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How to activate Photoshop Elements 13 in 2024

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
May 17, 2024
7 replies
6172 views

I recently bought a new PC.

I deactivated Photoshop Elements 13 in the old computer and attempted to activate it on the new computer. I'm still getting the endless loop of "Sign In" pop-up.

I contacted support, and nobody was willing to help me. The only thing they wanted me to do is upgrade to Photoshop Elements 2024 - which I don't want. I bought a physical copy of PE13 a few years back and love it and want to continue using it. It's what I'm familiar with and comfortable with. When I explained that, the support agent said the activation servers for PE13 are retired.

If this is how their license works, then why would I ever buy anything from them ever again? If the servers are going to be retired within 10 years preventing me from using something I paid for, why would I continue using that product? This is infuriating.

So how am I supposed to activate Photoshop Elements 13?

How to

Correct answer MichelBParis

I recently bought a new PC.

I deactivated Photoshop Elements 13 in the old computer and attempted to activate it on the new computer. I'm still getting the endless loop of "Sign In" pop-up.

I contacted support, and nobody was willing to help me. The only thing they wanted me to do is upgrade to Photoshop Elements 2024 - which I don't want. I bought a physical copy of PE13 a few years back and love it and want to continue using it. It's what I'm familiar with and comfortable with. When I explained that, the support agent said the activation servers for PE13 are retired.

By @rjasso421

Hi, @rjasso421

Just before your post and after reading the current similar posts, I wanted to check if I was still able to install an old version on my new computer. I have most older versions available in my Adobe account, with download links and serial number. It happens that I did choose version 13.

I can't remember if I had deactivated the license on the old computer or if one activation was still available.

Everything worked as expected: download and use of the registered serial number. I only had to ignore one or two warnings (about the Revel service). I am now on Win 11 with PSE 2024. I took care to install the 64bits PSE13 installer. The help menu tells me I am "signed in".

I don't think I'll keep that very old version because there has been so many changes since that time.

Most people think that upgrading software and hardware after more than five years is taking a big safety and useability risk.

L

lrmatey_8460

Participant

Only way I've been able to get this to work is to turn wifi off so I skip the login page.

P

PeBeFoTo

Participating Frequently

Starting offline I've found that once I had opened up it asks me to sign in I can close down the dialogue box; the box asks me if I want to quit; I click 'yes' and the dialogue box closes but the application stays open, offline. I could then do an update following which I can shut down and then reopen. I can put the PC on line and the same happens. I'm not sure if the result would have been the same if I had just closed down the dialogue box whilst initially online but experiment. You can get in by just closing down the login dialogue box.

P

PeBeFoTo

Participating Frequently

Sorry, that should have said:

'but the application stays open, offline. I could then go online and do an update following which I can shut down and then reopen'

T

Tinzi5FB2

Participating Frequently

I experience the same problem. I own a physical legitimate never-expiring license of PSE13, which I want to reinstall after a clean install of Windows 10. I also get stuck with the option where Adobe offers online help to solve the issue with the installation of an older product. It only let me enter the 24 digits product code to registrate the product, but then I get the message that this code is already in use. I understand the logic though, because I already have registered this product. But I do find it strange that I can't find the registration anywhere in my Adobe account.

T

Tinzi5FB2

Participating Frequently

In my attempt today, I finally managed to successfully install PSE13. Unlike yesterday, I had already installed Creative Cloud, my PC had restarted, and I had logged into my Creative Cloud account. To be honest, I didn't have much hope left and I was surprised that the installation went so smoothly today. I don't think that it mattered, but in my innocent attempt today, I ignored the request to restart the PC during the installation. I am more than happy that I have PSE13 installed again on mij device. For my needs this is still a very good program.

S

squadison

Participant

Did ist start?? because I can install it but after logging in and accepting the terms, the program never starts.

Greg_S.

Community Expert

@Susan37811969tx9a, I have Elements 13 running on Windows 11. Try running the program in compatibility mode. See my instructions in this post. (For you, the PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe file will be found in the C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 13 directory).

stevetiler

Participant

Hi , did this ever get resolved? I have the exact same problem ! Continuous sign in loop

N

nrethmeier

Participant

Same problem here. help!

MichelBParisCorrect answer

Legend

I recently bought a new PC.

