User Guide Cancel

Common questions in Photoshop on the desktop

Find answers to the most common questions about Photoshop on the desktop.

Basics

What is Photoshop and who is it for?

Adobe Photoshop is the world’s most advanced digital imaging software, used by photographers, designers, web professionals, and video professionals. The app gives you the utmost power and creative control for image manipulation and compositing, video editing, and image analysis. And because Photoshop is part of Adobe Creative Cloud, you get access to all the latest updates and future releases the moment they’re available. Learn more about Creative Cloud.

Can I use Photoshop on the web or on a mobile device (iPad, iPad Pro, etc.)?

Yes. You can use Photoshop on the web or Photoshop on the iPad as desired. They are included in all Photoshop plans. Learn more about purchasing options on the Creative Cloud plans page.

Can I use Photoshop on more than one machine?

Yes. You can download and install Photoshop on multiple computers regardless of operating system. However, activation is limited to two machines per individual associated with the membership. See the terms of use for more information. Learn how to deactivate a Creative Cloud license on a machine.

I use Photoshop Elements. Why should I consider Photoshop? 

Photoshop is the professional standard in image editing, used worldwide by people who want to create and edit photos with superior results. Consider moving up to Photoshop if you want a more complete toolkit for editing raw photos, creating sophisticated image composites, making videos, and pushing your creativity with painting tools.

What is Photoshop Lightroom and how does it work with Photoshop?

Lightroom, also included in Creative Cloud, helps you quickly import, process, manage, and showcase volumes of photos. Its tight integration with Photoshop lets you easily take advantage of unrivaled pixel-level retouching and compositing, giving you a complete professional photography solution.

What cameras does Adobe Camera Raw support?

See Supported cameras.

Where can I learn more about new features in Photoshop?

See the What’s New page for details.

Technical questions

What are the minimum system requirements to run Photoshop?

See the system requirements for information provided below:

Where can I ask a technical or how-to question related to Photoshop?

Visit the Photoshop community to get answers from product team members and other expert users.

Free trials

Where can I get a trial version of Photoshop?

You can download a trial version of Photoshop - and other applications in Creative Cloud. When you upgrade to an All Apps plan, you’ll be able to download the full version of every Creative Cloud application.

Can I convert my trial version to a paid plan?

If you were prompted to enter your payment details before downloading Photoshop, the trial automatically converts to a paid plan after the trial period ends. Otherwise, you can purchase a plan directly from the Creative Cloud plans page.

Purchasing options

How can I purchase Photoshop?

Learn more about purchasing options on the Creative Cloud plans page.

What's the difference between Photoshop single app subscription and the Creative Cloud Photography plan?

See Differences between Photoshop and Creative Cloud Photography programs.

Learning Photoshop

How can I get started with Photoshop?

Check out Photoshop Learn & Support for all you need to get started—video and step-by-step-tutorials, Help content, and links to resources offering comprehensive product support from Adobe and our knowledgeable community.

Have a question or an idea?

Ask the Community

If you have a question to ask or an idea to share, come and participate in the Adobe Photoshop community. We'd love to hear from you!

More like this

Get help faster and easier

New user?