Can a license key be checked online for validity and activation capable?

[abdu]

I am planning to buy Photoshop from someone in a face to face transaction locally. Is there a way to check if the serial key is valid, can be activated and registered online? I want to do this on the spot using my smart phone.

[Mylenium]

No, there is no such thing for quite logical reasons. That is what the activation is for. If you are unsure about the source of your product, then don't buy. After all, there are huge lists in the sales area listing certified resellers...

Mylenium

[abdu]

The point of activation is to make sure the serial # is valid and the software hasn't been installed in more computers than what the license provides.

I wanted to make sure the software hasn't been activated.

Yes I am aware of the resellers. The whole point is some of us can't pay the full price.

[texas360]

A license key certainly be checked by going to Adobe's Website, login with a valid user name and password.

There you will find a page called Your Adobe Product and Online Service Registrations.

This is a full list of my registered Adobe products shown by:

Serial Number, Application, Version, Platform, date purchased and Licenses.

Mine shows a list of products purchased and registered all the way back to the year 2002.

Hope that helps

/s/

360texas

[abdu]

That lists the licenses you already own. I am talking about a license I am about to own. I want to know its state. Is it valid to be registarted and validated?

[Guest]

Did you not understand what Mylenium said in post #1 ?

It can't be done!

[abdu]

Yes I read it! Is he an expert in licenses and works for Adobe? I don't know. Do you usually accept any answer when you ask a question?

Some people have different answers. Some people know about different undocumented routes. You should learn from listening to different people!

Some people mentioned that you can call Adobe and verify a license. Did someone mention this here!?

So there's a possibltility it can be done. sheesh.

Besides, I was clarfying my question to the other poster!

[texas360]

I was making the point.. that IF I can login and look at my list of purchased Adobe products.... then certainly the person you are buying from can do the same task... and SHOW YOU.

nuf said... get your seller to prove the validity of the product.

[abdu]

OK

If it's a new box this information doesn't exist cause the person couldn't have regiswteredit.

[Merlin_AZ]

The answer is yes.

You should be able to register the license key before installing the program.

If it's an invalid key, it won't register.

In the middle of this page, there is a link to register.

http://www.adobe.com/support/registration.html

[abdu]

Thanks. This page was helpful: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/gpr/index.cfm

[Guest]

You could call customer service.

[RIPUser]

This is 11 years old but same issue in 2021: yes just as much as you would need to know if a car you buy is stolen and there are databses to help you with that, if you buy a software from someone: you should be given a tool to let you know if this is valid.
We'll see with the link provided.
tx

[D Fosse]

Buying a perpetually licensed version of  Photoshop now is a pretty dumb move, because it will be old. The latest was CS6 from 2012, and it will probably not work for much longer due to OS changes. See, licenses aren't really perpetual - only until the software dies of old age. And CS6 is there now.

Current versions are subscription only, so the question is moot.

[RIPUser]

No it is not dump: it is brilliant...
Sofware companies tries really hard to brainwash that concept to us because they found a golden goose with  those subscriptions schemes but once you do the math: it is terrible for clients.

At 22$ per months it will cost 1320$ after 5 years and since we keep our software 10 years, it will be AT LEAST 2640$ ... but that doesn't include all prices rises they do years after years so it will probably be more around 3,500$ for a single seat for 10 years.

I buy 1 licence at 299$ and keep it 10 years and save 3,201$ ... that isn't dump: that's brilliant.

I'm making my small company save 60,000$ every 10 years with just the MS Office suits by not going the dump route of subscriptions... bosses are happy...  not so Microsoft and likes.

[D Fosse]

It's $10 a month, with Lightroom thrown in. Do the math again.

Oh, and don't forget to factor in the cost of future upgrades every 18 months (included in subscription).

And again: good luck with CS6. You won't enjoy it for long.

