showed as up-to-date. This happens at least twice a month.

[kglad]

windows and nvidia updates have nothing to do with adobe updates so it's not clear what problem you're seeing or trying to describe.

[francisc75144729]

kglad I understand that updates are necessary for apps to remain stable and safe.  I also know that as others have said if you don't accept an update in can mess up the machine.  I am amazed you even suggested this as there is no way of knowing if an update is a security issue and not updating would be reckless.  Adobe have two choices as I see it.  1 - Do not update everytime something is needed for one of the cloud apps but arrange say a fortnightly general update subject to any very urgent safety issues.  2- Dump creative cloud and just leave us with the indidivual apps so we only get things happening to the ones we own.  Otherwise if there is a good reason for what we are all getting frustrated with then please lets hear it because I am sorry but the answers so far do not help to ease the tension.  Many thanks.  Francis

[kglad]

 I also know that as others have said if you don't accept an update in can mess up the machine.

i don't know how failure to update would "mess up" a computer unless you mean you're more likely to get hacked which seems a stretch.

I am amazed you even suggested this as there is no way of knowing if an update is a security issue and not updating would be reckless. 

it's unclear what your first use of "this" references.  and i explained how to determine what each and every update remedies (which includes fixed security issues if there are any).

Adobe have two choices as I see it.  1 - Do not update everytime something is needed for one of the cloud apps but arrange say a fortnightly general update subject to any very urgent safety issues.  2- Dump creative cloud and just leave us with the indidivual apps so we only get things happening to the ones we own

you should only receive update notifications for apps that you have installed, and not for any apps in your plan that are uninstalled.

 Otherwise if there is a good reason for what we are all getting frustrated with then please lets hear it because I am sorry but the answers so far do not help to ease the tension.

i don't know what is causing you to be frustrated or tense.  but i fail to understand how something over which (update or not update) you have complete control is causing you frustration and tension.  i can understand how you may not want to devote time to this (imo) minor niggle in your life.

[LinSims]

Maybe you need more RAM or to clear some diskspace?

As a  data point, I turned off auto-updates quite a while ago because I wanted to keep Photoshop 2021 from updating. Admittedly, I don't use Photoshop very often, but I've noticed no issues with the un-updated version running despite the lack of updates.

I keep the other Adobe products I use up-to-date manually, and none of them have given me issues if they weren't automatically updated. I dunno. Computers is weird.  

[francisc75144729]

I am not really sure what Creative Cloud is.  Adobe provided it automatically with my two subscriptions - Photoshop Elements and Adobe Acrobat.  I don't have the problem that others do as Creative Cloud appears to update automatically and I just get the message that it has updated.  What does worry me is that without a clear and simple explanation from Adobe I am left believing it is very dodgy software.  I have and never have had any other program that requires anything like so frequent updates as Creative Cloud.  Please can one of the Adobe experts answer the simple question of 'Why is Adobe Creative Cloud so different?'

[tryer26003151h1f5]

I should note that I disabled automatic upgrades quite some time ago in order to prevent Photoshop 2021 from updating. Even though I don't use Photoshop frequently, I haven't encountered any problems with the unupdated version running.

[LinSims]

Creative Cloud is basically a program installation/removal/update manager that specializes in Adobe programs. When an update for any of your subscribed to and installed programs is made, it either automatically updates or notifies you to update. It handles auto-logging you into the Creative Cloud so that you can use the Adobe programs, and it gives you a visual display of what programs you are subscribed to and which of them are installed.

I don't know why it requires constant updating, other than that Adobe is generally on a constant update cycle for most of its programs. Major releases drop about every 18 months, but patches, bug fixes, minor updates and the like happen for the entire 18 months. The more you have installed, the more likely you'll be getting notifications to update.

[francisc75144729]

Thanks and yes I know that Creative Cloud appears to include a large number of programs - the vast majority of which I do not have and am unlikely ever to want,  Your comment "The more you have installed, the more likely you'll be getting notifications to update" does not seem to fit with my situation.

[kglad]

this is just a guess on my part, but i suspect adobe likes to roll-out minor fixes when they're ready to remind people why they're paying for subscription programs (as opposed to once every 1 to 3 year upgrades like one-time purchase vendors).

i still don't see a problem though.  i have auto-updates disabled and don't have a problem with the occasional reminders that an update is available.  the reminders are not intrusive on my system.  (though, if you have a small monitor, a popup in the lower right might be close to the middle of your screen and possibly distracting.)

[GRAFXbyV]

Well said, and here we are over a year later and the same thing is still happening Francis. 

[GRAFXbyV]

No doubt. And it's getting very old. 

