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For content creators, having Adobe on Mac is essential. Adobe has fixed previous versions of Adobe, but we can continue using it for free with the Adobe 2024 and 2025 suite with macOS 13 or later. In this article update, Lucid Gen will guide you on installing Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, Premiere, Audition, Animate, After Effects, Media Encoder, and many other Adobe applications.
Download Adobe for Mac
You need to know this information to install Adobe for Mac. Please note that macOS versions lower than 13 will not work with this tutorial.
| macOS | From 13 (Ventura) and up |
| Adobe version | 2024, 2025 |
| Chips | Intel and ARM |
| SIP and Gatekeeper | Disable |
Download AntiCC, CleanMyMac, and AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool first. These are the necessary tools to install Adobe on Mac for free.
- AntiCC: Helps you not need to install Adobe Creative Cloud but can still install free Adobe applications.
- AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool: Helps you safely uninstall old Adobe applications on Mac.
- CleanMyMac: Helps you clean up leftovers after uninstalling old Adobe on Mac.
The list of installation files that Lucid Gen shares includes the following Adobe applications for Mac:
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Animate
- Adobe Audition
- Adobe Bridge
- Adobe Character Animator
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InCopy
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Lightroom
- Adobe Media Encoder
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Premiere
Prepare before installing Adobe
Please note that this part is essential; it determines whether you will install Adobe on a MacBook smoothly. So you need to follow it thoroughly. This tutorial was done on macOS Sonoma and was 100% successful.
Turn off Gatekeeper and SIP
Not just Adobe, but to install any available app outside the App Store for free, you must turn off Gatekeeper and SIP on your Mac. The part turning off SIP will be a bit difficult because you have to enter recovery mode, but you have to try to learn and pass.
Clean up everything related to old Adobe
If you have ever installed any Adobe applications on Mac before, to install Adobe applications for Mac, you need to delete and clean everything related to old Adobe.
Step 1: Open AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool and click the Clean All button. This is how to remove all Adobe applications safely. But you still need to restore the hosts file on Mac manually because the Fix Host File feature does not work well.
Step 2: Remove remaining Adobe sync applications using CleanMyMac. Go to the Uninstaller section and search for Adobe to remove all remaining applications.
Step 3: Delete empty folders related to old Adobe. Even though you have used the above two tools, you must manually delete anything associated with Adobe in the folders below if you find it.
- /Applications
- /Applications/Utilities
- /Documents
Step 4: Restart the device.
If you complete the above preparation steps, Lucid Gen believes that 90% of you will successfully install the entire Adobe for Mac suite. Now, we must go through installing each Adobe application.
Install Adobe on Mac for free
Step 1: Install AntiCC first. AntiCC will help you avoid installing Adobe Creative Cloud and using Adobe for free on Mac (which means you have to uninstall Adobe Creative Cloud). Just click Continue Install until completed.
Step 2: After extracting the zip file on Mac, open the file with the dmg extension. Double-click the Install file to install Adobe Photoshop for Mac or other Adobe.
The installation process for an Adobe for Mac application will be shown below. Please enter the password to open the device if any dialog box asks.
If you encounter an error and cannot open steps 1 and 2. Copy the Install, Patch, and AntiCC files to any folder on your computer, such as Downloads. Then open Terminal and type xattr -cr , drag and drop the Install, Patch, and AntiCC files, then Enter.
Step 3: After installing an Adobe application for Mac, do not rush to install the Patch file. Open the Adobe application and log in to your Adobe account. To be successful, you must use an account whose Country/Region is United States. If you do not have such an account, register at Adobe.com.
Note: Use an account that has been created for a long time as possible. New accounts cause some cases of crashes, specifically Lighroom.
After logging in, you will see this trial window; please turn it off. At the same time, you also close the open Adobe application. To make sure the application is completed, right-click on the running application on the Dock and select Quit.
Note: Download all the Adobe applications you need and install steps 1 to 3. Only after you have logged in to all Adobe applications, do steps 4 and 5 for each application, because after performing these two steps, you will not be able to install other Adobe applications.
If you have installed a Patch file and are currently having an error when trying to install another Adobe application, please clean your computer as I instructed and start again.
Step 4: Install the Patch file to use Adobe on Mac for free. You should only select the correct name of the Adobe application you are installing to avoid causing errors to other Adobe applications.
Step 5: To avoid the error “This unlicensed Adobe app will be disabled soon”, you need to block the internet connection of applications on Mac related to Adobe.
Open Radio Silence > click Block Application button > find Adobe applications to block.
Open Radio Silence > click on the Network Monitor tab > open an Adobe application like Photoshop > go back to Radio Silence and see which Adobe applications are connecting to the internet > click the Block button.
You should always keep Radio Silence running before and while using Adobe applications.
After installing Adobe on Mac, you can delete all downloaded installation files and enjoy Adobe applications on your MacBook.
How to handle errors during installation
Failed with error code 183
Delete or rename the Photoshop folder in Applications, restart and reinstall.
Failed with error code 146
- Go to /Applications/Utilities/Adobe Sync/.
- Rename the CoreSync folder to CoreSync_1.
- Restart your device and reinstall the app installer.
Failed with error code 107
This error is because the Intel device is not compatible with the installer, please comment to let me know.
Premiere does not display when opened
Premiere will not have the Welcome screen when opened like other Adobe applications, but it will still display the menu at the top, use the menu to open or create a project and continue using.
