How to activate Photoshop Elements 13 in 2024

[rjasso421]

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?

[Greg_S.]

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.

[rjasso421 · Accepted solution]

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.

[Greg_S.]

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. 

[rjasso421]

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.]

And see whether this HelpX article helps you. 

[rjasso421]

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.

[MichelBParis · Accepted solution]

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.

[rjasso421]

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]

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.

[Susan37811969tx9a]

I am having a similar problem. Elements v13 worked on my PC and now it doesn't. Tech support told me it is compatible only with Window 7.X or 8.X, and I'm running Windows 10 (perhaps I upgraded Windows and don't recall doing so).

[Greg_S.]

@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]

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