Camera Raw installation

[practical_days6773]

I tried to open a raw file with my new elements 2026 software. It said I needed to download and install the Photoshop Elements 2026 Add on Utilities. I searched for that on the Adobe site and didn't get any sensible results. I later found an article with a link to download and install the raw plug in v 17.5 so I tried that. It downloaded a file cameraraw_17-5-1.dmg. When I clicked that it installed something, somewhere but the main software still doesn't open raw files. Now they are not greyed out on the menu and I get a preview on my mac but it then gives me a message saying I need to download the raw plug in. What am I doing wrong

[99jon]

You normally install from the Editor menu:

Help > Install Camera Raw

You can check from the menu for a successful installation from:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2026 Editor > About Plugins > Camera Raw

Press esc to close the pop-up.

[practical_days6773]

I tried that but all that happens is theat the workspace disappears leaving just the menu bar at the top of the screen. I checked the About Plugins and it just listed Photomerge. To get the elements workspace back I have to shut down the computer which involves force quiting the elements software which is stopping me shutting down. I really need an idiots guide to do this with step by step instructions - is there such a thing. 

[99jon]

Try my Dropbox download Camera Raw 17-5-1 For Mac

Use the download button near top right. There is no need to have  Dropbox account. Click the link to download without signing in.

Double-click to open the zip file and use Finder to copy or drag Camera Raw.plugin into the File Formats folder at this location - Go Menu > Go to Folder:

Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Adobe > Plug-Ins > Elements 26 > File Formats

[practical_days6773]

Thats really kind of you. Please bear in mind you are communicating with someone not used to this kind of thing. When I click on your file a folder called contents appears and when I click on that other files appear. Which one is the zip file. I have to say I have never come accross anything like this before. If Adobe want you to use their software why do they make it so difficult. I have been using Elements 19 for years and that came with Camera Raw loaded.

[99jon]

You should find the zip file in Downloads. Simply double click to reveal the plug-in. 

See image below.

[practical_days6773]

Sorry I reread your reply and clicked the download button. It downloaded a file which I moved to the folder you suggested although the list reads Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Adobe > Plug-Ins > CC > File Formats

and when I looked the plugin was there. I went back to Elements 2026 and tried to open a raw photo. The program crashes and leaves just the menu bar visible and when I checked the above folder the plug in has disappeared. 

[practical_days6773]

I've just watched a youtube video on how to install camera raw. The demonstration clicked File - open in camera raw and a dialogue window appeared saying that the plug in was needed. When he clicked ok another dialogue window opened where the language and location were chosen when he ok'd that the software loaded. When I click the first window the program crashes. I've been working on this since yesterday morning and I've yet to edit a photo

[99jon]

I'm not sure what the problem is unless you have an incomplete installation. Is everything else working?

I gues you added the .plugin file to the File Formats folder and not the zip file?

Do you see this when you go to:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2026 Editor > About Plugins > Camera Raw

[practical_days6773]

No I just see Photomerge. See screenshots. There must be some issue with the mac - its running Sequoia 15.6.1 but the installation of elements was not straight forward. The installation kept failing at about 3%. I was just checking apps folder when I noticed that it had in fact installed even though it was reporting a failed installation. It is possible that it hasn't fully installed.

[99jon]

Your screenshot shows the plugin inside the CC folder (Creative Cloud) which is probably from your original download.

It needs to use the Elements 26 path.

[practical_days6773]

So where exactly should I put it

[99jon]

See Image:

[practical_days6773]

The folder Elements 26 does not exist within my plugins folder. I assume that must be created during the original installation but hasn't. I'm beginning to wonder if this can be solved. Perhaps my new mac is not compatible with Elements. I tried to install my original version of Elements 19. That installation failed too but the file structure in your screen shot was created.

[99jon]

The folders possibly get created when you download the Add-On utilities from "Install Camera Raw" under the help menu.

Rather than re-installing try creating the folders manually. Quit PSE 2026 and from Finder go to the plug-Ins folder and right-click anywhere within that folder and choose New Folder; then name it Elements 26

Then open the Elements 26 folder and right-click again and choose New Folder and name it File Formats

Put Camera Raw.plugin into the File Formats folder

Quit Finder and re-launch the PSE 2026 Editor

Let us know of that works.

