Camera RAW v15.2 doesn't update in PSE 2021?

Report · Apr 12, 2023

Updates... in Help is grayed out and has been for as long as I remember. Every time I fire up my computer there is a message that an ACR update is available so today I clicked on it and tried to install. The installer tells me that ACR was updated to v15.2 but my PSE 2021 still shows version 13.0.0.612. What gives?

Report · Apr 12, 2023

Which installer?

For Elements, there is no installer. Those are for the full Photoshop ACR version which is very different from the limited Elements version.

In Elements, update are automatic, or you have to follow the workaround stated in many recent discussions.

PSE2023 is limited to ACR 14.4 without the workaround.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/camera-raw-update-not-available.html

Report · Apr 12, 2023

Hi Michel. I used the installer that comes up when you click on the Adobe creative cloud message when firing up my Windows 10 PC. That installer also told me that the install was executed.

If v15.2 isn't even available for PSE2023, why do I get the message that it is available (I have PSE2021) and why does the installer tell me that installation was done? Is Adobe that sloppy?

And why is my update grayed out? If it is automatic and if it works correctly, than I have nothing to worry about that feature, but what if it isn't? Wouldn't it be nice if the program allowed my to click on it and either get the message that I have the latest available version or goes out and checks and eliminate all doubt?

Report · Apr 12, 2023

You must be getting the update message from the Creative Cloud desktop application. There have not been any recent updates for Elements 2021, nor will there be any in the future. Because Elements uses only a crippled version of Camera Raw, there is no need to update ACR to the latest and greatest version unless you have a camera that requires a more recent version. If that is the case, follow the instructions found here. You must follow the instructions precisely.

The name of the file that you must copy and paste is Camera Raw.8bf.

For Elements 2021, at Step 9 of the instructions, you must copy the file into the following (Windows) directory: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\Elements 19\File Formats.