Right-click the PKG package file and select Show Package Contents.
Last updated on
Aug 3, 2026
Use Apple Remote Desktop to deploy Adobe packages created in the Adobe Admin Console across macOS systems.
Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) allows admins to deploy Adobe packages to multiple macOS systems from a central administrative machine. Use ARD to deploy Adobe packages created in the Adobe Admin Console by using either the Install Packages method or the Copy Items and Send UNIX Command method.
Before you begin
Ensure that Remote Management is configured on all target systems before deployment:
Verify that Remote Management is enabled in System Preferences > Sharing.
Verify that Copy Items and Delete and Replace Items are selected in the Remote Management permissions.
Go to the Contents folder and open Info.plist in a text editor.
Locate the IFPkgFlagDefaultLocation tag and modify its value to the absolute target path:
- /Volumes/<VolumeName>/<FolderName>
- /<FolderName> (for the root volume)
Save the file and close the text editor.
Note
If you plan to deploy using the Copy Items and Send UNIX Command method, specify only the folder name. You'll provide the volume name as part of the installer command.
Deploy packages
Launch ARD on your administrative system.
Select your defined computer group in the left pane and verify that all target systems appear in the right pane.
Select Install Packages from the ARD menu.
Add your Adobe deployment package to the packages list.
Select Run this task from: Task server on this computer to push the task to systems that were offline when the task was initiated.
To schedule deployment for a later time, select Schedule, then specify the date and time.
Select Install to begin deployment immediately or to schedule the task.
- For immediate deployment, verify that all target systems listed in the Name area are available before selecting Install. Installation begins immediately on all listed systems.
- For scheduled deployments, ensure that all target systems are active and able to receive commands at the scheduled time, with no active users logged in.
Monitor deployment status in the ARD window during installation.
Caution
Don’t stop installation tasks through ARD once they have started. The operation can continue even if ARD indicates that it has stopped.
The progress bar may not accurately reflect installation progress because of the Adobe package structure. Package deployment can fail if the user state changes during deployment. For example, if a user logs in or out, or you switch users. If this occurs, redeploy the package.
Update packages
Update packages have names ending in _Update.pkg. Deploy update packages using the same procedure. Update packages cannot be uninstalled after deployment.
Deploy using Copy Items and Send UNIX Command
Launch ARD on your administrative system.
Select your target systems from the computer list (left pane) and verify the selected machines in the main/right pane.
Set up install packages:
- Select Copy Items from the ARD menu.
- Add your Adobe deployment package to the items list.
- Select the destination folder on target systems
Select Send UNIX Command from the ARD menu:
- Select Run command as: User and enter root in the user field.
- Enter the command: sudo installer -pkg -target <Volume_Location>
Note
If you want the target to be the boot drive, specify / after -target.
Uninstall Adobe software with a deployment package
The deployment package contains a file named <package_name>_Uninstall.pkg, which you use to uninstall the software installed with <package_name>_Install.pkg. Uninstall packages are not created for update packages.
Select the target systems. In the left pane of the main ARD window, select the group that contains the target systems on which you installed the software using a deployment package.
Select the Install Packages from the ARD menu and add the uninstall package (or drag it to the packages pane).
Select Install.
When the task is executed, its status is shown in the ARD window. When the process completes, the status is updated accordingly.
Caution
Don't stop installation tasks through ARD. If you attempt to do so, the operation may continue even if the ARD window indicates that it has stopped.
Uninstall with Copy Items and Send UNIX Command
If you deployed using this method, use the same method to uninstall, copying and invoking the uninstall package instead of the install package.
Select the target machines.
In the left pane of the ARD main window, select the desired computer list, and verify the target machines in the right pane.
Set up uninstall packages.
- Select the Copy Items from the ARD menu and add the uninstall package to be deployed.
- Select the destination to which you want to copy the package on the target machines.
