Completely Uninstall Adobe Creative Cloud: A Step-by-Step Guide
Adobe Creative Cloud is a suite of powerful applications used by designers, photographers, video editors, and other creative professionals. However, there may come a time when you need to uninstall it. Perhaps you’re switching to a different software suite, experiencing performance issues, or simply want to free up space on your computer. Completely removing Adobe Creative Cloud, including all its associated files and folders, can be a bit tricky. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, ensuring a clean and complete uninstallation.
## Why Completely Uninstall Adobe Creative Cloud?
Before diving into the instructions, let’s understand why a thorough uninstallation is important:
* **Free Up Disk Space:** Adobe applications and their associated files can consume a significant amount of storage space. Uninstalling Creative Cloud and its components can reclaim valuable disk space.
* **Resolve Performance Issues:** Corrupted or conflicting Adobe files can lead to system slowdowns, application crashes, and other performance problems. A clean uninstallation can resolve these issues.
* **Prevent Software Conflicts:** Old or incomplete installations of Adobe software can conflict with newer versions or other applications on your system. Removing all traces of Creative Cloud can prevent these conflicts.
* **Prepare for a Clean Reinstallation:** If you’re planning to reinstall Creative Cloud, a complete uninstallation will ensure a fresh start and prevent potential problems from previous installations.
## Before You Begin: Important Preparations
Before you start the uninstallation process, take the following precautions:
* **Save Your Work:** Ensure that all your Adobe applications are closed and that you’ve saved any unsaved work. Losing unsaved data can be frustrating, so take the time to back up your files.
* **Close All Adobe Processes:** Even if you’ve closed the applications themselves, some Adobe processes might still be running in the background. Use the Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS) to identify and close any Adobe-related processes.
* **Back Up Your Preferences (Optional):** If you want to preserve your custom preferences, presets, and plugins, back them up before uninstalling. You can usually find these files in the Adobe application folders within your user profile.
* **Gather Your Adobe Account Information:** Have your Adobe ID (email address) and password readily available. You may need them to deactivate your license or remove your device from your Adobe account.
* **Download the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (Recommended):** The Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool is a utility designed to remove corrupted or incomplete installations of Adobe software. It’s highly recommended for ensuring a thorough uninstallation. You can download it from the Adobe website (link provided later).
## Step-by-Step Guide to Uninstalling Adobe Creative Cloud
Here’s a detailed, step-by-step guide to uninstalling Adobe Creative Cloud, covering both standard uninstallation methods and the use of the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool:
**Method 1: Using the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop App (Standard Method)**
This method involves using the built-in uninstallation features of the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app.
**Step 1: Open the Creative Cloud Desktop App**
* **Windows:** Search for “Adobe Creative Cloud” in the Start menu and open the application.
* **macOS:** Go to the Applications folder and open the “Adobe Creative Cloud” folder, then launch the Creative Cloud app.
**Step 2: Sign Out of Your Account**
* In the Creative Cloud desktop app, click on your profile icon in the top-right corner.
* Select “Sign Out” from the menu.
* Follow the on-screen prompts to sign out of your Adobe account.
**Step 3: Uninstall Individual Applications**
* In the Creative Cloud desktop app, navigate to the “Apps” tab.
* For each Adobe application installed (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro), click the three dots (…) next to the “Open” button (or the “Update” button if an update is available).
* Select “Uninstall” from the menu.
* Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall each application. This may take some time depending on the size of the application.
* **Important:** Uninstall all installed Adobe applications before proceeding to uninstall the Creative Cloud desktop app itself.
**Step 4: Uninstall the Creative Cloud Desktop App**
* Once all other Adobe applications have been uninstalled, locate the Creative Cloud desktop app in the “Apps” tab.
* Click the three dots (…) next to the “Open” button (or the “Update” button if an update is available).
* Select “Uninstall” from the menu.
* Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall the Creative Cloud desktop app.
**Step 5: Follow the On-Screen Instructions**
* The uninstaller will guide you through the remaining steps. You might be asked to confirm your decision or provide administrator privileges.
* Wait for the uninstallation process to complete. Do not interrupt the process, as this could lead to incomplete removal and potential issues.
**Method 2: Using the Control Panel/Applications Folder (Alternative Standard Method)**
This method uses the operating system’s built-in uninstallation features.
**Windows:**
* **Step 1: Open the Control Panel.**
* Search for “Control Panel” in the Start menu and open it.
* **Step 2: Navigate to Programs and Features.**
* Click on “Programs” and then “Programs and Features.”
* **Step 3: Uninstall Adobe Applications.**
* Locate each Adobe application in the list (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro). Select it and click the “Uninstall” button.
* Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall each application. Repeat this process for all Adobe applications.
* **Step 4: Uninstall the Creative Cloud Desktop App.**
* Locate “Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop” in the list. Select it and click the “Uninstall” button.
* Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall the Creative Cloud desktop app.
**macOS:**
* **Step 1: Open the Applications Folder.**
* Go to the Finder and click on “Applications” in the sidebar.
* **Step 2: Locate Adobe Application Folders.**
* Find the folders for each Adobe application (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere Pro). Open each folder.
* **Step 3: Run the Uninstallers.**
* Inside each application folder, look for an uninstaller application (usually named “Uninstall [Application Name]”). Double-click the uninstaller to run it.
* Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall each application.
* **Step 4: Remove the Adobe Creative Cloud Folder.**
* Locate the “Adobe Creative Cloud” folder in the Applications folder.
* Drag the “Adobe Creative Cloud” folder to the Trash.
* Empty the Trash.
**Method 3: Using the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (Recommended for Thorough Removal)**
The Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool is designed to remove corrupted or incomplete installations of Adobe software. It’s particularly useful if you’ve encountered problems during previous uninstallation attempts or if you want to ensure a completely clean removal.
