Need old versions for macOS 10.13 [Branched & moved from old topic]

[none ofy94377192]

Yes I agree. I used to always use "backup" versions of Adobe software until I started a business and went for legit copies of everything. And that's when it started to give me grief with updates breaking things and significantly more quirks than are reasonable to maintain productivity.

Right now I'm trying to get sense out of online help people because I just need software that will work on an old iMac running OS 10.13 and it's been an exercise in frustration all the way. I've been advised by Apple to keep it on High Sierra for its own wellbeing, but I can't even install Bridge now. New versions aren't compatible, old download links to 2019 and 2020 versions of CC software are now dead. The online support person I have can't provide straight answers as to whether anything will run on the damn thing.

Their first suggestion was to come here to find links. Why should the community be responsible for that?

I do not understand why download links for older versions of Adobe software are have been wiped from the internet, especially given new versions are "incompatible" with older versions of Mac OS. 

Seriously, this is ridiculous.

[John T Smith]

Adobe provides the current and ONE previous version

I do not know how far back this process will go, but try...
Direct Download Links https://prodesigntools.com/tag/ddl MAY help
-you MUST do what it says in Note: Very Important Instructions
-https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-cc-2015-direct-download-links.html#download-instructions
-the prodesign links go directly to Adobe's file server, so this process will
--only work until Adobe completely removes the old version(s) from the server
.
IF/When you do have a download, be sure to copy it to AT LEAST one external device
-since Adobe does sometimes remove old versions from the server
-a usb flash drive or external hard drive, or write to a DVD

[none ofy94377192]

Thanks John, but it's no good anymore. I found it yesterday and the downloads are gone. 

It seems that the only versions currently being readily provided by Adobe are the current ones through Creative Cloud.

The online help person I spoke to did give me a link to a 2019 version of Photoshop but said it wouldn't work on my computer (the Adobe website says otherwise). It turned out that they'd sent me 2020 and it DID work on my computer just fine. As did Bridge and Lightroom from the same release of CC. 

You need to tell them a few times what it is you want because they have to get past the robotic advice to download from CC and than they don't support your OS, etc, etc and then you'll be provided with the links to individual pieces of software. But apparently the oldest versions are from CC 2020. Anyone running MacOS older than 10.13 is out of luck.

Sooooo there's always that option if you're really massochistic. Given there are plenty of older Macs around and some may be better off running older versions of MacOS it's insane that it's so awkward to obtain older versions of software that you PAY for. 

Urgh. 

[Abambo]

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@none ofy94377192 wrote:

Sooooo there's always that option if you're really massochistic. Given there are plenty of older Macs around and some may be better off running older versions of MacOS it's insane that it's so awkward to obtain older versions of software that you PAY for. 

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Why is Apple not supporting their old machines or making new OS incompatible to old OS?

[none ofy94377192]

Hi Arambo,

To be clear - I am not an Apple person. My main workhorse is a PC and I've worked in IT in the past with many gripes about both Macs and the ways Apple conducts business. As a photographer it's hard to avoid Macs altogether, but they're not my preference.

That said, the Mac I'm using as a photography studio machine is 9 years old still trucking along and looks very pretty. Apple's support has been 95% incredible in keeping this creature going, including replacing the hard drive and screen out of warranty and spending 1 1/2 hours on it the other day to reinvigorate its software (which they do for free). It will run newer versions of the OS, but not well. It does however run High Sierra extremely well and is very stable. This version of the OS and many others are readily available from Apple and many are still supported by security patches. So I'm happy with that. It'll show my clients pretty photos and allow for some light retouching or image manipulation if needed, I'm not asking a lot of it.

So credit where credit is due - Apple did good here.

Apple and Adobe appear to have many problems with their relationship. A new Mac OS version comes out and nukes Adobe's products and visa versa. I don't know why they have these problems, but that also is not the issue here.

The problem is that Adobe are not allowing versions of the Mac OS (and maybe Windows, no idea) to run their software. Is this Apple's OS at fault? Probably, I don't care though. Whatever Apple's issues are in this instance don't prevent Adobe from recognising the problem and readily supplying links to older versions of CC for paying customers who ARE using older OS versions by choice or circumstance. Not everyone can afford to splash out on the latest and greatest hardware and Macs do have a tendency to last a while if looked after.

This is very, very frustrating. I'm not asking for 20 year old versions of their software, just versions from the last couple of updates so their customers can use older machines to run the software they pay for.

Make sense? I would think so.

[Nancy OShea]

Adobe expects users to have modern equipment and OSs no more than 2-3 versions back, as stated in the system requirements.

• https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/system-requirements.html
  
  

As of this writing, the supported operating systems are

Mac: El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey.

Win: Win7, Win 8, Win 8.1, Win10, Win11.

That said, legitimate links to some older versions still can be found on Pro Design Tools' website.  But Adobe may remove these installers anytime without notice.  And since the old versions are not receiving updates anymore, you use them at your own risk (warts & all). 

