Skip to main content
Participant
May 12, 2020
Answered

Years of licenses bought for Photoshop that now don't work on new macs

  • May 12, 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 1358 views

Hi is there any workaround to getting photoshop to load on a mac desktop running 10.15.4 Catalina?
I don't want a monthly subscription as I've bought the product licenses for many years.

Any thoughts?
Thanks.

C

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Manan Joshi

Hi there,

 

Adobe does not provide any other means other than subscribing to the software plan, perpetual licenses are no longer sold. So i suppose the answer is no you can't use Photoshop unless you buy a subscription plan. If you have valid perpetual licenses of CS version of the software then you will have to downgrade your MAC OS to use the software.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/system-requirements-old-versions.html

 

-Manan

5 replies

Participant
June 23, 2020

Ever since Adobe has changed to cloud based apps there has been problem after problem that did not occur before CC.  If Adobe can't make CC installs work as well as CS installs maybe Adobe should re-consider the cloud based app nonsense.

JJMack
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 23, 2020

Many CS version are 32bit applications. They will not run on mac computers running apple apple newer operating system.  It is not only Adobe that is changing software that users use.  If you use Photoshop you should always have more then one version of Photoshop installed that works.   You can never tell when developer like Apple, Microsoft and Adobe may brake something you  use.  Use both Activations you have and do not always jump on software when it is first released. Make sure you always have at least one working machine if you require a working Photoshop.  Work wisely.... be responsible

JJMack
Participant
June 23, 2020

I am talking about 64 bit apps not installing, I have not had a 32 bit os in well over a decade.  Nothing stated regarding 32 bit apps other than to state that CS versions were never a problem to install but CC versions have had numerous install issues and some of the issues have existed for years.  The problems should not be lasting for years. Your advice was arrogant and uninsightful.

Conrad_C
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 12, 2020

If the Mac has to run Catalina (for example, a new Mac that won’t run any earlier version of macOS), one workaround is to run a virtual machine that uses macOS 10.14 or earlier, and run the older applications on that:

https://tidbits.com/2019/09/18/moving-to-catalina-keep-your-32-bit-mac-apps-running-with-parallels/

c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 12, 2020

Please see here for the System requirements of several obsolete Photoshop versions: 

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/system-requirements-old-versions.html

c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 12, 2020

Which Photoshop version are you talking about? 

And why did you not include that in your original post? 

CZ66Author
Participant
May 12, 2020

Sorry I have Adobe InDesign Cs6 and photoshop cs5.1  plus many older versions going back 20 years. 

c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 12, 2020

Photoshop CS5 works with (quote)

»Mac OS X v10.5.7 or v10.6«

 

When one decides to stick with obsolete software (and there may be valid reasons for such a decision) one should make sure one is able to roll back any and all software and hardware updates in case they »break« the set-up. 

It would be imprudent to assume that obsolete software would run on an OS and hardare that didn’t even exist when its last update was released. 

Manan JoshiCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
May 12, 2020

Hi there,

 

Adobe does not provide any other means other than subscribing to the software plan, perpetual licenses are no longer sold. So i suppose the answer is no you can't use Photoshop unless you buy a subscription plan. If you have valid perpetual licenses of CS version of the software then you will have to downgrade your MAC OS to use the software.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/system-requirements-old-versions.html

 

-Manan

-Manan