**Step 1: Download the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool**
* Go to the official Adobe website to download the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool:
* **Windows:** [https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html](https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html)
* **macOS:** [https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html](https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html)
* Make sure to download the correct version for your operating system (Windows or macOS).
**Step 2: Run the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool**
* **Windows:**
* Right-click on the downloaded file (e.g., `CreativeCloudCleanerTool.exe`) and select “Run as administrator.” This is important to ensure the tool has the necessary permissions to remove files and folders.
* If you see a User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click “Yes” to allow the tool to make changes to your computer.
* **macOS:**
* Double-click the downloaded file (e.g., `AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool.dmg`) to mount the disk image.
* Open the mounted disk image and double-click the `Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool` application.
* You may be prompted to enter your administrator password.
**Step 3: Follow the On-Screen Instructions**
* The Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool will present a command-line interface (a black window with text). Don’t be intimidated; it’s easy to use.
* **Read the on-screen instructions carefully.**
* **Select the Language:** You may be prompted to select a language (e.g., “e” for English). Type the corresponding letter and press Enter.
* **Accept the License Agreement:** You’ll be presented with a license agreement. Type “y” to accept it and press Enter.
* **Choose the Application to Clean:** The tool will display a list of Adobe products that can be cleaned. You’ll typically want to choose option `1: All`. Type the corresponding number and press Enter. If you only want to remove specific applications, select the corresponding number for that application instead.
* **Confirm the Removal:** The tool will ask you to confirm that you want to remove the selected products. Type “y” to confirm and press Enter.
* **Wait for the Cleaning Process to Complete:** The tool will now begin the process of removing Adobe Creative Cloud and its associated files. This may take some time, depending on the number of applications installed and the extent of the corruption.
* **Restart Your Computer:** Once the cleaning process is complete, the tool will prompt you to restart your computer. It’s important to restart your computer to ensure that all files and registry entries are properly removed.
## Post-Uninstallation Steps: Verification and Cleanup
After you’ve uninstalled Adobe Creative Cloud using one of the methods above, it’s a good idea to perform a few post-uninstallation steps to verify the removal and clean up any remaining files or folders.
**1. Check for Remaining Files and Folders:**
* **Windows:**
* Open File Explorer and navigate to the following locations:
* `C:\Program Files\Adobe`
* `C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe`
* `C:\ProgramData\Adobe`
* `C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe`
* `C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Adobe`
* Delete any remaining Adobe folders or files that you find in these locations. Be careful not to delete any important system files.
* **macOS:**
* Open Finder and navigate to the following locations:
* `/Applications/Adobe`
* `/Library/Application Support/Adobe`
* `~/Library/Application Support/Adobe` (The tilde `~` represents your home directory. To access this folder, in Finder, click “Go” in the menu bar, hold down the Option key, and select “Library” when it appears.)
* `/Library/Preferences/Adobe`
* `~/Library/Preferences/Adobe`
* Delete any remaining Adobe folders or files that you find in these locations. Again, be careful not to delete any important system files.
**2. Clean the Registry (Windows Only):**
**Warning:** Editing the Windows Registry can be risky. Incorrect changes can cause serious system problems. Back up your registry before making any changes. If you’re not comfortable editing the registry, skip this step.
* **Open the Registry Editor:**
* Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
* Type `regedit` and press Enter.
* If you see a User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click “Yes” to allow the Registry Editor to make changes to your computer.
* **Navigate to the Adobe Registry Keys:**
* In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following keys:
* `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe`
* `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Adobe`
* `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Adobe` (If you’re using a 64-bit version of Windows)
* **Delete the Adobe Keys:**
* Right-click on each of the Adobe keys and select “Delete.”
* Confirm that you want to delete the key.
* **Close the Registry Editor:**
* After deleting the Adobe keys, close the Registry Editor.
* **Restart Your Computer:**
* Restart your computer to apply the changes to the registry.
**3. Empty the Recycle Bin/Trash:**
* Empty the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (macOS) to permanently remove the deleted files and folders.
**4. Deactivate Your Adobe License (If Necessary):**
* In some cases, you may need to deactivate your Adobe license to prevent it from being used on the uninstalled system.
* Sign in to your Adobe account on the Adobe website ([https://account.adobe.com/](https://account.adobe.com/)).
* Go to the “Plans” section.
* Find your Creative Cloud subscription.
* Click “Manage Plan.”
* Under “Activated devices,” click “Deactivate” next to the device you uninstalled Creative Cloud from. If you don’t see the device listed, you may not need to deactivate it.
## Troubleshooting Common Uninstallation Issues
Even with careful preparation, you might encounter issues during the uninstallation process. Here are some common problems and their solutions:
* **”The uninstaller is not responding”:**
* Force-quit the uninstaller using Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS).
* Restart your computer and try running the uninstaller again.
* Use the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to remove the application.
* **”You do not have sufficient privileges to uninstall”:**
* Make sure you’re logged in as an administrator.
* Right-click on the uninstaller file and select “Run as administrator” (Windows).
* Enter your administrator password when prompted (macOS).
* **”Files are in use and cannot be deleted”:**
* Close all Adobe applications and processes.
* Restart your computer and try running the uninstaller again.
* Use a file unlocker tool to identify and close the processes using the files.
* **”The uninstaller is missing or corrupted”:**
* Download the latest version of the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool and use it to remove the application.
## Conclusion
Uninstalling Adobe Creative Cloud completely requires careful attention to detail. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure a clean and thorough removal, freeing up disk space, resolving performance issues, and preparing your system for future installations. Remember to back up your work, close all Adobe processes, and use the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool for the best results. If you encounter any problems, refer to the troubleshooting tips provided above. Good luck!