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Terri Stevens
Legend
August 15, 2016
Answered

Photoshop CS2 Download link

  • August 15, 2016
  • 12 replies
  • 625188 views

It looks as if Adobe have finally withdrawn the opportunity to download Photoshop CS2 media. The old URL now leads to a purchase page for Creative Cloud

Adobe Creative Cloud desktop apps | Adobe Creative Cloud

So it looks as if anyone now unable to activate CS2 is up the creek without a paddle.I suppose its a good thing as nobody here really knew for sure the legality of telling early version Photoshop users to download it, but its a bit rough on anyone who spent $1000 buying it ten years ago as they are forced to now move on and spend some more money. If anyone has the old URL for the download to hand could you try it to confirm if I am correct?

    Correct answer John Waller

    CS2 can still be downloaded from

    Download Adobe Acrobat 7 and Adobe Creative Suite 2 products

    That links bypasses the incorrect links in the Adobe Help article which you are referring to.

    The incorrect links at Error: "Activation Server Unavailable" | CS2, Acrobat 7, Audition 3 were reported to, and acknowledged by Adobe, a few days ago. I'm pessimistic that they'll ever be fixed.

    12 replies

    gener7
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    July 9, 2020

    This thread is four years old and since then non-activation CS2 and CS3 is no longer available for download. The original retail discs can no longer be activated. If you do not want the subscription, Photoshop Elements or other third party software can do the trick. With that this thread is locked.

    Participant
    June 12, 2020

    Its still available, but not easy to get to. I bought CS2 forever ago. I only use it occasionally, so I've never bothered to upgrade to the monthly subscription.

     

    In any case, if you navigate to the following page, it will show a cached version of the page back from 2018:
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180608013642/https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/cs2-product-downloads.html?promoid=19SCDRQK

    If you do a View Source of that page and search for the product, e.g. Photoshop; you'll find in there the links to the actual files. It turns out the actual files are archived as well.

    For example, the following is for Photoshop CS2 for Windows:
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180623114252/http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_EOL/PHSP/PhSp_CS2_English.exe

    Participant
    October 1, 2019

    This was the first link that popped up on Google search, so I am posting here. I searched around for CS2 downloads, only to get mixed checksums, which sends up a lot of red flags for me. So, I decided to try Photoshop Elements, which has a 30 day trial. It appears to have everything that I need including text effects (drop shadows, etc.), layers, grid, preset shapes, cartoon callouts and several new things that CS2 didn't have. For about $100, I think it looks like what I am switching to and I don't need a subscription for it. I don't really need Premiere, since I don't edit videos.

    Participant
    August 8, 2019

    I was annoyed to have to rent software, effectively holding work I produce with it for ransom monthly; but to rent software that actually gets worse over time, that was the last straw.  I've used Photoshop since 2.5 on Mac OS 7.5.5, but I switched to Luminar and Affinity a couple years ago and I've not looked back.  I found this thread trying to help a friend install an old CS suite, looks like she's at the mercy of Customer Service.

    Hope it worked out better for you!

    Christopher

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 8, 2019

    Running 12 year old software will get you in trouble everywhere, so I honestly don't see what the big surprise is.

    Participant
    September 12, 2019
    Spreading fear? That's really not true, you know. A lot of people still use abandoned software when there really is no new replacement. Also, I've gone back to using older versions of software a number of times... upon realizing that the newer version makes me less productive. The load times alone on recent versions of some software are ludicrous.
    rayek.elfin
    Legend
    August 7, 2019

    Ah, true. Wasn't thinking straight.

    Yes, time to update or switch to an alternative like Affinity Photo, PhotoLine, Gimp, or Elements.

    Participant
    August 7, 2019

    I just bought a new laptop that doesn't have a CDROM drive. I want to install my old version of Adobe Creative Suite 2 Premium (student licensing) but need to be able to download the software since I can't use the discs I have. I followed the link provided in this forum, signed into my account, and checked My Plans, but nothing is there. I can't proceed beyond that step. I don't recall if my software was even registered all those years ago. I'm aware that Adobe is no longer supporting my old software, but I was told that a staff member would help me through this forum. I need help downloading and installing CS2 since I have no desire to pay for a subscription -- the old version suits my needs. Can someone help?

    rayek.elfin
    Legend
    August 7, 2019

    Copy the installation files from your CD to a USB key, and install. Or purchase an external USB DVD drive.

