How to Separate Acrobat Pro 2017 from a Creative Cloud Account
Question details
The user wants to activate a perpetual license of Acrobat Pro 2017 without it automatically signing into and linking with a Creative Cloud subscription.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Activating a standalone perpetual license of Acrobat Pro Student and Teacher Edition on a computer that has or had Creative Cloud installed.
- Observed behavior
- The standalone installation automatically signs into a Creative Cloud account and downgrades to a limited trial version after the subscription trial period expires.
Ensure you have the valid 24-digit serial number for your standalone Acrobat Pro 2017 license ready, as you will need it for the fresh installation.
Completely Uninstall Creative Cloud and Reinstall Acrobat Pro
Use the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool and manually delete licensing cache folders to remove all subscription traces before reinstalling the standalone application.
When a standalone version of Acrobat Pro is installed on a system with existing Creative Cloud remnants, the software often defaults to the subscription licensing model. To fix this, you must thoroughly clean all Creative Cloud files and delete the local licensing caches so the perpetual license can be validated independently.
Open your system's Control Panel or Settings app, navigate to 'Programs and Features' or 'Apps', and uninstall all Creative Cloud applications, including the Creative Cloud desktop app. Make sure to choose the option to remove application preferences when prompted.
Download the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool from the official Adobe Help website. Run the utility as an administrator and follow the on-screen prompts to clean your computer of any remaining Creative Cloud files and background services.
Navigate to your system's hidden application data directories and delete the 'Adobe PCD' and 'SLStore' folders. This step is critical to clear out old subscription licensing data that forces the trial mode.
Perform a full system restart. Do not skip this step, as it ensures all cached configurations and lingering Adobe background processes are completely terminated.
Launch the standalone Acrobat Pro 2017 installer. Proceed with the setup and, when prompted, enter your valid standalone serial number instead of signing into an Adobe account.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my standalone Acrobat Pro revert to a trial version?
This happens when the Adobe licensing service detects residual Creative Cloud subscription files on your computer. It overrides your perpetual license with the subscription status, which reverts to a trial if the subscription is inactive.
Will deleting the SLStore and Adobe PCD folders affect other Adobe software?
Yes, deleting these folders clears the licensing cache for all Adobe products installed on your machine. You will need to re-enter your serial numbers or sign in again for any other Adobe software you currently use.
Where can I download the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool?
The tool is available for free on Adobe's official help website. Search for 'Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool' in the Adobe support section to find the official download link and instructions for your specific operating system.