I deactivated Photoshop Elements 13 in the old computer and attempted to activate it on the new computer. I'm still getting the endless loop of "Sign In" pop-up.

I contacted support, and nobody was willing to help me. The only thing they wanted me to do is upgrade to Photoshop Elements 2024 - which I don't want. I bought a physical copy of PE13 a few years back and love it and want to continue using it. It's what I'm familiar with and comfortable with. When I explained that, the support agent said the activation servers for PE13 are retired.

By @rjasso421

Hi, @rjasso421

Just before your post and after reading the current similar posts, I wanted to check if I was still able to install an old version on my new computer. I have most older versions available in my Adobe account, with download links and serial number. It happens that I did choose version 13.

I can't remember if I had deactivated the license on the old computer or if one activation was still available.

Everything worked as expected: download and use of the registered serial number. I only had to ignore one or two warnings (about the Revel service). I am now on Win 11 with PSE 2024. I took care to install the 64bits PSE13 installer. The help menu tells me I am "signed in".

I don't think I'll keep that very old version because there has been so many changes since that time.

Most people think that upgrading software and hardware after more than five years is taking a big safety and useability risk.

R

rjasso421Author

Participating Frequently

Were you able to get passed the "Sign-In" activation window when you tried re-downloading PSE13? From what support told me, that was impossible because the servers had been retired. But I got the feeling they were more of a salesperson than a support agent since they kept pushing me to buy something. Three separate things they kept trying to get me to buy several times.

I finally gave up and upgraded to PS2024. But it's had so many problems. In the week I've had it, it's crashed at least 3 times. Maybe 4. And now I'm getting a white screen when I try to save. I appreciate having a warp tool, but PSE13 was doing just fine.

A lawsuit is inevitable. This is ridiculus.

MichelBParis

Legend

Were you able to get passed the "Sign-In" activation window when you tried re-downloading PSE13? From what support told me, that was impossible because the servers had been retired.

.

By @rjasso421

Yes, as expected I could download the PSE13 version and recover the serial number. In the installation process I was asked to enter the serial number and that did work, and PSE13 is still working.

I think that there is truth in the closure of the old registration servers, but then, why does it work for me and not for you and others?

A possible explanation could be that my process did not require access to the servers by Adobe's staff to delete the activations from the now unaccessible servers. I still have the option to "sign out" in the help menu. I suppose that to know more, I would have to test by trying to install again PSE13 on another computer with or without signing out from the present activation. That would tell if the activation servers are still available only to the users themselves, not by Adobe's staff to deactivate.

lel

Edit:

I can sign out then sign in back. If I don't sign in, I am back to the trial version. Maybe I'll try to sign out then try a new installation on a new computer when I have time. (Anyway, for me, PSE13 is not worth the trouble to keep it).

The big trouble with trying to reinstall very old PSE version is that most of the time both legit activations have been used on different computers at several times. As time passes, none of those computers are still available to deactivate. If one is still available for deactivating and the reinstall does not work, then I have no explanation.

Greg_S.

Community Expert

And see whether this HelpX article helps you.

R

rjasso421Author

Participating Frequently

Thank you for finding that. I had sadly found that article already and had attempted that bypass. Instead, when I tried launching PSE13, all I got was an error popup saying I needed to uninstall and reinstall the software.

Greg_S.

Community Expert

What happens when you click the Sign In Now button?

Did you originally purchase the program from Adobe? I have only recently become aware that purchasers from some third-party retailers (such as BestBuy) may have received a limited term license, not a perpetual license.

R

rjasso421Author

Participating Frequently

I own a physcial copy I bought at Target about 5 years ago. I still have the Serial number and date of registration. Adobe's support agents all told me the same thing. The activation servers have been retired.

Greg_S.

Community Expert

Are you saying that you can't activate the program at all, or that you have to sign in each time you open the program? Please show us a screenshot of the sign-in dialog but make sure no personal information of license numbers are exposed.

R

rjasso421Author

Participating Frequently

It's the Sign In loop you get when trying to launch the program on a new device.

I deactivated (signed out) on the old computer, and attempted to sign in on the new one. Apparently, that's not possible anymore because the sign in servers eventually get retired. So unless there's a work around, I can't use it any longer.

I tried the trick where you rename the Store, Cache, and PD file, but all it did was give me an error recommending I uninstall and reinstall.

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