Creative Cloud multiple computers

Report · May 11, 2012

Little confuses about how multiple computers work.

Here's my situation, I have my primary computer (mac book pro) I travel with & will be using Creative cloud on, but for the next 4 months I'm in england and spending 4 days a week living with a family & I have a desktop Mac that I use at there house. When I go back to Canada can I use (set) another secondary computer? Will I have to manually delete the adobe programs off this computer before I leave? Hope this makes sense, thanks.

Report · May 11, 2012

Hi Geordiemilne1,

I am not sure if I got you but you can install Adobe software on two computers but can use it on only one computer at any given time. To install on another computer, uninstall on one of your computers before installing.

Thanks,

Preran

Report · May 12, 2012

So in other words... no. I mean really... if you have an office Mac and a Laptop and you work half the time at the office and the other half the time on the road or at client sites... perhaps switching back and forth many times per week... constantly installing and uninstalling... and an almost daily basis... is clearly not a workable solution.

Report · May 12, 2012

There is no issue with having Creative Cloud products installed and activated on two computers at the same time. When in the office, use them on the office Mac. When on the road, use them on the laptop. No problem.

In your first post, are you installing and activating on a third computer at the house where you're staying 4 days a week?

Report · May 12, 2012

Great. I must have misunderstood Preran's post. Thanks. I figured that didn't make sense. I just read the CC FAQ actually and the answer there is that you can install on one machine and one backup machine (so desktop and laptop for most people). They just can't both launch the apps on both computers at the same time. Which is no problem of course. I'm not that good of a multi-tasker. LOL.

Report · May 12, 2012

Okay I got it, but last question. (im not trying to scam you and share it with other people but) what happens if I'm using it on my laptop at a cafe & someone uses my desktop program? Will it auto sign out? or will i get reported? Auto shut down?

Report · May 12, 2012

I'm in the same kind of questioning. I'm working in the US, on a Mac Pro, and I have also a Mac Book Pro with which I also work sometime.

Now I also have a workstation in France, where I come from. So far my personal softaware licences were installed on it, and on my laptop... And I was using a compagny softaware licence in the US (the compagny I work for).

With the creative cloud being - well - in the cloud - I remember reading punch lines such as " everywhere" or "anywhere"... I though it was going to be THE sollution for me. Running the apps according to the custumer using it, not according to the actual computer where it is installed, which would appear to be a model of the past.

Actually it would make sens. When you buy a softaware, you buy a service; nothing physical. So it would really makes sens in 2012 that you can walk and sit at any computer and be able to use your rights to use the software.

But for what I understand reading this thread, the Creative Cloud works just the same way as traditional Creative Suit licencing : 2 computers only (not being used at the same time - obviously making sens)...

Now, what about multiple customer on ONE machine?

Can you instal the Creative Clouds apps, and log in before to start to work? So you get your files.

Let me draw an example:

If I walk to a friend's office, and he is a CC customer, and I am too. Can I just sit at his desk, log out of his account, log in into my own account, and now being able to open my projecst that are on my cloud to start discussing creating talks with him, while we are actually looking at my documents, opened in their respective apps on his desktop?

Does it make sens?

Report · May 12, 2012

Hey Julien,

From my understanding, you'll have to de-authorize one of your installations and re-authorize it at your client's location. Essentially it's no different to usual licensing in that respect (and I'd not recommend doing this, as you'll be sorry if you forget to de-authorize it of course).

I think Adobe's marketing department have caused a great deal of confusion by mis-appropriating the term "Cloud", as CC isn't a mobile or installation-free service (i.e. Software As A Service): It's still very much installation locked; the only new thing is that you can now have Work & Home installs, but note that this means you can Authorize the software in two places, but you still have to shut it down at one to run it on the other.

If you do play the De-Authorize, Re-Authorize game, keep in mind that the authorization process isn't instant, so allow time enough for it to process (though you can apparently call Adobe Support to clear up any re-authorization issues anyway).

Hope that helps explain things a bit better.

"what happens if I'm using it on my laptop at a cafe & someone uses my desktop program? Will it auto sign out? or will i get reported? Auto shut down?"

I imagine it would be the same as you'd get on a LAN: the other user will be told they can't run the application because someone is already signed into it. Difficult to verify without actually being in two places at once of course.

-Adam

Report · May 12, 2012

Our software EULA and the activation limits are going to be the primary preventative measures in a lot of these scenarios.

If you leave a session of your software open at your office and lock the machine without closing the application, we're not going to prevent you from launching your activated software on your laptop when you get home, nor require you to go through some hoops to get it to transfer over your "Active Session."

If you need it installed on three systems or more, then you are looking at a scenario where you will need to juggle activations between one machine and the other.

