Webstore, Adobe Creative Cloud- Troubleshooting issues with installations and licensing

Overview

This article provides explanations and instruction for common issues that occur when using the Adobe Creative Cloud University Enterprise subscription.

Who this applies to:

  • All University Enterprise Adobe Creative Cloud users with Windows or Mac Computers and IT professionals who support them.

Overview:

The University of Illinois Adobe Enterprise plan is licensed using the Named User model, otherwise referred to as a continuous or subscription-based licensing. Using Adobe apps with the University of Illinois Enterprise account requires signing in to Adobe with the University of Illinois 2 factor authentication, a valid school email address and an active annual subscription from the WebStore. Common Adobe errors are caused by improper login procedures, or Adobe applications that are out of sync with the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app. The Creative Cloud desktop app manages updates and authorizations for Adobe apps that are installed on the end user's computer. If the Adobe app reports a licensing or communications error, first verify the following things.
  • You have a current subscription order for Adobe at https://webstore.illinois.edu
  • You are logging in with your complete email address when you are authenticating on your school SSO portal (ex. NetID@your_school_domain.edu)
  • Your account details say "Adobe for Enterprise, University of Illinois" when you go to https://account.adobe.com/plans
  • You do not have any pending App updates when you open the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app on your computer.
  • After performing any necessary changes, you have signed out, closed Creative Cloud desktop app, reopened it signed back in again and opened Acrobat through the Creative Cloud desktop app. This will resync your Acrobat app's connection with Adobe.

Troubleshooting Adobe problems:

For End Users:

Always start with the basic steps. Check your Adobe apps to make sure they are up-to-date. Sign out and sign back in of Adobe using the Creative Cloud Desktop app.
If issues persist after completing the basic troubleshooting steps, the two most common problems U of I customers encounter with Adobe apps are a permissions error and Acrobat not working. Read on to see if your issue fits one of these scenarios.

Permissions Error

https://answers.uillinois.edu/128870.

The most common issue reported with Adobe Apps is when an end user opens their Creative Cloud desktop app or logs into their Adobe account with a browser and doesn't see any apps to download on this page. https://creativecloud.adobe.com/apps/all/desktop

Instead they see a message "You don't have access to manage apps. Permission from your IT administrator may be required to enable apps management" and the apps panel is blank.

          A recent update or install from your desktop IT support has removed admin permissions for your Adobe apps.

This is permissions message that is programmed to appear because your desktop support IT admin installed a managed Adobe package on your computer. The purpose of a managed package is to remove those privileges for the end user. IT support for a department decides whether to use managed or self service Adobe packages. If they have chosen to use managed Adobe packages, they expect the end user to use the Managed Software Center app to update and install their apps, (including Adobe apps), and should be communicating this to their customers. If this message is a surprise, then it might mean that a managed package was unintentionally installed on the computer. This can happen, for example, when a managed Acrobat update is pushed from IT services through Software Center.

If this message appears, do NOT contact Webstore about this issue. This is not a licensing problem or a global setting on the U of I Enterprise account.

If you need instruction on using the Software Center app to access your Adobe apps. Windows and Mac computers have different apps for managing software. These guides will show you how to use them.

End users that lose their Adobe apps permissions to update, download and install Adobe apps must contact their desktop IT support to resolve their issue or request.

The IT desktop support for university computers is responsible for and is the only one who has the account access and password to the university equipment and software they have assumed management for. They are also responsible for maintaining regular updates on all Adobe software installed on the computer and providing access to Adobe apps from the Creative Cloud Suite that are missing from the available selection of your apps to install from Software Center. 

If you don't have a university-issued computer, a desktop IT support admin or need an admin password to download and install apps on your machine, you can get permissions back for your Adobe apps by editing the OOB/config file on your computer. https://answers.uillinois.edu/107858

Please note that on Windows and Macs, the OOB/config is usually hidden. 

How to find a hidden OOB/ServiceConfig file on Windows.

Open a File Explorer window and browse to the location of the path shown below. Go to the View menu and check “Hidden Items”. You will be able to view hidden files now.

How to find a hidden OOB/ServiceConfig file on a Mac.

1. Open FINDER
2. Press SHIFT+COMMAND+C
3. Click on MACINTOSH HD
4. Click Applications-> Library->Application Support->Adobe->OOBE->Configs
5. Under Config you will see serviceconfig.xml file

**(If the computer does not allow you to edit the file in it's original location, you can save the file to the desktop and then try overwriting it in its original location.)

