Akamai Download Manager FAQ

Akamai Download Manager is an integral part of some Adobe product downloads. If you have questions about the Akamai Download Manager, read the frequently asked questions below. If your concern is not addressed here, contact Customer Service.

The Akamai Download Manager provides for effective, efficient file downloads, especially for large files. It also lets you pause and resume downloads, and it automatically starts to install your product when the download is complete.

On Windows, Akamai downloads an executable (.EXE) file. For some especially large Windows products, Akamai also downloads a .7z file. It's necessary that both the .EXE and the .7z files are downloaded and in the same folder for the product to install successfully.

On Mac OS, Akamai downloads a single .DMG file.

Some Adobe trial products use Akamai Download Manager, also called the Akamai NetSession Interface. Trial products that use Akamai include Acrobat X Pro, Adobe Captivate, and the Technical Communications Suite.

• Operating systems: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003 or 2008; Mac OS X v 10.4 or later
• Browsers: Internet Explorer 7 or 8, Firefox 2.x or later, Safari, or Chrome

When you download any trial product from Adobe.com that uses Akamai, Akamai automatically downloads and installs on your computer. Then, it automatically starts to download your Adobe product. If you download additional software or products, you don't have to redownload or reinstall Akamai Download Manager unless you've removed it from your system. If you have removed it from your system, it installs again when you initiate the new download.

Click the Resume button in the Akamai Download Manager window (trials) or in your browser (Store purchases). 

Resume a paused trial download:

If you've closed the Akamai or browser window, double-click the Resume Download icon on your desktop.

If you see the Akamai Download Manager Installer window but the installer doesn't start, click Try Reopening It. Then, click Run.

You know that Akamai Download Manager 3 installs when a download progress bar appears. You may be prompted to browse to choose a location to save the download.

If the Akamai Download Manager doesn't install or if you get an error, Download the trial directly.

Keep the web browser and the Akamai Download Manager 3 window open until the download completes. If you close either window prematurely, the download fails.

If you can't download your Adobe product with the Akamai Download Manager, use the direct download links instead:

1. Go to the Adobe downloads page and start the download.
2. In the Akamai Download Manager Installer window, click the link (or links) to download the software directly.

Important: When downloading software using direct links, you must use a browser such as Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox 5 that doesn't limit the size of file downloads.

When you start the download, you select a destination folder for the files. To locate files downloaded using Akamai, navigate to the folder you selected when you started the download. If you can't find or remember that folder, see Find downloaded files.

Akamai Download Manager should start your product installation automatically when it finishes downloading. If the installation doesn't start automatically, see Start the installer after downloading for instructions on how to start the installation manually.

Extracting or decompressing the installation files is the first step when installing a download. This process can use many system resources and, depending upon your system speed and available resources, can slow your computer. Some larger downloads can take several minutes to extract. To optimize the speed of the extraction process, close all open programs or restart your computer before installing your download.

Antivirus software can slow the performance of an installation. If you disable your antivirus during installation, reenable it after your install your product.

If your download takes more than one hour to extract, contact Adobe Technical Support for assistance.

After you purchase a download, your serial number is e-mailed to you. Alternately, you can sign in to your Adobe account to find your serial number. For additional information about finding your serial number, see Find your serial number quickly.

Sign in to your Adobe account to download your purchased software again. Navigate to the product in My Orders (US) or Your Order History (other locations), and then click the links for the product you want to redownload.

For more information, see How to find a download link on Adobe.com and Adobe online store download policy.