Troubleshoot Creative Cloud installation and download

Adobe Creative Cloud installs a helper application on your computer to manage the installation of your Creative Cloud products. This application is called Adobe Application Manager. You can launch it from the Applications folder (Mac OS), or in the Start Menu > All Programs menu (Windows). Using the Adobe Application Manager, the Creative Cloud installs products locally to your hard disk. Products run using local processing power and are the same as boxed products except for updates. An ongoing Internet connection is required when using the Creative Cloud.

Important: Be sure to allow access through any firewall software to prevent interruption of service.

• Verify your Internet connection in case of unexpected delays.

Use your Adobe ID to log in to the Creative Cloud website or the Adobe Application Manager. The Adobe ID is associated with your email address. The Adobe ID is sometimes requested up to three times during the initial download and installation. After the initial installation, the Adobe ID is requested if you sign out or uninstall all products.

If you have an Adobe ID, you can use your existing Adobe ID. If not, create an Adobe ID.

Adobe Application Manager (AAM) is installed the first time you click Download or Try links on the Creative Cloud website. After the installation, the Download or Try button on the website starts the download and installation process within AAM directly.

Important:  Accept any security dialogs presented or provide any Administrator credentials requested during the download and installation process.

The Adobe Application Manager installs the AdobeAAMDetect plug-in to your web browser. To function properly, this plug-in requires that the web browser is restarted. If the web browser has not been restarted, the plug-in is not detected prompting you to download Adobe Application Manager again.

The plug-in allows you to select a product on the Creative Cloud website and have the information passed on to the Adobe Application Manager.

After launching the AdobeApplicationManager exe or dmg, you see three statuses as the progress bar moves across: initializing, downloading, and then installing. The installer downloads a 50-MB file during this process and installs it for future use. After the installation is complete, an Adobe Application Manager link appears in your Applications folder on Mac OS, or in the All Programs menu on Windows.

During the download and installation process, your computer could appear to freeze while waiting for the process to complete.  The speed of your computer and Internet connection determine how long this process takes.  For additional information on the amount of time to download products, see Estimated Download Times.

Upon launch, the Adobe Application Manager verifies your Adobe ID and obtains a list of products to download.  During this process, another waiting dialog appears. This process takes no more than a few minutes.

The Adobe Application Manager (AAM) is the application that the Creative Cloud uses to download and install products on your computer. After you log in with an Adobe ID, all Creative Cloud applications appear in the right panel.  Click Install to the right of the product to start the download and installation process. 

After you click Install, AAM downloads a compressed version of the installation, extracts the contents, and silently installs the software product. The speed of your computer and Internet connection determine how quickly the product installs.  For additional information on the amount of time to download products, see Estimated Download Times. You can queue multiple files for download and installation by clicking Install with multiple products. Only one download occurs at a time.  After the product has moved to the extract and installation phase, the next product download begins. 

You can cancel the download and start a new download using Adobe Application Manager.

Contact Adobe Support for assistance.

Adobe Application Manager does not support resuming a download and installation process.  Launch the Adobe Application Manager and click Install next to the product to start the installation again.  Allow adequate time for the download and installation process to complete. For additional information on the amount of time to download products, see Estimated Download Times. 

Adobe Application Manager is required on your computer, as long as you have other Creative Cloud applications. Adobe Application Manager performs multiple functions within all of the Creative Cloud products. Adobe Application Manager is automatically removed when you uninstall all Adobe Creative Cloud products. Upon removal of the last product, the Adobe Application Manager is uninstalled.

Important:  Adobe offers a Cleaner Tool, which removes the database entries but not the physical files associated with the installation.  Run the program uninstallers to remove all components.

Remove Creative Cloud on Mac OS

1. Double-click your hard drive.
2. Go to Applications > Utilities > Adobe Installers.
3. Run all of the Adobe uninstallers to remove all of the Adobe Creative Cloud applications.

Remove Creative Cloud on Windows

1. Click Start > Control Panel.
2. Click Programs and Features.
3. Select a Creative Suite application and click Uninstall.
4. Repeat step 3 for all Creative Cloud applications.

Adobe Application Manager does not currently support changing the download location.  Files are downloaded to your temporary folder, %temp%, on Windows, and /tmp, on Mac OS.

The Adobe Application Manager encountered an error preventing the installation of the Creative Cloud product. 

Solution 1: Resolve the error using the Adobe Application Manager (AAM) error.

Click the right to the right of Installation Failed for additional information. Search the Adobe Knowledgebase for information on resolving your issue using the error displayed.

Solution 2: Resolve the error by using the installation logs files.

For information on searching the product installation files, see “Troubleshoot install logs | CS5, CS5.5, CS6.”