Adobe Creative Cloud - how to access
- David Sprunger
Adobe Creative Cloud licenses are available for:
→ Includes apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Express Premium, and most other Adobe applications
→ individual licenses are available for faculty and staff members
→ shared computer licenses also available (shared computer example: computer labs).
For individuals:
Step 1: Purchase a license
(Already have a license? Skip this step)
Current pricing per license: $73 (tax included)
Licenses for individual apps, for example just Photoshop, are no longer available.* You must purchase a Creative Cloud license-- which is priced lower than what we used to pay for almost all single Adobe apps!
To inquire about getting a Creative Cloud license:
Make sure you’ve got a budget name and number to charge
Contact the Help Desk and we’ll begin the process.
You or your department will only be charged for the initial purchase of a license. After this, WCTS will add the cost of your license to our annual budget request. Unless you hear from us, you can assume that your license is now funded annually, with no need for you or your department to contribute additional funds for that license.
Individual licenses are only available for current faculty and staff members. If you end your employment at Whitman, you license will no longer be valid.
* Adobe Acrobat Pro is part of the Creative Cloud, but is also available at no charge to faculty and staff. You do not need a Creative Cloud license to get a copy of Acrobat. Get an Acrobat Pro license here. Photoshop Elements is also available as a stand-alone purchase, please contact the Helpdesk to learn more.
Step 2: Accessing your Creative Cloud Applications
✳️ The first time:
When we contact you to tell you your license is ready, you’ll need to install the Creative Cloud app, which manages access to all the Adobe apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. To do this, please do one of the following:
Mac
Open the “Whitman Self Service” app in your computer’s Applications folder, and type “Creative Cloud” in the search box.
Click “Install”
Windows
Access Software Center by clicking on the Start Menu and type “Software Center”.
Click on “Install Adobe Creative Cloud”
Once the installation is complete (Mac/Windows)
Launch the Creative Cloud app found in your Applications folder (Mac) or Start Menu > search > Creative Cloud (Windows).
Sign in using your full Whitman email address. (If prior to December 2024 you created an Adobe ID on your own with you Whitman email address, you may be prompted to select “Personal” or “Company or School.” Choose the latter.)
In the Creative Cloud app, you can choose which apps to download and use.
Note: Adobe Express Premium is only accessed through a web browser (Desktop) or mobile app. To access from a desktop, go to adobe.com and login. For mobile, download the app from the Apple or Google app store.
✳️ Every time after the first time:
Access your Adobe apps directly through your applications folder or by searching your computer for them. You do not need to go through the Creative Cloud app every time to access your downloaded apps.
The Creative Cloud app is useful for downloading new versions of your apps when they become available, or for accessing any assets you have saved in the Adobe Cloud.
Note: Whitman’s Adobe license has very limited storage in the Adobe Cloud. Therefore, we ask that you please use the Adobe Cloud for storage sparingly or not at all. In the case of Adobe Express Premium, all assets are stored in the Adobe Cloud by default. Please routinely download copies and delete originals in the Adobe Cloud often.
For labs or shared computers:
Step 1: Purchase a license
(see above. If you know the computer you’re using already has a license, skip this step.)
Step 2: Access Creative Cloud:
💡Good to know: limitations with shared computer licenses
Creative Cloud licenses for shared computers do not have access to Adobe online services. These services include (but are not limited to):
Generative AI
Adobe cloud storage
Font libraries