Photoshop Elements 11 Activation failed

[filippinno]

Hi

Adobe Photoshop 11 suddenlty wont run and says I have reached the limit for activations.  It isn't installed anywhere else.

Any ideas?

[Greg_S.]

Has it ever been installed on other computers?   If so, you may have failed to deactivate the program on those other machines.

[filippinno]

it was only installed on this machine - and if you look at the support notes, it says uninstalling deactivates it.  I seem to be stuck.

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

@filippinno , I'm sorry you can't use Photoshop Elements 11. What is the exact error message you're receiving? Does it match the error message listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/error-activation-limit-reached-sign.html?

I reviewed the account you used to post to this public discussion forum and see one activation remaining. Several scenarios could cause an existing installation to use an additional activation. I show that three were used previously during the time you have owned the software.

Once I know the exact error message you are receiving when you try to open Photoshop Elements 11, you can take more steps. Additional activation errors and links to the related solutions can be found at https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/troubleshoot-creative-cloud-activation-errors.html. 

[filippinno]

[kglad]

you have to explicitly deactivate (help>deactivate) before uninstalling.  ie, uninstalling does not deactivate.

and it is possible that one computer can be counted twice.  this is expected if there are any hardware changes, but has been reported even if there's not any.

[Greg_S.]

Where did you purchase the software?  Although, most users expect Elemets to be a permanent license, it is possible that programs purchased from a third party such as BestBuy have a limited time license and you may have run into the limit.

I am going to ping @Jeffrey_A_Wright, an Adobe Employee who may be able to check this out for you. 

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Thanks, @Greg_S. I'm sorry it took a bit. Please feel free to move these types of discussions to the Download & Install Community board. You are welcome to tag me, too, but I try to review the new responses at least once a day in that Community. Other Adobe employees also respond in the Download & Install community and may be able to respond before I can. 

Thanks for your help, @Greg_S.! It is appreciated!

[filippinno]

purchased from Adobe - it still shows in my account

[kglad]

does you account show any activated computers?

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Thanks for the update, Filippinno. Kglad is correct; hardware changes can be detected as a new installation. 

I am still showing one activation remaining, Filippinno. You can try running the CC Cleaner tool by following the directions at https://adobe.ly/3zPF2OW. This will help verify that any cached licensing and activation data is removed from the computer. If this information has become damaged, the software can detect that all activations have been used without actually contacting Adobe servers to verify the status. If this has occurred, then the CC Cleaner tool will fix that.

You may still encounter the error after reinstalling, and you will need to verify that the operating system is up to date and can contact our servers to complete the activation process. Please see https://adobe.ly/4cOwaHU for more information. ^JW

[Greg_S.]

@kglad, a user's account will not display an activated device for Elements.

[filippinno]

yes it seems I am stuck

[kglad]

if you can't use your account, you have to use the computers that were activated.  BUT have your read @Jeffrey_A_Wright's comments.  he has access to your account and stated (twice) that you still have one activation remaining.

[filippinno]

that's fine - but I still cannot activate it.

[kglad]

wait for @Jeffrey_A_Wright  to comment

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

@filippinno , you can try the troubleshooting steps in my previous post to see if they will allow you to use the remaining activation for the license of Photoshop Elements 11 that is registered under your account. At the time of this post, there is still one activation showing for the license.

Alternatively, you can use the steps listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/downloaded-older-app.html to download and install Photoshop Elements 11 on a different computer to see if it will function and activate there. If you use a different computer, please do not transfer any files from the current Windows 10 computer until Photoshop Elements 11 is working. Transferring files before the successful activation of Elements could lead you to the same error of damaged licensing and activation data preventing the software from activating.

If you decide to forgo desktop applications altogether, @filippinno , I recommend looking into Adobe Express. It includes many of the features in Photoshop and Premiere Elements, but you don't have to install any desktop applications. You just log in using a modern device and an up-to-date web browser. You can find out more information about Adobe Express at https://helpx.adobe.com/express/using/express-overview.html.

[Peru Bob]

 if you look at the support notes, it says uninstalling deactivates it.

By @filippinno

Can you post a link to that?

That's never been the case.  You have to go to the Editor menu and then Help > Deactivate or Help > Sign out.

[filippinno]

it has only ever been installed on this laptop.

[filippinno]

yes there have been hardward changes - so I'm guessing that was what has caused this.

[filippinno]

but how do I sort it?