Lightroom 6 won't open without Adobe Application Manager on macOS Catalina

[LyntonJones]

I'm running Lightroom 6 on a Macbook Pro 2020 (MacOS10.5.4). As my Photoshop CS6 stopped working on my Mac after the last update I deleted it from the Mac. Now when I try to open Lightroom 6 it tells me that Adobe Application Manager is missuing or damaged. But when I download a new version of AAM and I go through the setting up process at the the end it stops and says ERROR - contact the developer.

How do I get Lightroom to work? Help!

{Thread title edited by moderator}

[nikunj.m]

Hi there,

We are sorry about the experience with Lightroom 6 and the application manager. Lightroom 6 is not compatible with macOS Catalina. Please check: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/macos-catalina-compatibility.html

You can try installing the Creative Cloud using the link mentioned below to check if that helps.

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html#Problemsinstall...

Regards,

Nikunj

[ricc61423048]

Odd, I was using Lightroom 6 on my new Catalina iMac 2020 this afternoon, imported photos, altered them and output them. I later shut down the machine. When later reopening it, Lightroom 6 will NOW not launch. I KNOW it works because I worked on it. But, now it has quit opening.

[David6C12]

Maybe you and I are the victim of the same bad timing? 😉

Please let me know if you find a workaround. I am currently wrestling with the time/inconvenience of switching software vs. finding a Terminal-based workaround or the like.

[ricc61423048]

saw this today, have not tried it

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic/adobe-photoshop-lightroom-6-and-catalina/td-p/10880...

[ricc61423048]

It works!

It's a pain in the butt, but it actually works, just make sure to keep a copy of the original, and only put a copy in your system library.

[GoldingD]

Are you saying that you are trying to install Lightroom 6 onto a MAC  with MACOS  Catalina?

While Lightroom 6 is a 64-bit App, the installer is a 32-bit App. Catalina absolutely refuses to install 32-bit Apps. So, you cannot install the installer application, and without the installer application you cannot install Lightroom 6. 

see:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/lightroom-macos-catalina-compatibility/

One possable workaround, maybe, have not tried, install a virtual OS, a virtual machine,  install the misbehaving program, then in Catalina, see if Lightroom 6,etc, will run. Google that.

[LyntonJones]

I have had Lightroom 6 installed on my Mac for some considerable time. I knew that my Photoshop CS6 would stop working because it was a 32 bit App. However, I also knew that Lightroom was a 64 bit App and so assumed that when I installed Catalina onto my Mac that Lightroom would continue working as I did not need to reinstall it. However, it transpires that in order to run on Catalina it needs to verify that I am the authorised owner of the App, and to do this it needs to use the Adobe Application Manager (AAM) which is, of course, 32 bit. So I have a 64 bit OS, a 64 bit App but a small verification program which is 32 bit and which is preventing me from running Lightroom for which I paid good money.

I find Adobe's inabolity to allow me access to a program which can, in principle, run on Catalina, absolutely outrageous.

[JohanElzenga]

Did you try to install the Crestive Cloud app like Nikunj suggested? I read somewhere that this can solve the application manager problem because it's more or less the new version of the application manager.

[LyntonJones · Accepted solution]

I did try this yesterday. I was able to install Creative Cloud but it did not recognise that I already own a copy of Lightroom (but it did recognise that I owned a copy of Photoshop) and was asking me to try a new version. I clicked on this and immediately got the alert that AAM was missing or damaged so I gave up. However, this morning after your post I did the same thing and still got the same missing AAM message. But I left this on the screen for a bit and to my amazement Lightroom began to run. It is now running OK (fingers crossed!) with my photos on it.

[Kang-Chun5FE9]

Hi, pretty much the same thing happened to me. LR6 still isn't running though (although it did for nearly a year!) Any tips on how to get it back?

[David6C12]

I have not had the same fortune as the OP. My Lightroom 6 is not opening after the AAM alert is dismissed.

Any recommendations before I swith to another software package and to another company that honors my purchases?

[dj_paige]

LR 6 requires the Adobe Creative Cloud Application. Re-install it (if you can on your operating system) and LR 6 should work.

[Kang-Chun5FE9]

Could you share teh download link please? I've repaired the creative cloud application- it's working fine and LR 6 is recognized- but it's refusing to open. Thanks so much~

[markr10166870]

I have been using my LR6 Classic with Catalina absolutely fine - but the latest Apple update has now made this message appear. I tried to download application manager but was pushed to creative cloud. Creative cloud "sees" LR6 Classic but when I click open I get the same error message "requires Adobe Application Manager" in spite of being authorised on Creative Cloud with my Adobe account. Cannot find a copy of application manager to download....... anyone have one I can use?