Select the Creative Cloud icon in the Windows taskbar or the macOS menu bar to open the Creative Cloud desktop app.
Last updated on
Oct 14, 2026
Learn how to resolve error code 178, "The installation path contains invalid characters," during Adobe app installation.
Error code 178 appears when the selected installation folder contains characters or symbols that the installer cannot read.
The installer can’t read the selected install location
To resolve the error, change the install location in the Creative Cloud desktop app.
Select the Account icon in the upper-right corner, and then select Preferences.
Select Apps from the left panel.
Select the Default location icon next to Install location.
Select a folder that uses standard alphanumeric characters (letters A-Z, numbers 0-9, basic spaces).
Tip
Check that the new folder path doesn't contain:
- accented letters (é, ñ, ü)
- special symbols (#, @, %, &)
- multiple consecutive spaces
- leading or trailing spaces
Select Done to save your changes.
Install the app again.
Your app should now install successfully using the updated location. If the issue persists, review your installation logs to identify the specific fatal error causing the failure.