Error: SyntaxError: JSON Parse error: Unexpected EOF (-2700)
Reinstall AntiCC before installing a new Adobe application.
We can’t verify your subscription status
This error is because you have patched it for another Adobe application. Please restore the hosts file and try installing again. After successfully logging in to Adobe applications, patch each application.
Cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer
Use Terminal to fix by typing xattr -cr (space) then drag and drop the file and Enter.
Lightroom problem (solution from member Maarten Joostens)
For anyone experiencing problems with Lightroom. This solved it for version 13.0.1. Haven’t tested it with the latest version:
- Run Install.pkg (right click and OPEN) and install Lightroom Classic.
- Launch Lightroom Classic, Pop-up window will lead you to apply and sign in to your Adobe ID, and start your trial. Effectively start 7 days Free trail by providing card details or logging into paypal.
- Turn off your wifi and Lightroom.
- Install Patch.pkg (right click and OPEN).
- Turn on your wifi and visit your Adobe ID website.
- End your 7 days Free trail and make sure eveything is cancelled.
- Launch Lightroom Classic.
The file “Setup” doesn’t exist
You must install AntiCC first.
Photoshop shows a black window when saving files
Press Command Option Shift and start Photoshop, then select Yes.
Conclusion
Older versions of Adobe are no longer accessible, and the Adobe suite is no longer free in older macOS. Therefore, upgrading macOS from 13 (Ventura) or higher is mandatory. Lucid Gen wants to express our condolences to those who cannot upgrade macOS. If you upgrade macOS, uninstall Adobe first; otherwise, you may encounter errors with Adobe applications that cannot be resolved.
After successfully installing the entire MacBook Adobe suite and saving a lot of money, consider donating to Lucid Gen to develop and continue updating newer versions of Adobe.
If you encounter any problems during the installation process, please read each step in the article carefully, and don’t hesitate to leave a comment below the article. Please provide specific information such as Adobe application name, chip, and macOS to support you better. We wish you a successful installation!
Please help 🙁
I installed Adobe acrobat a few months ago, everything worked smoothly, until I restarted my computer – now when I open the application it says I need to start free trial of Acrobat or pay… What did I do wrong?
And thank you so much for this, you are truly an angel!
Hello, try to install again follow my instruction
I am getting error code 108 when I install premiere pro, please help!
Can you provide the error message. I have’t seen error 108 yet so I have no idea to help you.
Where can I download the patch program like the image between steps 4 and 5?
Hello, the patch file is included in the zip. If you do not see it, maybe this app don’t need to patch, such as Photoshop 25.11
how do I resolve error code 133 after installing and trying to run the install file for premiere
I have not seen this error yet.
Hi, I installed PS months ago and it worked perfectly but since I updated to the public version of Sequoia, now when I open it I get the next error: Catch in IPhotoshopApplication: BIB_T_MT::CBIBError :
What should I do?
You must remove Adobe apps before upgrade macOS. Othewise, It will crash even if re-install. Try to factory reset your mac.
Hi
I just downloaded everything, and at first all was working but then I opened photoshop and radio silence and the app was finding other connections, so I blocked them but now only in Photoshop it gives me an error that makes me quit the application (“We can’t reach the Adobe servers. This may be because you’re not connected to the internet. Check your connection and try again below. If you’re still having issues, please see our connectivity troubleshooting guide. Error code: 12014.”). I tried to uninstall and reinstall radio silence (blocking the first connection that was popping out) but it gives me the same error.
how can I resolve that?
Hello, help me try to turn off wifi and use the app. If it works, it mean something left need to be blocked.
hi.. I install adobe illustrator but its keep quitting how do i solve this?
Try to use in offline. If it works then use Radio Slience > Monitoring to find and block any process related to Adobe during open Adobe app.
Thanks, done! InCopy is in chinese. How can I change the language?
Oh, I don’t know why it in chinese in your Mac, haha. But I think you should check in Settings > Interface > UI Language (I found this setting in Photoshop).
I tried to install Audition and I get a message about the software being legacy. I’m on Sequoia15.0.1 – is that the reason? Thanks!
Hello, It is not clear. Can you provide me full of message. Did you install the patch file?
Yes, I can confirm this is not working on Sequoia, I had some apps working fine in Sonoma, but unfortunately I decided to upgrade to Sequoia and they stopped working, I reinstalled them and they’re still broken so, we need to wait for some patch for Sequoia!
You have to remove all Adobe apps before upgrade macOS, otherwise they will broken even if you re-install.
Trần Ngọc Minh Hiếu
Thanks for this. I havent started the process, just started to download the files.
I have a question, do I still need to run AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool and CleanMyMac if my computer was reformatted to factory settings, basically no adobe software is on it. I already downloaded antiCC + the programs I’ll need.
Second question since im NOT from the states, does this mean it wont work for me or I just need to create a new account thats from the states?
lastly, I only need the following programs (illustrator / InDesign / photoshop / Acrobat / Bridge) – among these files I should also download radio silence per your instructions?
What are patch files?
Hello Morgan
First, if your Mac was cleaned then skip running AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool and CleanMyMac.
Second, you just need to create a new account thats from the states.
Third, Use Radio Silence to block internet for all Adobe apps. The patch file was included in the zip file of each app.
Hi
Okay sounds good, so the only one that doesnt seem to have a patch.pkg file is the photoshop one – should I be using the one installation file?
I assume I should be downloading anticc, do the gatekeeper / sip then start installing the apps along then login then do the patch files assuming radio silence is the last step.
Thanks
Exactly, good luck!