CS6 is not compatible with Windows 11 according to Adobe agent

[Jim278018460ysv]

I have a licensed copy of Adobe CS6. It was running fine on my older windows 10 computer. The Adobe website indicates I should be able to download and install my licensed CS6 software onto a new computer, but it says nothing about CS6 not being compatible with Windows 11. Even after deactivating the CS6 sofware on my old computer, several attempts to download and install CS6 onto my new Windows 11 computer failed. I spent a lot of time with Adoble agents in chat sessions trying to resolve the issue when I finally found out from the last Adoble agent that my CS6 software was not compatible with Windows 11. I wasted many hours trying to install my software with no information indicating my efforts were always doomed to fail. I'm very disappointed in Adobe. If I have been misinformed and can still use my licensed CS6 software on my new Windows 11 computer, please let me know.

[kglad]

your problem has nothing to do with adobe. when you purchased cs6 you were not assured it would be compatible with all future os'es, and obviously, no software could ever give that assurance whether from adobe or anyone else.

that said, win 11 is compatible with cs6.  so, if you want help what problem are you having?

[Jim278018460ysv]

That's good to hear. If CS6 is compatible with Windows 11, Adobe agents should be informed of this. I agree that no software should be expected to be compatible in perpetuity. 

My issue: I did a transfer of data and apps from my old computer to my new computer. Even though the CS6 files transfered, the ability to open the CS6 apps did not transfer. I downloaded the CS6 zip file and extraction file from the Adobe website, but installation fails. If it should work, I do not know how to proceed.

[kglad]

transfer is guaranteed to fail. migration is likely to fail.

you should completely undo whatever you did and then properly install (with the installation file) and activate with your serial number.

[John T Smith]

You now have a corruped install and will need to remove everything before you do a proper install

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html to remove programs

[Jim278018460ysv]

The files that did transfer landed in the C: drive in Program Files (x86)/Adobe directory, some appear to be in Program Files directory. Should I just delete those files? When re-installing using the installation files from the Adoble website, What directory should I create? Should it be on Windows C: drive?

[Jim278018460ysv]

Another thing to note is that CS6 is the Creative Suite versus the Creative Cloud. 

[kglad]

nothing you've posted has changed or mitigated what you stated in your 2nd message here.

[Nancy OShea]

Discontinued & unsupported software from 11 years ago will never be certified compatible with Windows 11 because of its age.  Officially CS6 isn't certified to run on Windows 10 either.  However most people (not all) have succeeded by installing it in Win7 compatibility mode.

That said, CS6 is obsolete ware. There's no advantage in using outdated software on a shiny new computer.  Eventually it will stop working as expected and you'll need to replace it anyway.

MODERN OPTIONS:
Photoshop Elements or Premiere Elements (no subscription needed).
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html

Creative Cloud Photography Plan (approx $10/month for 12 months). Includes the following:

• Photoshop CC and Photoshop on iPad
• Camera Raw
• Lightroom on desktop, mobile and the web
• Lightroom Classic
• Portfolio website + hosting
• Adobe Express (free starter plan)
• Bridge
• 20 GB cloud storage (upgradable to 1 TB).
• Free upgrades for paid subscribers

https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Premium Adobe Express ($10/month).

• Adobe Express app (web and mobile)
• Premiere Rush (video editing on desktop and mobile)
• Photoshop Express (mobile)
• Spark Video (mobile)
• Spark Page (mobile)
• Adobe Portfolio + hosting
• 100 GB of cloud storage
• All premium templates and design assets including the collection of over 160 million royalty-free Adobe Stock photo collection.

https://helpx.adobe.com/express/using/express-overview.html

Creative Cloud All Apps (51 + pro apps & services) and Single App Plans
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

Good luck & hope that helps.

[Jim278018460ysv]

You are probably right. Instead of waiting for the sofware to totally become nonfuntional, I should just bite the bullet and upgrade. 

[John T Smith]

Two ideas that MAY work to install and/or run old programs in Windows 10 or Windows 11
-RIGHT click the program icon or EXE and select a compatibility mode in the pop up option window
-and/or select Run as Administrator to assign FULL Windows permissions
-also https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/create-local-administrator-account-windows.html

[Jim278018460ysv]

the program icons and exe files are not present. Apparently the exe files were blocked in the transfer so they are not on the new computer. The CS6 program files that transferred appear to be in the C: drive in Program Files (x86)/Adobe directory, some appear to be in Program Files directory.

[kglad]

again, you need to reverse everything you did.  the more you try and fix that problematic start, the less likely you'll fix things and the harder you make it to undo all the problems.