[GRAFXbyV]

And here we are in 2023 and the same exact thing continues to happen. Who is going to reimburse us for our TIME that we can NEVER get back?

[MeerkatMadness]

Adobe CC and app updates drive me mad. I live in a low bandwidth environment (Africa). The updates are many gigs in size, so lock up my internet when they happen. I often have to leave my office machine and take a laptop into the field. If I don't remember to prepare my laptop in advance (turn it on hours in advance for updates) then I have backwards compatibility issues: programs can't open files becasue they were saved in a newer version of an app on my office machine (sometimes only a day newer). I can't do the many gigs updates in the field becasue bandwidth is non existent. In some cases Adobe has locked me out becasue it can't connect to the internet to verify my licence. 

Oh, and don't get me going on how often an updated app forgets all my workspace settings!

If I deselect automatic updates like someone suggested below, then eventually the versions diverge so much that when I eventually do update, an entirely new version gets installed in parallel, and I need to manually unistall the old version. All this means admin admin admin and I hate it.

I think "rapid" deployment has made Adobe developers lazy. They push frequent minor updates instead of  bundling them into major updates. I also think Adobe CC is actually just a licence policing package disguised with "creative buzz" and "convenience."

[kglad]

when you update to a major version you are given the option of uninstalling the previous version.

[MeerkatMadness]

Thanks. This is new.

[kglad]

just after clicking to update a dialogue appears that's easy to bypass without reading (and selecting the option you want to remove the previous version)

[MeerkatMadness]

Thanks! You're quite the defender of Adobe 🙂
My gripe with the frequent updates still stands.

[kglad]

a lot of adobe criticism is valid.  but a lot is not.

(and yes, yes, yes for meerkats!!)

[MeerkatMadness]

Valid according to whom? You seem to be a self-assigned arbiter of what is valid or not. You've countered everyone in this thread expressing frustration. Like suggesting that @francisc75144729 's opinion is a "vent" and that Adobe needs to be psychic to understand our needs. You and others here have basically suggested that criticising the current CC update protocol is not reasonable.... despite the fact that it affects many users negatively. 

[LinSims]

We're not Adobe employees, just fellow users. There is nothing we can do to change how Adobe handles pushing updates.

The only thing we can do is, as said before, suggest that you use the wishform to suggest to Adobe that this is a feature you want, and hope that lots and lots of other people want it, too. If you post the link back here, others may vote for it, too.

[multitalented_Dazzle15A9]

As others have suggested above, first disable automatic updates on all computers you use:

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/creative-cloud-updates.html

Then just stay on the same major version of each app across your systems... That's what many people do.

That way, you won't end up with any file incompatibility issues across machines because you control when updates happen. That's all.

Adobe makes it simple to update apps so that people who want to keep their computers up to date and use the latest releases don't have to think about it. If that's not you, then just change the setting to control how you use and update the software.

PS – If you want/need to roll back to a previous version to keep your systems in sync, then you can do that too.

[francisc75144729]

I am sorry but I do not welcome the suggestion to "first disable automatic updates on all computers you use."  I am a user not a techie and I expect the techies to make sure that it all works 'under the bonnet'.  Updates are important and many websites and internet security programs strongly advise to keep all programs up to date to ensure that any problems - either to security or to software - are unlikely to arise.  The problem as said before is that Adobe Cloud is a folder containing many programs and many of us only use a selection of them.  Surely it is not beyond the bounds of possibility for Adobe to make it easier for its users my keeping any changes / updates etc and then doing a catch up say once a month - with the opportunity to delay until convenient if the user is in the middle of something else.  There are always exceptions and of course if a major security glitch was found then that would come separately - but I kind of hope that would be quite infrequent!

[kglad]

you can conrol when your apps are updated. or you can let adobe update when they think you're ready for an update.

if neither if those options suit you, i'm not sure what adobe can do about it.  obviously you can't expect adobe to devine how often you want updates.

but you could request an option for often you want the cc app to check for updates.

for applicable apps, use https://helpx.adobe.com/ie/x-productkb/global/how-to-user-voice.html

for others, use https://www.adobe.com/products/wishform.html

[francisc75144729]

I’m sorry kglad but those of us who are expressing unhappiness here do not believe that adobe send updates when they think we are ready for it but rather whenever the team behind one or other of the programs has produced something new.  It gives all the impression of a supplier thinking what is best for it rather than what is best for its customer.  I haven’t sent over 25 years tutoring on a prestigious MBA programme without knowing that this is not best practice!

[kglad]

again, if you want to make a suggestion to adobe, the links are there.

if you just want to vent, understood.