P: Unusual Account Activity Detected popup in Photoshop

[Darrell Stokes]

My partner is getting this modal popup blocking her activity in Photoshop v 25.5—but not in any other CC apps. It feels like a phishing scam, but could just be a bad design. She didn't follow the links (Learn more and Sign out) in the modal. She has deactivated access on other machines, and deleted and reinstalled Photoshop. The message still appears.

Has anyone else seen this before?

[DavidLloydImageworks]

 Like waiting for a bomb to go off. Adobe has cost me so much money dealing with this. 

[Michelle29831425vnse]

Yep. Which is why I really doubt their solution to reset the password and reboot. 

If the connections are 'tied' to the machine and not released when the apps and cloud app are completely uninstalled, it's never going to work - surely that can't be how it's architected.

There is only one machine to deactivate on my account and it's the laptop I'm using currently which is not associated with 'current session' - it's only one of 2 other connections I CAN delete. To me, it seems like this is a back-end issue.

I have ONE laptop with Adobe installed on it but 3 connections. And I lose access tomorrow. No word back from technical support.

Again, things were running fine for months. Something changed or a glitch happened on their backend somewhere. I've 25 years of experience working in IT with backend servers, authentication, software as a service.

I am using other software for other projects that allow multiple installations but only allow you to use them on one or two machines simultaneously and they'd work as you'd expect. The difference is they don't have an app like Creative Cloud in between. as a middleware type of thing.

In the meantime, everything I do on Photoshop and Illustrator, I've found how-to videos and tutorials for GIMP and Inkspace - those apps have been around for years. Canva has pretty powerful AI features that can work in a pinch and Adobe Express is still free to use. 

I use Davinci Resolve for videos and their audio editor is pretty decent. I have other audio apps that I've paid for in the past and recording studio experience so I don't need Adobe Audition - those it was a nice-to-have for simple projects. 

Personally, for me, if Adobe doesn't fix this issue, I'm just going to cancel the subscription. It's not worth the time and the money I've lost. I'm pretty sure I can get by with the other software I have.

Anyway, Adobe support is supposed to escalate my ticket to Tier 2 support and I'm still waiting for a reply. I'll put another update if I find anything out or if they come up with a fix.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@Michelle29831425vnse Adobe is consolidating all reports to this thread - hopefully we will see a response /resolution soon.

[Mark Chen]

I've been having this since 5 days ago. And today it actually shut down my Photoshop. No need to mention I was working on something with an immenent deadline. 

Any solution yet, Adobe? I tried updating to latest verison to no avail. 

[DavidLloydImageworks]

This is absolutely not ok. It's one thing to be help hostage by adobe for our professional tools, but this is malpractice for them to be cutting us off like this. WE ARE NOT SHARING OUR ACCOUNTS! WE HAVE PASSKEYS ON OUR ACCOUNTS! ADOBE FIX THIS!!!!

[Fluk3]

I have this issue too for days now. Tried all the troubleshooting steps. Reset password twice, deacivated both installed machines, ended all sessions, using Adobe authenticator app. Uninstalled, reinstalled, downgraded and updated Photoshop. Still getting the popup constantly.

Constantly interrupting my work. I have deadlines! This is unacceptable!

My account isn't compromised, I am not using the apps on more than one machine at a time.

This needs immediate attention please.

[Kyphotos32]

4 days ago i stated getting this message in photoshop( unusual account activity detected). I contacted adobe and they gave me a number of different steps to go through and now of them resolved the problem. I deactivited all of my accounts and changed the passward and it still didnt work. Adobe told me to wait 24hrs and then try it again and i did and i am still getting the message. I even followed the instructions of the message and started a now plan and the message still pops up. 

I am never using the app on any of my computers at the sametime. i have lost my adobe account on my home computer yesterday March 9th but when i got to my studio today and logged in to my account to use photoshop its says that in 2days i will lose accsse to this account to and my home computer and this one uses the same credentials. there is somthing going on with adobe because i see that there are a ton of people having the same issue. 

Its not right that i have lost access to my account for no reason on one computer and in 2 days i will lose  access on my other one evern after starting a new account .  As you can see from the pics i have provided there was 2 different times that i would lose accsse to my account. those are 2 different computers at different places using the same credntials to loggin at different times and making sure i was logged out of all other computers. 

[Kyphotos32]

I has lost accsse to my home computer but not my studio compter. that dosent even make sense because they are both on the same account. i never use them at the same time.  when i log in to photoshop at home it says you can no longer use this app but when i go to the studio its says i have 2 days befor i lose that account but its the same account. 

[K D S]

I am getting this as well. I do cycle between 3 devices, (Macbook, Desktop and a SUrface Pro) But I always deactivate one to use on another. I have done this for years. As of this week I'm getting this and and am now down to 4 days. I do use a VPN, but there is nothign unusual on my account.

I'm hopeing this is just a bug.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Checking in - has anyone's account actually shut down and blocked them after the deadline?

[Lumigraphics]

So far I'm one of the lucky ones apparently, I have access to multiple machines with different accounts, both home and work, and have not seen this error. Does everyone have the latest Photoshop update (25.5.1) installed?

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@Lumigraphics this is a reported issue with the account servers. This isn't related to specific PS versions.

[Kyphotos32]

my account shut down yesterday. I have been on the phone with adobe for a 2 hours and nothing. they evern remoted in to my computer and done all kinds of stuff and nothing. I have deadlins on jobs i am working on and they said they would call me back and nothing. i even created a new account like the message said to do from photoshop and nothing getting the same error message. This is crazy. 

[Lumigraphics]

I thought it could be addressed in the 25.5.1 hotfix. Of course release notes are unhelpful.

[thomasl52258615]

I was getting that window too and your info is a big help and it works for me.  Will also try to contact support for more info. Saludos from Oaxaca

Photoshop 25.5.1

Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1

MacBook Pro M2 Pro

[k.james]

Yes, same problem. I've done all that support recommend and I still get this error (then Photoshop quits)

Change/Reset Password

Signed out of Creative Cloud App

Signed out of Photoshop

Signed out of Adobe.com (website)

Uninstalled/Reinstalled Photoshop x2

Signed out of all “sessions” via my Adobe account

Confirmed my Identity (Student/Teacher) status - Verified March 4, 2024.

Only 1 device is activated (MacBook 13 intel)

It does not appear to be happening (currently) in Illustrator, Lightroom, etc

[DavidLloydImageworks]

So far I have not been shut down. (knock on wood) I may go balistic if it does during my client work session today though. 

[Mark Chen]

My PS has been locked out since 2 days ago, right when it was cruchtime for my preparation for Fotofest. I tried to use PS 2023 instead and it worked. Looks like this bug is "targeting" the latest version. This is just a temporariy measure though. 

[K D S]

I noticed for myself if I downgrade to v22 that i dont get the notification. Nots ure what that means in the long term, but it seems to be specifica to an issue in  v25. 

[K D S]

I dont get the notice on v22, but im not sure what that means for my account however.

[Kyphotos32]

So i have reinstalled V24.7.1 and it is working with no problem. I just cant take a photo from lightroom to photoshop. I have to open each photo from photoshop.  

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi Everyone - An update from Adobe:

Everyone who has taken the outlined steps from the previous post should stop seeing the message within 24 hours.

• Change your password
• Sign out of all active logins
• Remove connected devices

[K D S]

I can confirm the message apepars to be gone for me.

[K D S]

and after 30min of it NOT being there it showed up just as i said it was gone lol

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@K D S you ran through the solution process?