How to Revert Adobe Acrobat Creative Cloud to Acrobat 2015
Question details
The user needs to downgrade from an unwanted Adobe Acrobat Creative Cloud installation back to their original Acrobat Professional 2015 perpetual license.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A perpetual Acrobat 2015 license was overwritten by a Creative Cloud update, and the user wants the older version back.
- Observed behavior
- The system currently runs the subscription-based Creative Cloud version of Acrobat instead of the purchased 2015 perpetual license.
Ensure you have your original Acrobat 2015 serial number written down and secured, as you will need it to reactivate the software after reinstallation.
Completely Remove Acrobat CC and Reinstall Acrobat 2015
This method ensures all Creative Cloud license files are removed so the Acrobat 2015 perpetual license can be successfully applied.
To properly revert to an older perpetual version of Acrobat, you must manually delete the cached licensing files that Adobe creates. Simply uninstalling the program is often not enough to clear the Creative Cloud license from your system.
Open your system's Control Panel or Settings, locate Adobe Acrobat in your installed applications list, and uninstall it using the standard uninstaller.
Download and run the Adobe Reader and Acrobat Cleaner Tool from the official Adobe site to remove any leftover registry entries and temporary files.
Navigate to your system's file explorer and permanently delete the 'Adobe PCD' and 'SLStore' folders to clear the Creative Cloud licensing cache.
Reboot your PC to ensure all system changes take effect and no Adobe background processes remain active.
Run your original Acrobat Professional 2015 installer and enter your secured serial number when prompted to complete the setup.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my PDF files if I uninstall Adobe Acrobat Creative Cloud?
No, uninstalling the Acrobat application only removes the software. Your locally saved PDF documents will remain intact on your computer.
Where can I find my Acrobat 2015 serial number?
Your serial number can usually be found in your original purchase confirmation email, on the physical DVD box, or logged under your registered products in your Adobe online account.
Why do I need to delete the Adobe PCD and SLStore folders?
These folders contain the licensing data for Creative Cloud. If they are not removed, your fresh Acrobat 2015 installation might mistakenly read the old Creative Cloud license and force an unwanted update.
Can I run Acrobat 2015 and Acrobat Creative Cloud on the same machine?
It is generally not recommended and often technically unsupported to have both a perpetual version and a Creative Cloud version of Acrobat installed simultaneously, as their background licensing services will conflict.