[RIPUser]

On what planet it's 10$ a month?
I have 21.99$

So  here's the math for you:
year 1 egals : 22.99 multiplied by 12 equals 317.26$ taxes included.
year 2 egals : 317.26 pluss 3% raise equals 326.78$ taxes included
year 3 egals : 326.78 pluss 3% raise equals 336.58$ taxes included
year 4 egals : 336.58 pluss 3% raise equals 346.68$ taxes included

year 5 egals : 346.68 pluss 3% raise equals 357.08$ taxes included

year 6 egals : 357.08 pluss 3% raise equals 367.79$ taxes included

year 7 egals : 367.79 pluss 3% raise equals 378.83$ taxes included

year 8 egals : 378.83 pluss 3% raise equals 390.19$ taxes included

year 9 egals : 390.19 pluss 3% raise equals 401.90$ taxes included

year 10 egals : 401.90 pluss 3% raise equals 413.95$ taxes included
Total after 10 years = 3637.93$

And Adobe Acrobat 2020 is EOL in 2025 and extented support: farther away

So: Even if one rebuys it "just" every 5 years: he's gonna save a bundle!

Like I said: they are reallllllly good at making us beleive it's cheap when, in fact,  it is the opposite: prettttty expensive!

[jane-e]

You posted to the Photoshop forum. @D Fosse  is talking about the Photography plan (annual), which is $9.99 per month. Your image is for Acrobat.

~ Jane

[jane-e]

---

@RIPUser wrote:

I'm making my small company save 60,000$ every 10 years with just the MS Office suits by not going the dump route of subscriptions... bosses are happy...  not so Microsoft and likes.

---

You probably want to keep an eye on the products that reach end of life. When security updates cease, they are vulnerable to malware. If you are following the news, you may be aware of how much the hackers charge to release your system back to you. 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/end-of-support/end-of-support-2020

https://helpx.adobe.com/support/programs/eol-matrix.html

Your bosses (and you) will not be so happy if you become one of the unfortunate companies.

~ Jane

[RIPUser]

So what you are saying really is that : Adobe builds, security wise, poor softwares with security holes that makes client's company vulnerables to hacking and they found a way to profit from that by selling on top of that "fixes/subcriptions" for their buggy softwares ... ok: I'll remember this.

By the way: the extented support from Microsoft lasts 10 years so companies usually wait till that date to upgrade. You haven't published the Extented Support timeline so I only see the regular support which is june 2025 but even keeping any Adobe software for 5 years will be at least 75% cheaper then using subscriptions (that's probably why you removed that option for PS to buy perpetual licenses).

I'll stop here my-self since the only good answer was already given by Merlin_AZ: and it is yes there is a way, go here: http://www.adobe.com/support/registration.html

p.s. I hope D fosse and you are not working for Adobe but just forum users because I have never seen any Support employees being so patronising and condecending and telling clients they are dumb ...

[jane-e]

Things have changed in 11 years. Any CS versions you purchase today are likely to be pirated and contain malware. Adobe software has been subscription only since the first version of CC in 2013. 

~ Jane

[RIPUser]

My post had nothing to do with CS nor Acrobat: it is D Fosse who brought this up.

My post was on the real subject of the original poster Abdu which was " is there any way to know if a software key is valid" and the correct answer was provided by a "non-Adobe Community Professional": Merlin_AZ which provided the link http://www.adobe.com/support/registration.html

The rest is all this back and forth unrealted conversation is a result of your Adobe Community Professional D
Fosse qualifying people here of "dumb".

So I'll leave it as is but by the way, since you brought up the question of the "dirt cheap price for Photoshop" I see it at 539.88$ per year so over 10 years you end up with a nice 6189$ subscription...

In the days of pre-force-subscription you could buy photoshop for 500$ ... yeah subscriptions brings cute advantages but are they really worth 5,689$... maybe not

[D Fosse]

Just go three posts up and look again. You apparently missed it.

[jane-e]

I'm confused by why you are coming back with this higher price for the single app plan after I showed you the Photography plan (annual).

The single app plan (monthly or annual) can be cancelled without penalty before the year is up. The Photography plan is  $119.88 per year and there is a penalty for early cancellation. 

When you ask on a Photoshop forum, we think you are asking about Photoshop. If you want to know about Acrobat or another product, we can move your question.

I am leaving this thread now. Best of luck.