why can't I use Photoshop Elements without being signed in?

[pauld22297204]

I purchased Photoshop elements 2018 when I bought a new computer. I used my redemption code, downloaded the software and entered the serial number for licensing.  When I launch Elements it requires that I sign in to adobe.  I want to use Photoshop elements offline.  Is this possible?  Also, when I sign out from Elements I get a message to the affect that I have to be signed in to use trial software but this is not trial software. I have a license and entered the serial number.

[99jon]

Sign-in and sign-out is simply the method of activation. You should always stay signed-in. You only need to sign-out if using the software on more than two computers and wish to activate on a third.

The software is always available off-line with the exception of downloading some graphics or frames for the first time.

[pauld22297204]

If I sign out, when I launch Photoshop Elements it requires me to sign in to adobe online. From the menu under "help" when I sign out and relaunch it requires entry of the license serial number and sign in to adobe account.  Why do I have to sign in to adobe to use Photoshop Elements

[99jon]

You need to be on-line one time only for activation. Then stay signed-in.

If you sign-out you are deactivating the software.

[Peru Bob]

As has been said, just don't sign out.  That will allow you to use it offline.

[pauld22297204]

When I sign in I get the message "Photoshop Elements 2018 Trial" you can use this product for 30 days.  I've chosen "license this software" and entered the license serial number.  I've tried launching while disconnected from internet and it will not let me sign in without being connected to the internet.  It seems to me that there is a setting that is not saving the license serial number.  Since I have a license I should not need to sign in to adobe online. 

[John T Smith]

If Windows, are you in an Administrator or user account?

Run as Administrator http://forums.adobe.com/thread/969395 to assign FULL Windows permissions may help... this says Encore, but is sometimes required for ALL Adobe programs (this is NOT the same as using an Administrator account) so follow the instructions, substituting the name and location of your specific program for Encore

-also https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/create-local-administrator-account-windows.html

[Peru Bob]

pauld22297204  wrote

When I sign in I get the message "Photoshop Elements 2018 Trial" you can use this product for 30 days. 

Does this happen even after signing in with the internet connected, closing Photosshop Elements without signing out, and reopening Photoshop Elements with the internet disconnected?

[pauld22297204]

Followed suggestions from John T Smith.  While being signed in and closing and then relaunching I would instead receive initial message "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device - Elements Organizer 2018"

I went back and changed properties so that I'm no longer running as administrator.  It now launches fine even when not online as long as I don't sign out.

[albertb1893549]

I've used a very old Photoshop Elements for half a decade, just upgraded to 2021, call me old but I don't like being "signed in" to use software I paid for.  I'll use on it occassion.   I'm also dumping Lightroom and moving to Capure One, beacause of the subscription business model and the annoying signin thing.  Adobe, I loved you for 10 years but the marriage over!

[Phil Pickering]

Hi Albert,

You do realise that you have to sign-in to activate the license for Capture One? Just the same as Adobe Photoshop Elements. And if you read the whole of the thread that you've posted to, you'll realise that you don't have to be connected to the Internet after you've initially activated your license either.

Also, Capture One's perpetual licence is 3 times more expensive than Adobe Photoshop Elements and their monthly subscription model is twice as more expensive than Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography Plan.

So what you've posted is a bit like saying I don't like having to put gas into my Ford all the while, so I'm going to buy a Ferrari instead.

Note I'm not knocking Capture One, just your logic 🙂

[albertb1893549]

Once C1 is activated, I don't have to be "signed in".

Here's the real problem, the motivator for me to look at C1; it's that LR
Classic has become clunky; i.e. s-l-o-w. I have an off-the-internet 7 year
mac with LR 5.0 which is blazing fast. I keep this machine to drive a
Hasselblad scanner. LR CC on my brand new mac runs like a turtle. I spent
too much time trying to figure this out (posts, helps, searches, configs,
etc.) . . . I also don't want to use LR on the cloud, any software
for that matter. I use one machine and have tons of storage . . . no
need for the cloud and all the security issues. Capture One so far is
blazing fast, edits, searches, loads, etc. There's something very crisp
about the UI.

When you add a subscription charge it doesn't make sense anymore. I don't
need updates every 5 minutes, or 5 months. Obviously my LR 5.0 from many
years ago still works great. As I said I'll use Elements on occasion, and
yes, I'll log in because I'm required to do that.

Thanks for your reply, it shows Adobe cares.

[Phil Pickering]

Hi Albert,

With respect, you don't have to be "signed-in" to use Photoshop Elements either - you just disconnect from the Internet once you've activated your licence.

And I'm really sorry to tell you, but you are permanently "signed-in" when you activate your licence with Capture One. If you use Capture One whilst connected to the Internet, the application will send the following information (plus a whole lot more) back to Phase One:

- your operating system, graphics card, size of your RAM

- which cameras and lenses you use

- the MAC address of your computer, your GPS location, and the timezone

- all the functions of Capture One you use and how long it takes for operations to complete

- how often you click buttons and menu items

All of this data is stored and linked to your personal profile for at least two years. 

If you are concerned about security and privacy issues (which you appear to be) you really should read Capture One's Privacy Policy.

And unlike Photoshop Elements, you can't actually opt-out of any of this data collection... you have to agree to Capture One's Privacy Policy when you create your Capture One Profile and then that's it.

Furthermore, I can't understand why you think that additionally backing up your images in the Cloud is more of a security concern than having all your images stored in one single location (on your computer and on external hard drives, I presume) - what happens if they are stolen, destroyed by fire or flood, or just simply stop working?

(Check out the 3-2-1 Backup Strategy).

And I don't think Capture One is immune to constant software updates either - there have been 5 updates to Capture One 21 since it was released back in Dec 2020.

