Deactivating Computer

[Astranova67]

Ok my old laptop has gone into blue screen of death! Bought a new laptop and I'm trying to load Elements 14 onto it. But it's saying to deactivate a computer as it's already active on 2 computers. How do I deactivate a computer?. I've logged into my account but can't find anything for deactivating a computer! Help!

[Phinny · Accepted solution]

Supposing Windows 10, I only know of two choices.  The easy one might work, I've never tried booting into Safe Mode With Networking and running PSE in that state.  If successful you could then sign out from the Help menu and your mission is accomplished.

The other option is to log into your Adobe account on your new machine and click on Support > Help Center.  Note the Chat icon in the lower right portion of that screen where you can request an activation reset.  Some have said that typing AGENT right from the start spares you the frustration of chatting with a chat bot and I'm inclined to believe them.  Make it clear to whomever that you only need your activations reset or risk needlessly waiting an extended period for tech support.  I'm not sure why registered users aren't permitted to do this themselves either.   That'd be nice.

[Astranova67]

Cheers ....just did exactly what you said....sorted in 5 mins.......STAR!

[Elynwill]

This did not help me. I am at the end of my wits. I also have a pc that is no longer working. Now, after installing elements on my new computer and open the Adobe program it says I am licensed on two computers.  I tried to look everywhere to deactivate the pc that is no longer working. All I am getting is the Creative Cloud app that I am supposed to be buying. Why in the world would I be buying this app for fifty plus dollars in order to deactivate one of my computers from Adobe's list. Can someone please tell me if there is a simple step to do this? Thank you.

[Test Screen Name]

You must do as described to contact a support agent. This is FREE. You cannot do this yourself or by any other way. Forget this safe mode trick described. Warning, scammers may contact you privately pretending to be Adobe staff. Adobe will never send you a private message asking you to email an account that isn't @adobe.com, or use Skype. Adobe never ask you for their password. These scammers want your Adobe info, credit cards, your money and control of your computer, please take care.

[Phinny]

Good job Astranova!   😊

[AlteDäne]

Similar problem for me with Elements 15, bought 4 years ago. I shifted to a new computer a year later, transferred PSE15 with the help of PCFast Transfer (not quite sure of the name). This fall Windows 10 crashed and a new motherboard was installed, the C-drive was reformatted.

So now PSE15 says my activation limit is reached. How on earth do I get a deactivation done? Adobe says deactivate on the old computer or contact us. Neither is possible! And Adobe just sends you around to various screens describing the activation system and the help forums. Everything about contacts leads to help screens or forums. On See support history there is a link, if you want to create a support case. Here is a chat bot, but no way to communicate with it.

It seems I can use PSE just by ignoring the error message, is that the only way??

[Test Screen Name]

You do indeed need to contact Adobe. It is the ONLY way. Be sure to ask for "activation count reset" first, and repeat the phrase often. Do NOT start by saying what you are trying to run, because they won't support old apps. There is supposed to be a CHAT icon on the support pages. Sometimes it isn't there because of ad blockers. Warning, scammers may contact you privately pretending to be Adobe staff. Adobe will never send you a private message asking you to email an account that isn't @Deleted User, or use Skype. Adobe never ask you for their password. These scammers want your Adobe info, credit cards, your money and control of your computer, please take care.

[AlteDäne]

But there is no chat icon! On https://helpx.adobe.com/manage-account/using/change-plan.html  there is head set and the text Contact us. Real help from real people. Start now. Sounds good, but clicking on Start now brings up https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html with FAQ. Clicking on Help Center gives https://helpx.adobe.com/support.html showing Popular topics with more FAQ and under Individual it says Sign in to contact us, but I AM signed in (the Plan shows my products). Clicking on Sign in sends me back to .../contact.html

I hhave spent hours trying to find some way to contact real people! The closest I have come is View Support History on account.adobe.com. After another sign-in it shows my non-existing support cases and "To open a new support case, contact us"

Here I find Adobe Customer Care Virual Assistant, but it is not possible to write anything to it! The only thing that works is the X in the upper right corner...

I am using Google Chrome, not using an Ad-block. It seems that Adobe has dropped Customer Support.

[Peru Bob]

You may also be able to contact Adobe by phone:
https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/phone.html

[PDFCreatorBoss]

It took 3 attempts to try a reach a human.  Third attempt had me waiting on the phone for 50 minutes prior to getting a human.  Definitely had to reiterate the request: "activation count reset", with the rep. Once that individual routed me to a person who could actually do something, the reset was done in less than a minute after providing the email associated with the purchase of the product (Adobe Acrobat XI Pro purchased over 7 years ago; email address no longer exists).  

It shouldn't be this difficult, however, speaking with a rep resolved the issue.

[Glenn 8675309]

I've don tech support for a software company (not Adobe).  I would always just as them "What is it you need me to do?"  If they said "I need a download to my purchase from 5 years ago"- that's what  I woould give them.

Good support people get a "feel" about their customers experience level- and gear their responses based upon a customers level of experience- there is so much more than following a canned script.

For many users, by the time they contact support they have done "all the things"- reinstalling, safe mode, yadda yadda yadda.

One thing Adobe lacks is a true support channel-- "Click here to submit a suupport request" type stuff.

You  get a trouble ticket number, and all the behind the scenes software keeps track of all the customer interactions. 

The deactivation process is rather convoluted, and extremly difficult to accomplish.... their literally is no reason for it to be that difficult, except to guard against scammers and theives.

That comment "Be sure to ask for "activation count reset" first, and repeat the phrase often" is spot on.  I've  called support for my internet connectio nand told them straight up "Don't bother walking me through all the troubleshooting steps, just do this...." but they often insist on following their script.

They're just guys doing there job, trying to eearn some money and the "Adobe gods" will probably come crashing down on them if they don't "follow protocol".

That virtual care assistant?  100% useless.

This user forum? Always the palce to begin with. 

[CatAllie56]

I too have the same dilemma.  I will attempt to call Adobe first if not I will follow the rest of the wonderful info on this thread.  I will post my success or failure when I talk to them.  If anyone has anything else to share before I call tomorrow, I would greatly appreciate it.  Thanks all.

[mikem34185419]

I just had to do this,

Went to Help Center, choose the chat icon in bottom right, entered agent then issue with product, gave agent serial number, they reset account and waited for me to confirm I could access.

All done within 2 minutes

[Mark36557584a2tr]

Nope. Adobe decided that blocking customers from access to their purchased software is more profitable. Per customer support today:

We do not have the right to deactivate the key from the old machine.

We earlier used to have the access to that tool to reset the count but now we do not have that tool with us.

We apologize but we do not have the access to reset the count