Photoshop elements upgrade licene 2023 t0 2024: is 2023 still licensed ?

[FrankFOS]

If I purchase the Photoshop elements upgrade licene from 2023 t0 2024, is 2023 still licensed so that i can reinstall it on one of my older machines?  Will I have 2 separate serial numbers? 4 machines total in use?

[Glenn 8675309]

yes to everything.

Each version is it's own installation.

[John Waller]

In terms of licensing, when you purchase an upgrade you still have one license with two serial numbers. The 2024 serial number is tied to the 2023 serial number on the same license. That's why you get discounted pricing for an upgrade compared to a full version.

When you enter the 2024 upgrade serial number on a machine where 2023 is not already installed, the installer will ask for a serial number from a previous qualifying version. That is your 2023 serial number,

So 2 machines in total.

To use 2024 on different devices to 2023, you need to buy a Full Version of 2024. Then you have two licenses and 4 activations in total. Then you can have 4 devices in total,

[FrankFOS]

Well, now I have two conflictiing answers; is there any one who has actually tried this?  btw:  I want 2024 for just one feature:  I have 27" monitors that are blinding without dark mode, which everyone else seems to have solved 5-10 years ago.  Adobe should just release a patch for 2023.

[Peru Bob]

Well, now I have two conflictiing answers; 

By @FrankFOS

That is why I pinged Adobe employee @Jeff A Wright .

Since it is approaching the weekend, a response may not be available until Monday.

[Jeff A Wright]

@Peru Bob sorry for the delay.

@FrankFOS, PeruBob and @John Waller  are correct; your previous license is used to validate the upgrade to the new version. You can find an example of how this policy has been implemented for Creative Suite at https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/error-serial-number-qualifying-product.html. The same process applies to Photoshop and Premiere Elements.

[John Waller]

Hi @Jeff A Wright 

My response and @Peru Bob's are saying two different things. Only one can be correct.

I've always understood that Elements upgrade licenses are extensions to the original full licenses. Same as Creative Suites used to be. So buying an upgrade entitles you to use the software only on the same two devices as the full version. NOT 2 licenses with 4 activations on 4 separate devices.

@Peru Bob's reply says the opposite. That is, an upgrade is effectively a discounted full license. So buying an upgrade gives you two licenses and 4 separate activations on 4 seperate devices.

I'd love a definitive Adobe answer so I can clear up my understanding once and for all.

[Glenn 8675309]

You're making this waaaaaaay too difficult.   "upgrade license"= I own a previous copy of the software.  Nothing more, nothing less.  The term "upgrade" is only applied during the purchase process.   

There are not seperate upgrade licenses and "full" license- they are identical.

[John Waller]

Might sound complicated but it's simple really. Full licenses and upgrade licenses have always been different. Full explanations can be found in the Adobe End User Licensing Agreement (EULA).

Jeff says Elements licensing works the same way as Creative Suite licensing used to work which is exactly as I described above.

With Creative Suite, Upgrade = extension to full version license. Not a brand new discounted license because I own a previous version of the software. You always needed your previous version serial number to reinstall your upgrade license. Plus your upgrade could only be installed on the same device as your previous version. Many people misunderstood that with Creative Suite.

Your description of upgrade licensing sounds good. It would just make Elements licensing unique compared to all other Adobe products.

If @Jeff A Wright can clear up what upgrade license means for Elements, case closed.

[MichelBParis]

"It would just make Elements licensing unique compared to all other Adobe products."d

Indeed.

I would like to mention that in my Adobe account, I still have all registered products mentionned without any information about normal or discounted price (from PS6 and PSE10 to PSE2024).

And I have never had to provide the serial number of a previous normal price version to justify the upgrade price. I can't be sure, but I may have been in the situation in the past of two computers on the recent version and two other ones of a previous version.

[Jeff A Wright · Accepted solution]

@MichelBParis, you should be able to take advantage of the upgrade pricing automatically when purchasing from Adobe.com.

@Glenn 8675309, if you plan to continue using your previous version of Elements, you should consider purchasing a new license for the computer. Elements eligibility checks are not as stringent as Creative Suite's, but an upgrade license is an upgrade from your previous license. If you want a new seat/computer to install the software on, you would want to purchase a new full license for that computer. This would allow both computers to be properly licensed to utilize the software installed on the computer.

