Adobe License Errors

Opening Adobe products prompts user for license key, requests purchasing the full version, or prompts user with insufficient app privilege requiring IT Administration

• A stand-alone version of Adobe Acrobat DC and/or Adobe Reader is installed
• Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app is not syncing with Adobe’s authentication servers
• Outdated licensing files are cached on the device conflicting with new licensing files

NOTE: The below methods must be done while the User is logged in due to Single Sign-On.  Make the User aware this process could take 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Time to resolve ultimately depends on HDD vs SSD, RAM, and network connection. 

Verify what Adobe programs are installed on the device to determine what method listed below is the best course of action.

• Adobe Acrobat DC and/or Adobe Reader installed – Uninstall any standalone versions. Download Adobe Creative Cloud from the Company Portal. You can search for the Company Portal app from the search bar located on the Desktop. We advise using this method so non-admin users can install/uninstall and update Adobe software without submitting a ticket. If the company portal is inaccessible, go to Adobe.com, have the user sign in and download the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app. Once the app is installed, have the user sign in, and install necessary Adobe products.

• Adobe Creative Cloud installed (with or without additional Adobe products) – Sign out of the app, end all Adobe Creative Cloud related processes in task manager, reopen the cloud and sign-in.

• After Adobe CC and Adobe product uninstall/reinstall still prompting for license and/or IT Adminstrator – in rare cases, an uninstall/reinstall will still produce licensing errors or prompt for an IT Administrator. Accessing the Adobe Admin console and searching for the username will verify the user’s current license status. If the user has the appropriate access, we suggest switching to a different device (preferably a brand-new device or one recently reset to eliminate possible user credential conflicts). If the user can successfully authenticate on a different device, it is best to swap out devices to avoid downtime.

Trying to troubleshoot what reg key, or thousands of .dll files causing the issue can be time consuming. You might get lucky and resolve the issue in five minutes, or you might waste hours trying to find the cause. We have spent countless hours removing stale credentials, deleting all related adobe files, folders, and reg keys with little to no success. What worked on one device does not work on the other. The above methods proved to be the most successful.