How can I download older versions of Adobe software that are no longer listed on the website?

[WAICHULIS ENTERTAINMENT]

How can I download older versions of Adobe software that are no longer listed on the website?

In the past over the past 2 decades, I have spoken to Adobe customer service and they would just email me a link to the specific .DMG installer file I needed for the specific version I requested.

Why is this no longer possible?

[Jeffrey_A_Wright · Accepted solution]

Waichulis Entertainment, what Adobe software titles and versions are you trying to download and install? Please see https://adobe.ly/4aglj7I for information on how to download older Adobe applications included with a Creative Cloud membership. ^JW

[WAICHULIS ENTERTAINMENT]

I specifically need the mac version of  (After Effects 17.1.3)

[Ben M · Accepted solution]

Per the link sent to Adobe's help articles, they only provide access to the current and last major release. V17 is about 4-5 years old at this point and they are no longer providing installers for versions that far back.

[kglad]

adobe support no longer supplies links to older versions.  these are the only ones available, https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/download-availability.html

[WAICHULIS ENTERTAINMENT]

Question to the community:

Does anyone have access to or a copy of the specific Mac Installer file for (After Effects 2020 v 17.1.3) ???

In the Entertainment Industry, we need to access older versions of Films & Network TV episodes for various reasons.   I have older Mac workstations dating back 2 decades for this very reason in my workflows for my business.   In my specific situation, I recently lost my backup server that had all my Adobe installer files for the past 27 years of Adobe software.   This was devastating to my Post-Production company.   I'm rebuilding the old Mac Pro that had the Adobe software from 2020.  I am now in a situation where I need the Mac version (.dmg installer file) for (After Effects 2020 v 17.1.3).   I cannot open this particular Film project in a newer version of Adobe Premiere Pro (which has After Effects sequences dynamically linked)  in the Premiere Pro timeline for credits & graphics etc.   The metadata does not translate correctly when opening this older project into any of the newer Adobe versions.   I get graphics that are not aligned correctly, audio sync goes out on certain clips, audio transitions & filters don't translate correctly etc.     It is a Massive Nightmare.      Metadata in large complicated projects like this do not always translate correctly from older versions of Adobe sotware into newer versions of Adobe software.   It works about 50% of the time in my experience historically.   

Does anyone have access to or a copy of the specific instller file I need (After Effects 2020 v 17.1.3) ???

Thank you.

Stevie

[kglad]

did you check waybackmachine?

[WAICHULIS ENTERTAINMENT]

Hi kglad,

No, waybackmachine does not have software installation files for Adobe on their website.

[kglad]

another user reported they did, but i'm not sure what they were looking for.

[WAICHULIS ENTERTAINMENT]

Hello kglad,

waybacktimemachine is a website for showing historic versions of websites. 

They do not have software.

It is not a software website.

I have been informed by Adobe's tech support this past week that the versions of Adobe Installer files that are more than 3-4 versions older than the current version  (2024 "Today's version")  have been removed from Adobe's networks for Adobe customer access.  I'm working with the Adobe entertainment industry representatives now to see if they still cater to the Entertainment Industry studios and production companies.

[kglad]

good luck!

[WAICHULIS ENTERTAINMENT]

I wanted to add one more thought about having the ability to access older versions of Adobe software regarding the Entertainment Industry and the ongoing future need for access to all previous Adobe software installer files.

Other companies like AVID provide this service to post-production facilities and production companies and they always have offered this level of customer support for specific workflows needed for the Entertainment Industry.

Why is it that Adobe is not also providing this same basic needed service to the Entertainment Industry?

It is  "Very Common"  in the Entertainment Industry to have access to previous older projects for Network TV shows and Feature Films for promo reasons as well as distribution reasons.

When opening these archived projects for TV and Film, they always need to be opened in the same version that they were mastered in to avoid all of the metadata translation issues that have always been a problem in post-production workflows in the Entertainment Industry since the early 1990s.

Why does Adobe choose to not help the global Entertainment Industry like AVID does?

I never had an issue in the past 20+ years getting access to outdated Adobe installer files.

This new policy Adobe has implemented  (that restricts customers from getting access to previous versions of software)  is going to piss off thousands of Entertainment Industry professionals and post-production companies around the world. 

Why is Adobe not catering to the global Entertainment Industry like AVID does?

Stevie