[Jim278018460ysv]

I'm deleting files now. The files don't show up under the remove programs/apps list in Windows so I'm just deleting them directly. I hope that will work since the apps never seem to have been fully installed.

[kglad]

if you copied, correct - delete will undo the copy.

once you've undone that transfer, do you have the installation file(s) and the serial number?

[Test Screen Name]

Just a small point. CS6 is unsupported. (Support ran out 5 years after release).

So when you write "If CS6 is compatible with Windows 11, Adobe agents should be informed of this" , the problem is that it's unsupported. To tell them about a product - EVEN TO SAY IT DOESN'T WORK is a form of support. The agents should, if they followed their rules, have simply told you it is unsupported and not said anything else (because that amounts to support).

[kglad]

it's not clear to me why adobe support has been trying to help cs6 users lately. the op is one of several who have mentioned this in the past week.

maybe they were encouraged to read reddit comments.

[Jim278018460ysv]

I would like to say thank you to all that have responded to my post. I would also like to make clear to all that I would not have traveled the path of trying to reinstall the CS6 software on my new computer if the Adobe website had not indicated it was possible to do so (https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/cs6-install-instructions.html). It says I can download my licensed CS6 product from my account onto my new computer: "If you purchased Creative Suite 6 from Adobe or registered it, you can download it from your account. ".  On another webpage: (https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/downloaded-older-app.html). "Learn how to download previous versions of non-subscription apps such as Acrobat, Photoshop Elements, Creative Suite 5, 5.5, and 6, or Adobe Premiere Elements. " These are Adobe help articles f rom 2022. The Adobe website clearly indicates my CS6 software is still downloadable and usable, That said, if their website had been updated to clearly state that CS6 is no longer supported and that it cannot be downloaded onto a Windows 11 computer and still be functional, I would not have wasted so many hours trying to do the download and install the software. If Adobe staff mponitors this Adobe Support Community, then I respectfully ask that they ensure their website provide updated and correct information about CS6 software and its compatability with various newer operating systems. If they would have simply stated that CS6 may not be compatible with any Windows OS later than Windows 8 and that they recommend upgrading to a newer version of the software, it would have saved me a lot of wasted time. In my opinion, Adobe failed on this one. Personally, I will use software as long as it works and is safe to use. Why spend more money if it isn't necessary? The CS6 software worked fine on my Windows 10 computer so I kept using it. I could not succefully install it on my new Windows 11 computer which led to the wasted time and seeking a solution. 

[Test Screen Name]

Let's look at what it says. It says you can download it. Nowhere does it make any claims about whether it works. It would be useful to say it's not supported. Adobe will not make any claims about whether it works, or not, on new systems. That would imply someone actually tested it - which is supporting it. 

[Nancy OShea]

The issues you raise are answered below, excerpted from Adobe Support Policies page:

https://helpx.adobe.com/support/programs/adobe-support-policies-supported-product-versions.html

• CS6 feature releases, updates, and new versions are discontinued.
• Assisted support for product troubleshooting and how-to questions is available only with active Gold Support contracts.
• Customers with active Gold Support contracts purchased prior to January 1, 2014, for CS5, CS5.5, and CS6 products receive comprehensive assisted support through their contract end dates.

[kglad]

unless an exe is portable you can't install by copying the exe.  that applies to adobe and every other vendor's software.

i know you've given up properly installing cs6, but for others you can install and activate cs6 on win 11 computers

[Jim278018460ysv]

Abobe is asking me to pick the answer that is correct. There were varied points of view and suggestions. I believe Nancy OShea gave the best answers/suggestions/guidance. Basically, software versions don't last forever and at some point, it's time to give up the ghost and move on. kglad said I should still be able to install and activate CS6 on my Windows 11 computer; however, I've already spent many hours trying to get that to work without success. CS6 worked on my Windows 10 computer, but the installation fails on my Windows 11 computer and I don't know why. CS6 has been deactivated on my Windows 10 computer so there should be no conflict with licensing. Perhaps I am missing a key step. I haven't given up, but unless I get some insight into why the install fails, I'm not sure what to do. In the meantime, I may look for altrernative newer software.

[kglad]

win 11 has a compatibility mode that can be used to install and run programs (eg, cs6) that weren't designed to be compatible with win 11.

that said, it's still not clear what you did that failed.  you stated "My issue: I did a transfer of data and apps from my old computer to my new computer. Even though the CS6 files transfered, the ability to open the CS6 apps did not transfer."

and thereafter you may (or may not) have attempted a proper installation.  but once you contaminate your computer with transfered files, it's not clear you "reversed" that "transfer" before attempting a proper installation.

so, it's difficult to know exactly what you're working with on the host computer.