[practical_days6773]

I tried that but no joy. At that point I'd had enough of Elements 2026 and got in touch with Adobe and asked the virtual assistant for a refund. They put me through to a human being who tried to solve the problem. I gave him control of my mac and he tried for about 2.5 hours to get the raw section working. He said eventually that he would pass this up the chain to more senior people who would be in touch to help me. That was yesterday. If I don't see some progress soon I will be contacting my credit card provider and letting them sort out a refund. 

[practical_days6773]

The Adobe experts had control of my mac again yesterday but again failed to sort the problem. The said something about patches not being available which sounds to me as if the product is not ready to be released. Why would you release Elements 2026 in 2025 and then find out it's not ready. They have processed a refund. Absolute rubbish.

[ren�_8062]

I have the same problem with Windows 11 and Elements 2025. I have already downloaded and installed the RAW plug-in 17.5 twice. Every time I want to open a Raw file, I get a message saying that I need to install the raw plug-in via the Help menu. I cannot find the RAW plug-in under filters either. Unfortunately, I am not very familiar with automation, but I believe that a programme should also be user-friendly for those who are less tech-savvy. I wanted to purchase an update to 2026, but now I am having serious doubts. Perhaps Elements is not the right choice for me after all.

[Glenn 8675309]

Do this, note the location, which is important.

If you haven't been able to update the Camera Raw plug-in for Elements, follow these steps, Primarily because your new camera needs a newer version of ACR to support RAW files:

Download and install the latest Camera Raw version from https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html

Quit all Adobe applications.

On macOS, double-click the .dmg file to mount it.

On Windows double-click the downloaded .zip file to unzip it.
(Windows might unzip the file for you.)

On macOS, double-click the .pkg file to start the installer. 

On Windows, double-click the resulting .exe file to start the installer.

Follow the on-screen instructions.

 Once installed successfully, close the installer window.

 Navigate to the following folder:

On macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/CC/File Formats

On Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats

Copy the Camera Raw plug-in (just the .8bi file) from the CC > File Formats folder that is mentioned in the above step.

Navigate to the following folder: 

On macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/Elements<Version Number>/File Formats

On Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\Elements<Version Number>\File Formats

Replace the existing Camera Raw plugin in Elements<Version Number> folder with the plug-in that you copied earlier.

[Kolonius]

Hello Community,

I have a problem with camera raw which is very similiar. I use my camera Canon EOS R with *.CR3 Files. When loaded into PSE, all pictures are cut from the original height of 4498 dots to 3776. So far I used PSE2020 with camera raw 12.0. A couple of days ago I bought PSE2026, but the Problem still exists. I noticed that the camera raw version PSE loaded was 17.3. So I downloaded the 18.0 and installed it according to the post described by Glenn 8675309 just above. But it was no help.
Then I found this page:
https://helpx.adobe.com/de/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-supported-cameras.html#canon_note
There you can read that pictures made by Canon EOS R will not be properly processed by camera raw.
So I cancelled the purchase an deinstalled the program. I am afraid I can do nothing but wait until camera raw fixes the CR3 problem. At the moment I work again with the old PSE2020. As a workaround I change my pictures to TIFF before loading into PSE. Not very comfortable. Can anyone help me with a better solution?

Kolonius

[99jon]

I'm not seeing this problem with my raw files from my Canon EOS R5. The pixel dimensions are  8192 x 5464 and nothing is cut off.

If you are shooting in Canon dual pixel raw you may need to use the editing software that shipped with your camera e.g. Canon DPP.

If you still get problems you could download the Adobe DNG Converter app. You can batch convert a whole set of CR3 files quite quickly. DNG has no loss of quality and DNG files are more efficient than tiff files.

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/camera-raw/using/adobe-dng-converter.html

[Kolonius]

99jon, thank you for your suggestions

If you follow the link I mentioned above, you will notice that camera raw only has problems with the EOS R and not with the EOS R5.

I am not shooting in Canon dual pixel raw.

I already tried the Adobe DNG Converter app before. It produces the same wrong cut pictures as PSE with camera raw does.

The case is really strange. Irfan view and the windows picture viewer both display my CR3 files in full size. Even the preview icons in a folder are correct.

[jenna_6623]

Brilliant! Thank you so much! I followed your instructions and have managed to install the plugin. I created the "Elements25" folder in the "Plugins" folder because it didn't exist. But it worked. Yay! Thank you for taking the time to give clear instructions.

[99jon]

Glad it worked for you.

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