That said, if we suspect you are making it so you and another person are using it to bypass the number of seats in your business or home environment to avoid purchasing more, you are opening yourself up to legal action as per the EULA.

Report · May 16, 2012

Allright, then it works pretty much the same as we always worked with licence that we own...

Is it going to create trouble if I de-activate a work station in the Stats and try to re-activate a new station in France... See I'm working mostly in the US, but sometime I come back for a month or so in France to handle a specific project.

I didn't have probleme last time with my CS5 and then my CS5.5... I just spoke to someone in the phone at Adobe. But is the CC going to be a problem in this scenario... I'm thinking about the price difference I read about between US and Europe.

Anyway... Thanks for those first answers.

Report · May 25, 2012

OKay so here's what everyone ACTUALLY wants to know: Can you be running your laptop and your desktop in the same location at the same time running the same adobe app???

Why would I need to do this? Well I'm a single user, I'm not trying to screw adobe out of more licenses but the way I work requires that I actually have two machines running sometimes on the same app sometimes not, for example one machine is running Photoshop, the other After Effects and I'm literally jumping between the both of them because I'm just manic that way.

Can I run a single CC license on both machines at the same time running the same apps or at least different apps as per the example above? Clearing up this one question will probably result in a flood of new CC sign ups so please be prompt.

Report · May 26, 2012

I wouldn't say "everyone" wants to know that. Your scenario sounds like a fringe case. I just want to make sure I can have it on my iMac and my Air. I don't want or need to run them at the same time and I don't imagine many people would. I would guess that the asnwer to your question is "no" but I don't know if you just can't run the same two apps at the same time on two machines or ANY two CS apps at the same time on two machines.

Report · May 26, 2012

Trust me, one day this will be you and it will piss you off (if it doesn't work). Adobe care to comment?

Report · May 26, 2012

Anything's possible I guess. I personally can't recall ever being in this situation though. Just speaking for myself of course. Hopefully Adobe will comment.

Report · May 27, 2012

CleverCal, why not just sign up to the trial and find out for yourself.

Sent from my iPhone

Report · May 28, 2012

Okay, so if i get the query correctly, if you have purchased one Creative cloud subscription with your adobe id, then you can use that subscription on 2 separate machines without any problem. I am asuming that you just have one creative cloud CS6 subscription and no other subscriptions. If you try to use it on a third machine , then thats not allowed.

Report · Dec 04, 2012

Amrita Chakrabarti wrote:
Okay, so if i get the query correctly, if you have purchased one Creative cloud subscription with your adobe id, then you can use that subscription on 2 separate machines without any problem. I am asuming that you just have one creative cloud CS6 subscription and no other subscriptions. If you try to use it on a third machine , then thats not allowed.

Can you please clarify?

What if I have 2 machines at my desk that I would like to run InDesign on one and Photoshop on the other simultaneously? Is this allowed since I wouldn't have the same apps open at the same time but using the account on two different machines?

Report · Dec 04, 2012

What if I have 2 machines at my desk that I would like to run InDesign on one and Photoshop on the other simultaneously?

You can do this, and yes it's allowed.

Report · Jun 10, 2012

Here is my situation. I have:

1. PC (Windows - work)

2. PC (Windows - home)

3. Laptop (Windows - home)

Obviously it is only licensed to me and I would only be using on one device at a time (I am either at home or work, on a desktop or a laptop), so would I have to worry about de-activating a PC if I wanted to use my laptop? Also, I am planning on swapping out my laptop for a MacBook Pro later this summer. Of course I will de-activate the current Windows Laptop so I can install it on the MBP.

From what I understand I should be able to install it on 2 different OS's, and I am assuming I can probably get by with having it installed on 3 devices (which is a similar question others have been trying to ask above).

Report · Jun 10, 2012

Hello,

You should be able to install the software on 3 devices simultaneously, and be able to deactivate one of them through Help > Deactivate on demand.

Regards,

Amit

Report · Jun 18, 2012

Hi Adobe,

I also have a question regarding licensing and installs. We are licensing 4 copies of CS Cloud to our 4 employees. Of course, they have the option to install at home. Now if an employee leaves the company, is there a way for us (the company admin) to de-activate their home installation/license? What is the best recommended method to manage licenses and installs from a corporate perspective?

Report · Jun 19, 2012

From what I've read from admins in the forum, you can contact Adobe

support and have them release your licenses - the question was

previously answered in regards to the possibility of being at another

location and needing access for whatever reason. Probably best to email

support directly for a written answer though, as info on the forums

isn't always guaranteed accurate when the licensing is subject to change

over time.

Creative Cloud multiple computers

1 Correct answer