Adobe Express Photos FAQs for administrators

Product overview

What is Adobe Express Photos?

Adobe Express Photos is a lightweight Windows desktop app that gives end users two everyday creative tools in one install: essential photo editing and a built-in screenshot tool for capturing and annotating their screen. It also integrates with Adobe Express for users who need more advanced design capabilities. Learn more about Adobe Express Photos.

What is the difference between Adobe Express and Adobe Express Photos?

 Adobe Express and Adobe Express Photos are two complementary products that work together:

• Adobe Express Photos is a lightweight Windows desktop app for everyday photo editing and screen capture. It is designed for quick, in-the-moment tasks.

• Adobe Express is a full web and desktop content creation app for designing social posts, flyers, presentations, videos, and other creative assets.

End users can start a quick edit or screenshot in Adobe Express Photos and open the result in Adobe Express when they need more advanced design capabilities.

Is Adobe Express Photos a separate application or a component of Acrobat? 

Adobe Express Photos is a separate Windows application, not a component of Acrobat. It is distributed alongside Acrobat for convenience and installs by default when Acrobat is deployed. Admins can exclude it during packaging if they don't want it installed across the organization. 

Which customers can deploy Adobe Express Photos? 

 Adobe Express Photos is available to customers who have purchased Acrobat Studio or Acrobat Express. Key points for admins:

• It is included in the Acrobat Package in the Admin Console.

• Eligible organizations can deploy it to any Windows user in the organization, regardless of which Acrobat product each user is assigned.

• It does not require a separate license assignment.

Is Adobe Express Photos available on desktop, web, or mobile? 

Adobe Express Photos is available only as a Windows desktop application. It isn't available on macOS, web, or mobile. 

What desktop operating systems does Adobe Express Photos support?

Adobe Express Photos runs only on Windows. Supported versions: Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit). It isn't supported on macOS, Linux, or ChromeOS. 

Learn more about Adobe Express Photos Technical Requirements.

Availability and entitlement

Is there an additional cost for Adobe Express Photos? 

No. Adobe Express Photos is included at no additional cost for organizations that have purchased Acrobat Studio or Acrobat Express. It does not require a separate purchase or per-user license assignment. 

Will existing Acrobat users automatically receive Adobe Express Photos?

Existing Acrobat users don't automatically have access to Adobe Express Photos today. For organizations that have purchased Acrobat Studio or Acrobat Express, there are two ways users can receive it:

• Admin-managed deployment. Administrators can deploy an Acrobat package that includes Adobe Express Photos to any Windows user in the organization, regardless of which Acrobat product each user is assigned (Studio, Express, Pro, or Standard).

• Starting early June: Auto-install for Acrobat Studio and Acrobat Express users. Because Acrobat Studio includes Adobe Express Premium, Adobe Express Photos will auto-install with an Acrobat update for Windows users who are assigned Acrobat Studio or Acrobat Express. Admins who don't want this can opt out of auto-install.

Auto-install does not apply to users assigned Acrobat Pro, Acrobat Standard, or other Acrobat offers, even if they are part of an organization that has purchased Acrobat Studio or Acrobat Express. For these users, administrators can still make Adobe Express Photos available through admin-managed deployment. 

Is Adobe Express Photos available in all regions?

Adobe Express Photos is available to commercial customers worldwide. Specific availability depends on the deployment method:

• Auto-install: Available worldwide for users on Acrobat Studio and Acrobat Express.

• Acrobat Packager deployment: Available worldwide, except in Japan and Germany.

• Direct download from Creative Cloud Desktop (CCD): Available to users in all regions.

What languages does Adobe Express Photos support?

Learn about the supported languages for Adobe Express Photos.

Deployment & installation

How is Adobe Express Photos deployed in enterprise environments? 

Adobe Express Photos can be deployed to enterprise environments in two ways:

• Admin-managed deployment. Adobe Express Photos is included in the Acrobat enterprise installer. Administrators can deploy it using the same packaging and distribution methods used for Acrobat through the Admin Console and enterprise management tools. Learn more.

• Auto-install for Acrobat Studio and Acrobat Express users. On Windows, Adobe Express Photos installs automatically as part of an Acrobat auto-update for users on Acrobat Studio and Acrobat Express, unless the administrator has opted out. Learn how you can opt out of Adobe Express Photos deployment.

How do I opt out of Adobe Express Photos deployment?

Administrators can prevent Adobe Express Photos from being installed using one of two methods, depending on the deployment path:

Method 1: Exclude during packaging (admin-managed deployment). To exclude Adobe Express Photos from an admin-driven deployment, deselect it during Acrobat installer configuration in the Admin Console. Note: This only excludes Adobe Express Photos from the package itself. It does not prevent auto-installation for users assigned Acrobat Studio or Acrobat Express. To block auto-install, use Method 2.

Method 2: Set a registry key (auto-install opt-out). For Windows users on Acrobat Studio or Acrobat Express with Acrobat auto-update enabled, set the following registry key on the target machines to block auto-installation through Acrobat updates:

Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown 
Value: bDisableHarmonyInstallationFeature 
Type: REG_DWORD 
Data: 00000001

Important: To opt out of both deployment paths, both methods must be applied. Applying only one method will leave the other deployment path active.

How do I uninstall Adobe Express Photos and prevent it from reinstalling? 

Removing Adobe Express Photos from end-user machines is a two-step process:

1. Uninstall Adobe Express Photos. Adobe Express Photos can be uninstalled using standard enterprise software management tools or through the Windows Add or Remove Programs control panel.
2. Prevent reinstallation during future Acrobat updates. For users on Acrobat Studio or Acrobat Express with Acrobat auto-update enabled, set the following registry key on the target machines. Without it, Adobe Express Photos will be reinstalled during the next Acrobat auto-update.

Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown 
Value: bDisableHarmonyInstallationFeature 
Type: REG_DWORD 
Data: 00000001 

This is the same registry key used to opt out of auto-install. Learn how to opt out of Adobe Express Photos deployment.

How will updates to Adobe Express Photos be delivered? 

 Adobe Express Photos updates automatically in the background, delivering the latest features and security enhancements without administrator action. 

IT control and configuration

Can administrators uninstall Adobe Express Photos after deployment? 

 Yes. Administrators can uninstall Adobe Express Photos after deployment and prevent it from reinstalling. See How do I uninstall Adobe Express Photos and prevent it from reinstalling? for full instructions.

Does Express Photos require users to sign in? 

No. Users can edit photos, capture screenshots, and save their work locally without signing in. Sign-in is only required to access cloud-based features or to hand off work to Adobe Express. For common end-user questions about using Adobe Express Photos on Windows, see the Adobe Express Photos FAQ.

Does the Adobe Express toggle in the Admin Console disable Adobe Express Photos?

No. The Adobe Express toggle in the Admin Console does not affect Adobe Express Photos, because they are managed as separate applications. To prevent automatic installation or reinstallation of Adobe Express Photos, administrators must use the registry key opt-out method. Learn how to opt out of Adobe Express Photos deployment.

Does Express Photos work in offline environments? 

Yes. Users can capture screenshots, edit photos, and save their work locally without an internet connection. Features that connect to Adobe Express or other cloud services require internet access.