I can't directly help you with your issues with Lightroom, but your original post stated you were moving to Capture One from Photoshop Elements & Lightroom because of the signing-in issue and the subscription model, and said nothing about the performance of Lightroom on your new Mac. That's a much more valid reason for making a change, so as this is the Photoshop Elements Support Community might I suggest that you ask for help on the Lightroom Support Community?

Finally, this is a user-to-user support community - Adobe is kind enough to provide a platform for users to chat to each other about any issues they have with Adobe applications. Occasionally, Adobe employees pop-in and generously help out (in their own time), but 99% of the time everyone in this community is just another user like you, so please don't get the impression that Adobe doesn't care - in fact, please don't get the impression I don't care either by the very fact that I'm replying to your posts in the first place and spending a little time doing a bit of research for you 🙂

[ConfusedToo]

You say I don't have to be "signed-in" to use Photoshop Elements, just disconnect from the Internet once you've activated your licence.

If I disconnect by signing out then I am not signed in. Are you suggesting I actually remove the Ethernet cable from the PC?

Why the heck does PE need to have an Internet connection in order to edit a photo?

[MichelBParis]

You say I don't have to be "signed-in" to use Photoshop Elements, just disconnect from the Internet once you've activated your licence.

If I disconnect by signing out then I am not signed in. Are you suggesting I actually remove the Ethernet cable from the PC?

Why the heck does PE need to have an Internet connection in order to edit a photo?

By @ConfusedToo

I'll try to explain in other words.

Being "signed in" in Adobe's words is the same as having you license to use PSE linked to your present specific computer. That's what Adobe called 'license activating' in older versions. According to the terms of the license, you have the right to have two 'activations' at the same time on at most two different computers. You have to tell Adobe which computer(s) you choose to be activated. That info is stored on specific activation servers. If you sign out, the license is not valid and does not work until your sign in again for the same or another computer.

So much for the license.

Now you think 'being signed in' or "activated" means being connected to the Internet. I hope you know how to disable Web connection with your computer if you are paranoid about extreme privacy. You can work without any connection to Internet if you are 'signed in', which is a permanent situation.  However, to insure the terms of the license are respected, Adobe checks from time to time (monthly?) if you are actually connected with the activated computer. Also you have a number of features immediately available for download to avoid using too much of your computer disk space.

I suggest you have a look at your Adobe Account and verify the settings of your 'Privacy' preferences.

[ConfusedToo]

I signed in & activated my license. I then signed out & could not use PE. I never had this issue with my old version of PE which I paid for the software & had a license to use it & didn't need to be signed in anywhere or need the Internet.

I do think deing signed in means I have to be connected to the Internet. Just like I had to sign into this Support Community with an Internet connection. How could I be signed in & typing this if I didn't have an Internet connection?

Please explain how I can use the new version of PE without signing into Adobe & still keep my Internet connection active in order to email a photo to someone.

[MichelBParis]

I signed in & activated my license. I then signed out & could not use PE. I never had this issue with my old version of PE which I paid for the software & had a license to use it & didn't need to be signed in anywhere or need the Internet.

I do think deing signed in means I have to be connected to the Internet. Just like I had to sign into this Support Community with an Internet connection. How could I be signed in & typing this if I didn't have an Internet connection?

Please explain how I can use the new version of PE without signing into Adobe & still keep my Internet connection active in order to email a photo to someone.

By @ConfusedToo

You did not read my answer.

If you activate then sign out, you deactivate. The license is virtual, not attributed to your computer.

If you sign in and then deactive, you are signed out. Same thing, different words.

Once again, read the 'privacy' section of your Adobe account to understand what is going on when you are signed in and connected with Internet. Choose your own privacy settings which should ensure that the link is only to the activation servers, without any of your data stored in the 'Cloud' and without Adobe checking anonymously at random which features of PSE are effectively used. If you don't agree to the activation process, then your only legal choice is NOT to use PSE. Without such a system, there would be ten pirated installs for a legal one.

[Michele258328402vt1]

Sorry I just want to keep my photos and Adobe Photoshop 2022 on a new computer without any internet connection. Are you saying I have to also download Photoshop on another computer, with an internet connection, to log in once? Will the sign in work for both computers?

[MichelBParis]

Sorry I just want to keep my photos and Adobe Photoshop 2022 on a new computer without any internet connection. Are you saying I have to also download Photoshop on another computer, with an internet connection, to log in once? Will the sign in work for both computers?

By @Michele258328402vt1

That's it...

so long as Adobe can check from time to time (something like every month) that the activation link on that second computer is valid. Once that is checked, you can work away from Internet until the next check.

With softwares there is nothing to grant you the 'property' of 'owning' the software. You are buying the license, that is the right to use the software according to specific conditions. With Elements, the main condition is that the licence is granted to a single user, it's 'perpetual', meaning a one time payment, not a subscription. 'perpetual' does not mean that Adobe has to 'upgrade' the software to conform to new hardware or Operating system chages or to correct bugs or to introduce new features. So, a perpetual licence becomes obsolete rapidly on account of those external factors.

To be realistic, Adobe considers that so long as you are the single user of the license, the program can be installed on several computers at the same time. Two of them can be activated at the same time, provided only once is used at the same time. This means that you can work indifferently from two computers, for instance in two different locations, or with a desktop and a mobile laptop.

If the limitation to two activations did not exist, you could install the software into several, even hundreds of computers without Adobe being able to control the license. Do you really believe many customers would buy the license?

Edit,

If you need to use a third computer, the logical solution is to 'deactivate' or 'sign out' of one of the two activitated computers, so that you can 'sign in' again on the third one with your license number.

The right to have two activated computers also protects you if one of your computers is stolen or broken.

If both computers are no longer available, you can't deactivate them yourself, but the Adobe help desk can deactivate them for you.