Trying to make Bridge work with Elements

[WayneF22]

I am trying install Adobe Elements so that Bridge will work with it, but I need help. Bridge worked well with Elements on the previous computer (which died recently), so I am reinstalling on the new computer now. My goal is to open a batch of several raw files for use in Elements, and this used to work on the previous computer.

However now on the new computer reinstalls, even though Elements is present there, trying to open menu Bridge - Preferences - Camera Raw Preferences just immediately says Camera Raw is disabled - Camera Raw editing requires that a qualifying product has been licensed. But Elements should qualify (and used to work), and Elements itself (menu File - Open in Camera Raw) can easily open a raw file and Camera Raw OK, works as before with Elements, and from Elements, ACR can put the RGB file into Elements as it should. Apparently I cannot make Bridge realize that now however, but Bridge used to work with Elements before.

Bridge is installed from Creative Cloud, which can see Camera Raw installed by Elements, but cannot see Elements (if it should).

Windows 11.  Elements is 2022 version, and the Help About calls it version 20.0. Elements menu says it installed Camera Raw 13.3.0.807. And again, Raw works from Elements, but not from Bridge (but it used to, on the previous computer).

I am wondering if the problem is a different email address used as install ID, not the same for Elements as for Creative Cloud used to install Bridge again. I am unsure what was used. I tried deleting and reinstalling Elements to try a 2nd email ID choice, but the reinstall did not ask for the ID, so no change. Is this the likely problem?  I don't know how to reset those ID email addresses.  I don’t understand the situation, and help would be greatly appreciated.

[MichelBParis]

@WayneF22 ,

About Bridge, what I can say is that it's rarely used with Elements since Elements uses its companion the organizer. Please specify which exact Elements previous version did work with Bridge and ACR. I suspect that there may have been a change in the way Bridge allows using the ACR module for users without a full Photoshop subscription. If I remember well, Elements was recognized as a validating software, but only for the limited ACR version of Elements, which was automatically selected if you chose to 'open in ACR'.

Today, as I also have a subscription, the 'open in ACR' option in Bridge opens the full ACR version I am entitled to even if Photoshop is not installed. However, if I open any supported raw file without specifying 'open in ACR', it automatically opens in the limited PSE ACR version directly. In the same way, if I have already opened non raw files like jpegs, psds in ACR, Bridge remembers that choice and also automatically opens the limited PSE ACR version. I can't verify myself what happens for users without a subscription. I can use Bridge without any limitation with the limited ACR version. My subcription allows me to 'open in ACR' with the full ACR version even without Photoshop installed.

[WayneF22]

The current Elements 2022 worked fine with Bridge until my computer died, but now in the reinstalls on the new one, Bridge cannot see Elements is present.

I previously did have the subscription at one time, which might have been helping in the previous computer, but Elements came after Photoshop was uninstalled there. Bridge then had a Preference choice of using Photoshop or Elements, so it seems intended to work. The ACR that Bridge was spawning then was the limited Elements version which does have some ACR options missing. But the basics were all there, and it was very usable.  But the new computer install seems to have lost that.

I wish I had some idea of the actual requirements to install Bridge with Elements. My problem is that now after Elements 2022 is installed and is working with its version of ACR, Bridge still insists no qualified program is present to work with ACR. It used to, but now  does not see the Elements that is present, which works with its ACR.

[MichelBParis]

I have the same issue in the organizer as with Bridge to select files and 'open in ACR', and that's perhaps my major complaint about the organizer with ACR.

True raw files open automatically in ACR as expected.

Non raw files (jpegs, psd, tiff, png ...) files in the organizer open in the pixel editor, except if...

If they have been previously opened in ACR from the PSE editor with 'Open in ACR'; or if they have been opened in Photoshop; or if they have been edited in Lightroom; or if they have been opened in the full ACR module in Bridge with a registered subscription.

And the other problem is that if the non-raw files have been opened in ACR (full or limited), the organizer will ONLY open them in ACR the next time.

So, opening in ACR for non-raw files is written in the metadata header of the file, and neither the organizer nor Bridge can change that.

The workaround is to start directly from PSE with the command 'open in ACR'. You open a batch of non-raw files and batch process them with a slight editing change, for instance 'auto' or a tad more of sharpening. Next time, the organizer or Bridge will open in ACR automatically.

For people who want to open from the organizer in the pixel editor without the parametric editing (in the original pixel version), they must do that in ACR itself. Or they have to open and save the jpeg with any external editor which does not recognize the specific metadata change made by Adobe softwares.

As a result, with the above workaround by opening directly batches in ACR from the pixel editor, I can manage to use ACR by opening in the organizer or Bridge.

Notes :

- I always have the Creative Cloud active, it's now a must even for Elements (you don't need to subscribe to anything)

- I have just updated PSE to the May update

- Bridge is available for free

- Since I have a subscription to Photoshop/Lightroom which I don't use, I am entitled to choose between using the limited ACR with PSE or to use the full ACR from Bridge (with 'Open in Camera Raw'). In other words, I can use a true parametric editing workflow with the full ACR vs a limited one with the PSE ACR. Additionally, the GPU is not fully recognized in the PSE ACR version, which makes cropping really slow and unfriendly.

[Greg_S.]

I have been able to use the File Associations in Bridge to associate the Elements Editor with a raw file - in my case Sony raw files.  I am then able to use the Bridge>Open With command to open a single raw file in the Elements ACR.  However, I am unable to batch open more than one raw file in the Elements ACR editor using this method.  I never use Bridge so maybe I am missing something.

Perhaps you can get more help on the Bridge user forum.

[Jeff Arola]

I'm able to select multiple camera raw files in bridge and use the Open with menu to open those selected files into the photoshop elements acr version.

Windows 10 with photoshop elements 2022 and Bridge 12.0.1

[MichelBParis]

I'm able to select multiple camera raw files in bridge and use the Open with menu to open those selected files into the photoshop elements acr version.

Windows 10 with photoshop elements 2022 and Bridge 12.0.1

By @Jeff Arola

Yes, Jeff,

The problem is to open non-raw files directly in ACR from the organizer or Bridge.