Acrobat or Creative Cloud desktop not working

The  Adobe app that most end users report issues with is Acrobat. If you have are experiencing a persistent error with Adobe Acrobat, it is usually related to a sync problem between Acrobat and the Creative Cloud desktop app. This is usually not a licensing issue either. The error example below is one type of error you will find, but there are many others that can be resolved the same way.

(4/19/2024 - Get the most recent update on "We can't verify your subscrption status" error.)

If you have already addressed any pending updates, then follow this quick procedure for re-syncing the two apps. 

    • Uninstall the Acrobat app using the Creative Cloud desktop app.
    • Sign out of Adobe and close the CC desktop app.
    • Open the CC desktop app again and sign back into Adobe. Open Acrobat through the CC desktop app and not through an old shortcut you saved somewhere.
    • If Acrobat opens and says there are still pending updates to complete, then enable those updates, close Acrobat, sign out of Adobe, sign back in again and open Acrobat again.
    • If you get a permissions related error during any step of the process, then contact your IT support admin for your computer.
If that doesn't work, and assuming you can open Acrobat, go to the Help Menu in Acrobat and select "Repair Installation".
For more solutions, WebStore has an additional guide for advanced Adobe problems that includes removing and reinstalling Acrobat, using AcroCleaner and dealing with other common Adobe app issues.

For IT Pros:

Managed Packages vs Self Service Packages

Please familiarize yourself with the difference between managed and self service Adobe packages you are choosing to install on university computers and educate your customers about how to access their Adobe apps from the Software Center if your group has intentionally removed access from Adobe apps management.

This KB article provides more information about the Adobe app restrictions that result from installing a managed Adobe package on the computer.https://answers.uillinois.edu/128870.

Permissions issues with a customer related to managed packages must be resolved by the IT administrator for the computer that the package is installed on.

Please be aware that both Named User and Shared Device Licensed managed packages downloaded from the WebStore are MANAGED packages. If you wish to deploy a self service Adobe package then there is a separate Named User Self-Service offer for that. All desktop apps downloaded directly from any Enterprise customer Adobe account are also self-service packages. You can install a self-service package over a managed package on a computer to return the admin permissions to the end user of the computer. You can also edit the OOB/configs file on the computer to return permissions back. https://answers.uillinois.edu/107858

Licensing--Named User vs Shared Device

Named User licensed packages should be used for faculty and staff University and Personal computers. Shared Device Licensed packages should be used for university computers such as lab and classroom devices that are shared by more than one student. Every Adobe application requires that the end user sign in with a valid Adobe account. Students are provided a free Adobe account, just for Shared Device use. Faculty and Staff must have an active Adobe Creative Cloud subscription from the Webstore to use Adobe Creative Cloud applications. There is a KB with more information on deploying Named User and Shared Device Licensed packages.

https://answers.uillinois.edu/87666

Identifying and troubleshooting issues with Adobe applications

If you need to check whether a client has an active Adobe license, email the WebStore at webstore@illinois.edu. WebStore can also provide custom packages, familiarity with a number of other common errors and escalate a trouble ticket to Adobe, if necessary.

In rare cases, you will find there is an issue with an Adobe app that will not download, install or the Creative Cloud desktop app reports an error. These issues will be isolated to a single Adobe app and will not require reinstalling all the Adobe apps on the machine. The Creative Cloud desktop app will usually generate a message with an identifying error number or a link that will provide more information. There is an Adobe error number lookup page if an error number displayed. When encountering download, install and access issues, first document the information you see about the error, and then test a different Adobe app, a different account or a different computer to see if the issue is consistent or isolated to single variable.

In-depth issues with a particular application that are escalated to Adobe will need a complete log collected from the machine that is having the error. The log can be collected using the Adobe Log Collection Tool. https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-log-collector.html.

More Resources:

Contact and Support:

You may resolve your issue faster by checking Adobe Help first to see if the error can be self-resolved. There is an Adobe error number lookup page if an error number displayed.

When contacting WebStore for with an Adobe support question, please include the following information for the fastest resolution for your request.

    1. A description of the error you are encountering and if possible a screenshot that best illustrates the problem. (Adobe "not working" is not helpful).
    2. The Adobe application that is having issues and whether you have a Windows or Mac computer.
    3. If an admin password is required to install or remove apps on the computer, then do NOT contact the WebStore. Contact your desktop IT support.

Keywords:
"Adobe, license, troubleshooting, repair, install, "Creative Cloud", Acrobat, WebStore, problems, not working, issues, "Adobe not working", "We can't verify your subscription status" 
Doc ID:
114791
Owned by:
Webstore W. in University of Illinois Technology Services
Created:
2021-11-10
Updated:
2024-06-03
Sites:
University of Illinois Technology Services