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Manage device licenses

Applies to Creative Cloud for teams.

Note:

Creative Cloud Packager is no longer in development and no updates will be provided. Also, Creative Cloud Packager cannot be used to create packages that include CC 2019 apps or later. Learn More.

The Creative Cloud Packager cannot be used to create packages that include CC 2019 apps or later. Learn More. To use CC 2019 and later apps, we recommend that you migrate to shared device licenses.

For more on Shared Device Licensing, see the deployment guide.

Purchase Creative Cloud for education device licenses

Device licenses allow institutions enrolled in the Value Incentive Plan (VIP) to license software to a specific computer. Also, users never have to sign in or enter a serial number to access apps. Institutions can purchase Creative Cloud for education device licenses by joining VIP via an Adobe Authorized Education Reseller or through Adobe Business Direct.

Sign in to the Admin Console

  1. Sign in to adobe.com by clicking Sign In on the top global navigation bar and entering the email address and password associated with the VIP membership.

    For system requirements for Admin Console, see System requirements | Admin Console.

  2. To open the Admin console, where you can manage your licenses, click Manage Team.

    After purchasing Creative Cloud for education device licenses, the VIP Administrator accesses the Admin Console to manage device licenses and download Creative Cloud Packager.

Manage device licenses

To view device licenses, navigate to Products in the Admin Console.

Package and deploy device licenses

Creative Cloud Packager allows the Admin to create installation packages for deployment. After creating an installation package, the Admin installs the package of products to computers in classrooms or labs using an enterprise deployment tool such as Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), Apple Remote Desktop, or JAMF Pro. For more information, see Deploying Adobe packages with ARD and Deploying Adobe packages with SCCM. To learn more about packaging and deploying device licenses, see Create packages with device licenses.

Download Creative Cloud Packager

  1. In the Admin Console, navigate to ProductsDevice Licenses > Learn More.

  2. Click How to Deploy Devices.

  3. In the Device Licenses Deployment dialog, choose Creative Cloud Packager based on your OS.

    Deploy devices

Activate a license on a device

Admins cannot assign a license to a device directly from the Admin Console. Device licenses are activated based on a first launch, first license principle. When the first app (for example, Photoshop or Dreamweaver) is launched on the device, a license file is created and activated on the device. This process continues until all purchased licenses are used.

Devices must connect to Adobe servers for initial activation, and then at least once every 30 days until the end of the subscription term.

Once a license is activated on a device, the device name appears in the Admin Console. To view the list of activated devices, do the following:

  1. In the Admin Console, navigate to Products.

    A list of all the licenses purchased, that is Product licenses and Device licenses, is displayed.

  2. Click the Device License you want to view the active devices for.

    The All Devices tab shows the list of the activated devices.

    To view the deactivated devices, click Deactivated Devices.

Deactivate a device license

To begin the deactivation process, navigate to Products, and choose the specific device license. Then, select the check boxes for the relevant devices from the list under All Devices, and click Deactivate Devices. A pop-up menu appears to confirm deactivation.
You can also deactivate a single device clicking anywhere except the check box, on one of the device rows, and then clicking Deactivate.

Deactivate devices

After deactivating a license from a device, it can be activated on another device. When the next unlicensed device launches an app from that deployment pool, the available license is used.

When the Admin deactivates a license from a device, an entry appears in the Deactivated Devices list displaying the product, device name, and license deactivation date. If there are no deactivated devices, this list is blank.

To view the list, navigate to Products from the Admin Console, and click Deactivated Devices.

Note:

The Deactivated Devices list is a historical list. So, the same device can appear more than once if it was deactivated, reactivated, and then deactivated again.

Reactivate a license

To reactivate a previously deactivated device, the Admin has two options.

Option 1:

Redeploy the license by following Package and deploy device licenses above (make sure that the latest version of Creative Cloud Packager is installed). Use this process if:

  A. Creative Cloud for education was removed or uninstalled from the device.

  B. The Admin wants to install a different set of apps than what is on the device.

  C. The product hasn’t been updated in some time.

Option 2:

Create a license file. This option is ideal for replacing a currently installed product with a new license file of the same product. For example, if Creative Cloud All Apps was installed and used on the device before license deactivation, create a new Creative Cloud All Apps license file for the device. This process eliminates the need to fully redeploy to the device.

If you are unable to activate device licenses on your device, see Reactivation of Archived machines in Device licensing.

Once the license is redeployed, launch the app on the device to activate the license. Once a license is activated, the device and its status are visible in the product deployment pool of the Admin Console.

Temporary licenses

If the number of devices with active licenses exceeds the purchased license quantity, a warning message appears under All Devices with a Payment Needed status and the number of days to the expiration date. Admins have 60 days from license activation to convert temporary licenses to purchased licenses by placing an order with your Adobe representative.

Payment needed

The Admin can also deactivate any temporary licenses by following Deactivate a device license above. If the Admin does not purchase more licenses, and does not even deactivate the temporary licenses by the expiration date, users cannot access any associated apps.

Purchase additional licenses

Currently, the Admin is unable to add (purchase) additional device licenses through the Admin Console. To purchase additional device licenses, call Adobe Business Direct at 800-443-8158 or an Adobe Authorized Education Reseller.

Search for a device

  1. Navigate to Products, and click a device license.

  2. Under All Devices, enter the device name in the search box. The search string must be at least three characters.

    The matching results are displayed.

Manage Administrators

A system admin is the super user for the organization, who is allowed to perform all administrative tasks in the Admin Console. Also, the system admin has permissions to add or remove administrators from the System Administrator role, while still retaining overall control. To learn how, see Administrative roles.

Note:

Value Incentive Plans (VIP) only have the System Administrator role.

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