unable to authenticate creative cloud desktop application

[dilbahadur_8319]

Our organization has blocked Google Chrome and mandates the use of Microsoft Edge. However, while attempting to open the Adobe Creative Cloud app on my laptop, I encountered a conditional access policy error stating: "Not allowed to use the browser: Google Chrome (116.x)."

I have verified that Microsoft Edge is set as the default browser on my laptop, and Google Chrome is not installed. Despite this, the application continues to attempt to open with Google Chrome.

I have tried signing in using the "sign in using your browser" option, which works in the browser, but the issue persists with the desktop application. It seems the desktop app's authentication is integrated with Chrome.

Could you please advise if there is a way to change the default browser for the Adobe Creative Cloud app or update it to the latest version to resolve this issue?

[Bani Verma]

Hi @dilbahadur_8319, 

Thank you for reaching out. Based on your description, it appears that the Creative Cloud desktop app is encountering an error when attempting to launch in Microsoft Edge, and is instead looking for the Google Chrome browser. Is that correct?

This behavior is indeed unusual. I am currently investigating the issue internally to identify the cause and will provide you with a resolution as soon as possible. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
^BS

[dilbahadur_8319]

find the error screen shot

[Anshul_Nautiyal]

Hi @dilbahadur_8319,

Thank you for reaching out. Based on your query, it appears that the Creative Cloud Desktop application is attempting to use Google Chrome for authentication, even though Microsoft Edge is set as your default browser and Chrome is not installed. This may be caused by cached settings or older configuration data stored within the application.

To help resolve this issue, please try the following steps:

1. Set Microsoft Edge as the default browser through system settings
   At times, the operating system may revert to a previous browser setting. Please ensure that Microsoft Edge is explicitly set as the default:

• Go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps

• Search for Web browser and set Microsoft Edge as the default

• Restart your machine after making the change

2. Clear cached configuration files
   Navigate to the following location and delete the contents of the OOBE folder:

• On Windows: C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Adobe\OOBE

• On macOS: /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE
  Then restart the Creative Cloud Desktop app. For further steps, please refer to the following Adobe support article:
  https://adobe.ly/42b7WoB

3. Check for remnants of a previous Chrome installation
   There may be residual registry entries or file traces from a previously installed version of Chrome. We recommend checking for these or requesting assistance from your IT administrator.
   Additionally, check if the following folder exists and delete it if found:
   C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\

4. Confirm scope of the issue
   If the problem persists, please check with other users within your organization to determine whether this is a widespread issue or limited to your system or a small number of users.

Please try these steps and let us know the outcome. If the issue continues, we will be happy to assist further.

Regards,

^AN

[dilbahadur_8319]

Hi Anshul,
We have processed all the steps you suggested, but the issue still persists. I have also checked with a newly formatted laptop, and there is no Chrome browser preinstalled. We are facing the same error, so it doesn't seem to be a cache issue.

[Anshul_Nautiyal]

Hi @dilbahadur_8319,

Thank you for confirming and testing the initial steps. As an additional recommendation, I suggest trying the following:

Set a System-Level Environment Variable:
On a small group of machines (1–3), follow these steps:

Open System Properties > Advanced > Environment Variables.

Under System Variables, add a new variable:

Variable name: BROWSER

Variable value: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"

Restart the machine and try launching Creative Cloud again.

Review Conditional Access Policies:
Please ensure that Microsoft Edge is not only allowed but also permitted when running in WebView2 or embedded browser mode, as these are typically used for authentication by the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app. Ask your Azure or Intune administrator to confirm that:

Conditional Access is not blocking “Other clients” or legacy browser clients.

The Microsoft Edge WebView2 user-agent is allowed.

Review Azure AD sign-in logs to check for any "Blocked by policy" messages and identify which user-agent caused the denial.

Enable Browser-Based Login:
As an alternative, if you are administering the deployment of Creative Cloud apps, you can configure your users to sign in via the browser rather than the desktop app. This can be done by enabling browser-based login for your users. For instructions on how to set this up, please refer to the following documentation:

Enable Browser-Based Login

Please test these steps and let me know if the issue is resolved. In the meantime, I will continue investigating the issue internally to identify the root cause.

Regards,
^AN