To @FrankFOS's original question, you can find information at https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements/upgrade.html about the feature updates available when you upgrade your Photoshop Elements license to Photoshop Elements 2024. If you want to use the software on four different computers, please purchase a new license for Photoshop Elements 2024 to use on the new computers. 

[Glenn 8675309]

Good advice, however, I've never had to worry about liscensing, ever.  Before I get a new computer, but generally it's a mobo and cpu / ram combp I simply sign out of the app before i upgrade the hardware.  I've never ever had any liscensing issues, and I have pse 10, 14, 16, 18., 20, 22, 23,24 currently installed- zero liscensing issues with any of them. 

[John Waller]

That scenario is fine and falls within the licensing parameters. So no issues would be expected.

The OP in this discussion wants to use a full version on two devices. Then an upgrade on two separate devices. That is outside the licensing agreement. It requires a separate full license for Elements 2024.

[Greg_S.]

. . .  The full version is usually only about $20 more than the upgrade version.

[Peru Bob]

It is my understanding that the two versions are independent of each other and that two activations for each are allowed, the only difference being a price break and that the newer version is not eligible for a license transfer.

@Jeff A Wright  can you please clarify?

[Greg_S.]

@Jeff A Wright:

@Peru Bob and @John Waller can't both be right.  The issue is whether the user who upgrades can continue to use the qualifying product on two machines and the upgrade product on two other machines.  The HelpX document you link does not explicitly answer that question.

[Jeff A Wright · Accepted solution]

@Greg_S. to qualify for upgrade license you need to have a previous full-version license. That full-version license is then tied into licensing to allow to use the upgraded version. You can't sell the now unused previous full version license, and the number of allowable uses is now transferred to enable the upgrade license.

You are correct, @Greg_S. Much of our documentation about the Eligibility process is no longer available or is only available to Adobe employees in internal documentation. Changes have also been implemented that used to allow cross-platform swaps and other licensing changes, but those are also no longer available. The opening in https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/error-serial-number-qualifying-product.html provides the best explanation about how upgrade licenses work that is applicable to individuals.

Elements is also a bit murky, as Adobe has hosted a number of programs where we have provided full licenses for Elements at discounted prices while transitioning or ending the life of other software titles and services.

[John Waller · Accepted solution]

Thanks @Jeff A Wright .

So full license = 1 license, 2 activations.

Upgrade license extends (or upgrades) the same full version license with 2 activations to the new version.

The upgrade version must be used on the same device as the previous version since they're both tied to the same license,

[Greg_S.]

I'm sorry @Jeff A Wright.  I understand that your posted comment indicates that Adobe wants Elements upgrade discount purchasers to only use the new version on a previously licensed machine.  But other than the dozen or so potential purchasers who may see this post, I know of nothing in the publicly available information that discloses that fact.  The link you have provided does not. 

I have just skimmed through my Elements 2024 License Agreement and the only provision that may remotely involve this question says the following:

5. Updates.

If the Software is an Update to a prior version of Adobe software (the “Prior Version”), then Customer’s use of this Update is conditional upon its retention of the Prior Version. Therefore, if Customer validly transfers this Update pursuant to Section 4.6, the Customer must transfer the Prior Version along with it. If Customer wishes to use this Update in addition to the Prior Version, then Customer may only do so on the same Computer on which it has installed and is using the Prior Version. Any obligations that Adobe may have to support Prior Versions during the License Term may end upon the availability of this Update. No other use of the Update is permitted. Additional Updates may be licensed to Customer by Adobe with additional or different terms.

We are not talking about UPDATES here.  We are talking about UPGRADES.   And that is the term that is consistently used in your post and the linked pages you have given.

[Greg_S.]

@FrankFOS, just to confirm the answer to the question you posed in the title of your post, each version of Elements works independently of another.  Like Michel, I currently have Elements versions 4, 6, and 10 through 2024, all activated and working on my current machine.  Versions 4 and 6 were probably upgrade versions.  Not sure about that.  But I have never heard of any user not being able to use a prior version when purchasing a discounted upgrade.  I still don't know the answer to your real question.

[Greg_S.]

Thanks, @Jeff A Wright, for the more complete explanation.  It will help us give better advice to users on this forum.  Clearly, there will be situations where I will recommend that the user not bother with the discounted upgrade.