Sign in to the Admin Console and select Packages > Packages.
Last updated on
Aug 3, 2026
Learn how to create Managed packages to control Adobe app deployment, updates, and configuration settings.
Managed packages allow administrators to control which Adobe applications and versions are deployed, when updates are applied, and which configuration settings are included in the deployment.
Use Managed packages to:
- Create packages with elevated privileges.
- Create pre-configured packages using Adobe Templates.
- Create customized packages that contain Adobe apps and services, configuration options, or Marketplace plugins.
Before you begin
Packages cannot be deployed across different operating systems or architecture types.
Create separate packages for Windows 32-bit, Windows 64-bit, Windows ARM, macOS (Intel), and macOS (Apple Silicon) devices. Alternatively, use a macOS (Universal) package for both Intel and Apple Silicon devices.
To create packages that include products such as Adobe Captivate and Adobe Presenter that are not part of Creative Cloud or Document Cloud, customize the available Adobe Templates instead of using the following procedure.
Build Managed packages
Select Create a package.
Choose Managed package and select Next.
On the Configure screen, choose a platform:
macOS (Universal)
macOS (Intel)
macOS (Apple Silicon)
Windows (64-bit)
Windows (32-bit)
Windows (ARM)
Select the Language or select Use OS Locale to deploy in the operating system language of each client machine, and then select Next.
On the Choose apps screen, select the next to each application to include in the package and select Next.
Note
To create a lightweight package without Adobe applications, select Next without adding applications. You can use this option to create packages that include configuration options, Marketplace plugins, or both. Applications with unsupported system requirements fail during installation.
On the Choose plugins screen, search for and select Marketplace plugins to include in the package, and then select Next.
- Show compatible plugins only: display plugins compatible with the apps in the package.
- Selected plugins: view the list of plugins selected for the package.
Note
Plugins don't require the supporting application to be part of the same package. Plugins can be deployed for apps already installed on user devices. If a device does not have the target application, the plugin isn't installed. Not currently available for Windows ARM devices
On the Options screen, choose the required options and then select Next.
- Plugin-only package: keep Configuration Options turned off.
- Plugin and configuration package: turn Configuration Options on.
- Configuration-only package: skip app and plugin selection.
Customize using managed packages to decide how users interact with Creative Cloud apps and services.
Enter a package name on the Finalize screen. For macOS packages, confirm the Create flat package option, and then select Create package.
After the package build completes, select Download, then save the package to the required location. To check the time remaining to download a package, select preview icon to the right of the package name.
Alert
If your package contains revoked apps, the package displays a Revoked status and cannot be downloaded. Create a new package with non-revoked app versions instead.
If you double-click a downloaded package ZIP file on macOS 10.14 or earlier, you may encounter an Unable to expand error. This is because the macOS Archive Utility does not support unzipping large files zipped using the Zip64 mode. To extract the package, open Terminal in the download folder and run unzip <file_name>.zip.
Application filters
|
Filter |
Description |
|
Latest versions |
Displays the latest version of all available applications. |
|
Long-term supported versions |
Displays Adobe long-term supported versions. To know what versions are supported for your Creative Cloud plan, review the Creative Cloud Support policy. Named User Licensing supports the Acrobat Classic version. Learn about Document Cloud Product Tracks. |
|
Beta apps |
Displays available beta apps. |
|
App add-ons |
Certain Adobe apps include add-ons. When you add an app that includes one or more add-ons, you can include them in the package. Add-ons are not included by default in the package. 
|
Management options
Use the following options on the Options screen to configure management and deployment settings for the package.
|
Option |
Description |
|
Enable Remote Update Manager |
Enables the use of Remote Update Manager to remotely run the updater on the client machine with administrator privileges. |
|
Redirect to internal update server |
Redirects all package updates to an internal update server. Server details are specified in an override XML in Packages > Preferences in the Admin Console. Set packaging preferences.. |
|
Create a folder for extensions |
Creates a subfolder in the package folder to include extensions to install with the package. Available only when plugins are included in the package. Not available for Windows ARM or macOS (Apple Silicon) devices. Manage Extensions in packages. |
|
Install package to custom install directory |
Installs apps in the package to a custom install directory defined in Packages > Preferences in the Admin Console. Set packaging preferences. |
Packageinfo.txt
The downloaded package includes a PackageInfo.txt file with details about the package configuration. This file is for informational purposes only.
|
Package Name |
|
Package Type – Self-service or Managed |
|
Platform |
|
Locale |
|
Creative Cloud Desktop app version |
|
Package Configurations
|
Note
If you are creating macOS packages, the Adobe Package Downloader is downloaded to your computer. Open and run it to complete the package download.
