Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Adobe Captivate is an easy-to-use eLearning authoring tool designed for speed, creativity, and scale. Utilize generative AI to rapidly create engaging content. Leverage ready-to-use widgets, media assets, and slide templates to develop immersive learning experiences without coding. Transform static PowerPoint slides into dynamic learning experiences by incorporating interactivity and narrators. Author courses and simulations once, and scale effortlessly with built-in responsive design. Collaborate seamlessly with your team and publish content effortlessly across all devices.

Instructional designers, corporate training professionals, educators, and all types of business users (both experts and newbies) who want to create :

• Software simulations
• Responsive courses
• Interactive videos
• Soft skills/compliance training or other slide-based interactive content
• Long-scroll interactive content
• Interactive content with quizzes

Adobe Captivate Classic is the older generation Adobe Captivate (which was originally released in 2019). It is a legacy tool to create all kinds of engaging and interactive eLearning content.

Here’s a quick version comparison chart that compares the last few versions of Adobe Captivate: 

You do not have to buy Adobe Captivate Classic separately. All subscription plans of Adobe Captivate includes access to both the versions – Adobe Captivate and Adobe Captivate Classic. You will be able to install, launch and activate both the versions in the same computer.

Yes. Courses created in Adobe Captivate can be published as HTML5 LMS compliant packages. The LMS standard supported are: SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, AICC, and xAPI. Therefore, you will be able to deliver the courses from your LMS. Learn more on how to publish projects in Adobe Captivate.

If you have an active subscription of Adobe Captivate, you will have automatic access to the new version. You can just download the free trial and use your login email ID to access the product.

If you have a perpetual license of an older version of Adobe Captivate, you will need to purchase a new subscription. You can select a buying program that suits your requirements from the Buying Guide.

You can import content from a variety of formats, including image formats (GIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, ICO), scalable vector graphics (SVG), sound formats (MP3), and popular video format (MP4).

You can publish your courses directly to Adobe Learning Manager with a single click publishing from Adobe Captivate.  Learn more about how to publish projects in Captivate.

Currently, there is no direct integration with Adobe Connect. That feature is in our roadmap. 

Yes. From Adobe Captivate 13.0 (released in November 2025), we have the capability to import Microsoft PowerPoint projects, edit slide objects, add interactivity, narrators, quizzes, animations, and publish courses quickly. Learn more about how to import from PowerPoint in Captivate. 

Yes. Adobe Captivate is available in English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Spanish versions. All editions include a completely localized user interface and documentation.

All text content can be exported, localized in language of your choice, and then imported back into Adobe Captivate.

Currently Right to Left languages (Arabic, Hebrew etc.) are not supported.

Yes. The new Adobe Captivate is available for Windows 64-bit OS like, Windows 11 22H2, Windows 10 22H2 or later versions. See complete System Requirements.

Yes. Adobe Captivate is available for macOS Sequoia(v15) or later. See complete System Requirements.

You can contact us in the following ways:

• Email us at CaptivateHelp@adobe.com
• Chat with us on our website
• Ask your question in the Adobe eLearning Community Discussion board
• Ask your question in the Adobe Support Community

For answers to commonly asked technical support questions, visit the Adobe Captivate Support page. Additionally, you can contact us in the following ways:

• Email us at CaptivateHelp@adobe.com
• Chat with us on our website
• Ask your question in the Adobe eLearning Community Discussion board
• Ask your question in the Adobe Support Community

The computer with Adobe Captivate installed must connect to the Internet at least once within 30 days of the first launch of your product.

Activation occurs silently in the background after installation when the system detects an Internet connection. You don't have to do anything to activate.

The product must connect to the Internet at least one time within 30 days of the first launch of your product. If the product has not been activated within 30 days, the application does not launch until an Internet connection is detected, and the software can be activated.

The software silently tries to connect to the Internet to activate for 7 days after the first launch of your product. If the software has not been activated within the 7 days, you receive a reminder for the next 23 days on every launch that the computer must connect to the Internet and activate the software. As soon as the software detects an Internet connection, it silently activates the product. 

No. Activation of the product via the Internet is required for Adobe Captivate. If your system is connected to the Internet and you receive an activation reminder, contact our support team at CaptivateHelp@adobe.com. However, Customer Service cannot activate your software over the phone if you don’t have an Internet connection.

If your system is connected to the Internet and you have received a reminder to activate your product, contact our support team at CaptivateHelp@adobe.com.

Yes. Adobe Captivate must be activated on every computer on which it is installed for continued use of the software.

Activation of Adobe Captivate via the Internet is required for continued use of the product. Activating your product helps protect your computer and your environment by ensuring that you are using a genuine Adobe product. You must connect to the Internet at least once within 30 days of the first launch of your product; otherwise, the product stops working. If you work in a company that has a firewall that prevents your system from connecting to the Internet, have your IT administrator contact us at CaptivateHelp@adobe.com

Get details on Adobe’s cancellation and refund policy for subscription licenses page.

You can access Adobe Captivate free 30-day trial over here.