• https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-cc-2017-direct-download-links.html
• https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-cc-2018-direct-download-links.html
• https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-cc-2019-direct-download-links.html

In a perfect world, everyone would have the same devices and operating systems.  But as we all know, the world isn't a perfect place.  It would be a herculean task to keep supporting every version for every device and that's just not feasible.  Software makers must draw lines somewhere in order to make way for emerging technologies.  So out with the old, in with the new. 

[none ofy94377192]

Nancy these links have already been removed without notice. I have tried them.

The remaining sources of older versions of Adobe software are apparently buried in these forums somewhere (I'm yet to find them) or Torrent sites which I assume are not places Adobe would like their customers to source software. Right? I mean, if I need to turn to Torrent sites to install software I'm paying for, then exactly what am I paying for? 

I'm not asking Adobe to support old operating systems with current versions of software, merely that they make older versions of software available to download for those who run older systems. I'm also not asking that security updates or patches are made available either, of course it should be used at the user's own risk. 

I don't think this is unreasonable, particularly when the latest version of Adobe software does not work on an older Mac OS that runs very well otherwise - it's even still receiving security updates from Apple, they readily provide older versions of their software and will even install it for free. But when many professionals are heavily dependent on Adobe software this machine would basically only be fit for landfill if it couldn't run Adobe products. 

When we need to REDUCE eWaste, not add to it, every company should be doing their best to me mindful of this. The attitude of "out with the old and in with the new" is a huge contributor to the mess that our planet is in. 

Throwing out a functional and useful computer just to satisfy the rapacious appetite of a software company is ridiculous. 

[none ofy94377192]

Correction - some of the software has been removed from prodesigntools.com, I just randomly clicked a link and that one did work. I have no idea which ones work and which don't, but I am confused as to why Adobe would not be hosting these pages themselves. Why is it up to Pro Design to do Adobe's job here? 

For that matter why would Adobe's online support first tell me to come to these forums, which are run by volunteers, to source older versions of their software? Why is it up to community volunteers to do Adobe's job here?

The links for Photoshop 2019 and 2020 for Mac OS are definitely gone. The not particularly helpful online person could only provide 2020 apparently, nothing older existed for him.

[Nancy OShea]

I'm sure you didn't follow the VERY IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS first. 

https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-cc-2015-direct-download-links.html#download-instructions

That said, I'm not here to debate with you about Adobe's version policies.  I still have 3 very old computers (almost relics) that I keep for offline computing tasks.  But I wouldn't dream of using them for current production work.   I also have an old iPhone and Android that are next to useless now.  I keep them around as slave MP3 music players.

[none ofy94377192]

Yes, I did follow them thanks Nancy, no need to be condescending. Even if all of the links did work - why is a separate company hosting these links when Adobe should be? Why is their support so inadequate?

Being a fan of Adobe is fine, you can still be realistic about their flaws. So why defend them so much? Are they  paying you to be condescending to their paying customers or is this just a hobby?

As mentioned already I'm not using this old Mac for anything other than being a pretty RAW image viewer and maybe some light retouching. It's perfect for a photography studio computer that isn't involved in "production" at all. It requires some Adobe software to facilitate this, Bridge at the very least, but ideally LR and PS too. My Adobe subscription allows for this, so why not use it? 

Some people (who are just as professional and awesome as you) may use older machines for actual work. Perhaps they don't want to or can't drop several grand on a new machine, and nor should they have to if it works well enough. With maxed out RAM a lot of older machines do ok, so why throw them out?

That said I do have new PC for the real work, it's running current versions of everything but lives in the office, not in the studio.

[hSingh]

none ofy...

Completely empathize with your pain. I am also a OS10.13 user and fail to understand why users of earlier versions are being denied downloads of earlier versions of software. I came here looking to see if I could download a 2019 version of Bridge, just to ascertain if there is any way I can get a DNG Converter going on my Mac book pro. It appears I am in for frustration.

I also agree with you why Adobe users have to go to a third party website, that sounds extremely unnerving to use with all the 'threats' listed therein. I am frightened I might end up corrupting and the use of some of the old softwares already on my system that I can somewhat use. 

Have you been able to find a way out since your last reply of Nov. 2021 on here?

[Nancy OShea]

...why Adobe users have to go to a third party website, that sounds extremely unnerving to use with all the 'threats' listed therein.

===========

@hSingh,

Your concerns about links on Pro Design Tools' site are unwarranted.  Those links are posted there as a courtesy with Adobe's permission.  The person who runs the site is an Adobe Community Professional and frequent particpant in these support forums.  The actual installers reside on Adobe's servers and Adobe can take them down anytime without notice.  So keep a backup copy in case you need it later.

Adobe expects customers to have modern equipment and software, no more than 2 versions back. Adobe does not maintain older software versions.  Instead, they focus on the latest release versions because that's what the majority of users want.  😉

For best user experience, make sure your computer meets the minimum CPU & GPU requirements described below. Most Creative Cloud apps work on:

• Windows 11, Windows 10 versions 21H2, 21H1, 20H2, 2004, and 1909 (LTSB branches are not supported;)
• macOS 12 (Monterey), macOS 11 (Big Sur), macOS 10.16 or 10.15 (Catalina).

- https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/system-requirements.html