    Legend
    August 7, 2019

    You cannot use the CD installer, as it requires activation and Adobe has turned off the activation servers. Unless you already have the non-activated version, it will not work at all. You must move to the subscription version of change to something like Photoshop Elements or one of the many third-party image editors out there.

    JR Boulay
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 9, 2019

    Please, refers to this topic: I want to Download Digitally

    Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
    Participant
    May 13, 2019

    no it doesnt

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 13, 2019

    Adobe is changing how their customers can access Adobe software and what is available.  Adobe also seem to be changing their End of Life procedure Adobe software end-of-life procedure

    You may want to contact Adobe Customer Support they may state your out of luck.   User's here do not work for Adobe and even if we have copies of what you want it would not be legal for us to give you a copy.  All we can legally do is provide you with Adobe linkes we know about where software can be download.  Most have been removed in the past few days. You have to deal directly with Adobe to get their software. 

    Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop will only Install Photoshop CC 2019 versions of Photoshop the is very bad news.   CC 2019 has so many bugs and Adobe seem to be stating we are not longer authorized  to use older versions.  If Adobe start to enforce that it will break many user work-flow and they will no longer be able to get some work done.

    Contact Adobe.

    JJMack
    joannad49811830
    Participant
    November 8, 2017

    Been trying that link for ages. It does not work. Very disappointing.

    Terri Stevens
    Legend
    November 8, 2017

    The download link for that has changed and is now

    Download Adobe Acrobat 7 and Adobe Creative Suite 2 products

    If you are using that page try a different browser.

    Participant
    December 8, 2018

    thank you.

    will be fine now.

    John Waller
    Community Expert
    John WallerCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    August 16, 2016

    CS2 can still be downloaded from

    Download Adobe Acrobat 7 and Adobe Creative Suite 2 products

    That links bypasses the incorrect links in the Adobe Help article which you are referring to.

    The incorrect links at Error: "Activation Server Unavailable" | CS2, Acrobat 7, Audition 3 were reported to, and acknowledged by Adobe, a few days ago. I'm pessimistic that they'll ever be fixed.

    Terri Stevens
    Legend
    August 16, 2016

    I'm glad it is a least still available John. With the volume of sales of Creative Cloud-I think there's close to 8 million subscribers now-there was no need for Adobe to be unethical with their older customers. I wouldn't blame them if they put some kind of security on the download site though, surely asking for a valid CS2 serial number would be fair and ensure only entitled people downloaded. Is the link you provided new or did you just happen to have an alternative?

    OldBob1957
    Inspiring
    August 16, 2016

    Terri Stevens wrote:

    I wouldn't blame them if they put some kind of security on the download site though, surely asking for a valid CS2 serial number would be fair and ensure only entitled people downloaded.

    While I agree with you in principle, the problem then would be that Adobe would need some method to check against a list of valid CS2 licenses, and also to deal with people who insist they HAVE such a valid license who were refused the download. It would essentially seem to be recreating the very servers which they took down in the first place as being too much trouble to maintain. A classic Catch-22.

    --OB

    davescm
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 15, 2016

    There is another thread near to this one (at the time of reading) where a user was having trouble updating to latest version of Photoshop and removing CS2 solved it. Coincidence?

    Dave

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 15, 2016

    It may have solved their problem. However, on My Windows 10 Workstation  CS2, CC, CC 2014, CC 2015 and CC 2015.5 all function. They may be a Mac user. If CS2 caused Problems for Photoshop CC.

    JJMack
    gener7
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 15, 2016

    CS2 won't install or run on a Mac unless it's 10.6.8 or earlier. It was the last version designed for Power PC CPUs as Apple went for Intel.

    The only other way would be running CS2 Win under a Windows emulator if you did not want Bootcamp.

    Apple is not kind to legacy software.

    Gene