A new individual subscription license of Adobe Captivate costs $39.99/month on Adobe.com online store.

Additionally for small, medium or large teams and large enterprises, there are flexible plans available with volume discounting. You can find more details on all buying plans and programs in the Buying Guide.

A subscription is an affordable and flexible way to get eLearning software. It gives you ongoing access to the software for a low monthly fee, as well as access to all upgrades at no additional charge as long as your subscription remains active.

With an active subscription, you can get access to the new version for free. You can just download the latest free trial and get started with using the latest version of Adobe Captivate.

Perpetual licenses for Adobe Captivate have now been discontinued. You can purchase subscription licenses for individuals, teams or enterprises by choosing a plan suitable for your requirements, from the Buying Guide.

We have a special type of licensing option for organizations that have restrictions on internet connectivity. Please connect with our team at EverythingELearning@adobe.com for more information on this.

Adobe Captivate is a desktop software. Subscription licenses of Adobe Captivate also are for desktop installation only. You do not need to be online to use your Adobe eLearning software subscription. However, you must be online when you activate your software. The software alerts you if you need to make an Internet connection for a license status check.

Adobe Captivate can be purchased from Adobe.com website and via our sales or partner/reseller networks. For more information on purchase plans, visit

Adobe Captivate Buying Guide

If you are already using a trial version of Adobe Captivate you can buy a subscription from Adobe.com. For more information visit Adobe Captivate Buying Guide

No. When you purchase your subscription, you can electronically download the software from this link.

Your Adobe Captivate subscription includes access to: 

• Adobe Captivate 
• Adobe Captivate Classic 
• 100 GB storage 
• Generative credits (quantity depends on the plan you choose) 

Additionally, you will have access to thousands of royalty-free eLearning assets (images, characters, templates, ready-to-go slides, sound effects). 

Adobe Captivate offers an annual subscription plan with a monthly payout. For details, please visit Adobe Captivate Buying Guide

Your credit card is billed each month.

Yes. Adobe Value Incentive Plan is a flexible subscription licensing program that allows purchase of volume license. For more details, please refer to

Adobe Captivate Buying Guide

Adobe Buying Programs

Yes. Adobe Captivate licenses are available for Government and Education. For more details refer to Adobe Captivate Buying Guide

For education, please refer to the Adobe VIP Program Guide for Education

Subscriptions for Adobe Captivate are available in English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Spanish.

Your subscription begins as soon as the order is fulfilled by the Adobe Store.

Visit the Adobe Support page where you can find information about typical software download issues.

During the course of your purchase and installation, you are asked to create or enter an Adobe ID. An Adobe ID is simply your email address.

When you install your software, you are required to enter the same Adobe ID used for your subscription to:

• Help ensure that the person who subscribed is the same person who is installing the software
• Enable Adobe to send you important account information if your subscription is about to expire or cannot be charged

Adobe respects your privacy and sends you information about other Adobe products or services only if you opt in for such messages.

Ensure that your Adobe ID is your current active email address. If not, update it.

No. You can use the same Adobe ID with all your Adobe products, including subscriptions. Each subscription is considered a separate purchase, so you might receive a separate email for each subscription if there is a problem associated with multiple subscriptions on your account.

You can install and activate Adobe Captivate on a maximum of 2 computers.

When you buy a software product from Adobe, activation is the process by which Adobe validates that your software is genuine and being used as allowed by your product license agreement. It is intended to protect both your rights as a consumer and Adobe’s rights as a software developer. Activation helps confirm that the software you bought is not counterfeit. You cannot use your Adobe subscription edition software if it is not activated.

Yes. If Adobe cannot activate the product, you are warned when you launch the application. Blocking access to the activation server prevents the product from launching.

Yes, there is a way for you to buy subscription for teams via the VIP buying program.

For more details on Adobe Value Incentive Plan, please refer to the Adobe VIP Program Guide

Yes, you can cancel your annual subscription. If you cancel within the first 14 days, you receive a full refund. Otherwise, you are billed 50% of your remaining contract obligation.

To cancel your membership at any time, contact Adobe Customer Service

You can restart your subscription within six months of canceling. After six months, your account is deactivated, and you must purchase a new subscription on www.adobe.com. If the version of the Adobe Captivate you have installed is still the current version, you do not need to download it again, even if you are past the six-month period. Simply launch the installed software, and enter your new subscription number.

You can return a subscription edition within the first 14 days of purchase and get a full refund. The return process differs for countries and regions. Learn more about Adobe’s cancellation and refund policy for subscription licenses .

If your subscription expires or is stopped for any reason (for example, due to an expired credit card), you are notified by email, and your software displays an alert that your subscription has ended. If it has been less than six months since the subscription ended, click the Renew button displayed with the alert to enter the information required to restart your subscription.

No. When you cancel your subscription, you no longer have access to any version of your Adobe Captivate subscription software.

You are eligible to receive updates to the subscription edition of Adobe Captivate as long as your subscription remains active. You can just download the latest free trial and get access to the latest update of the product

Contact our support team at CaptivateHelp@adobe.com.