How to Use Acrobat Pro 2017 and Acrobat Pro DC Licenses Together
Question details
The user wants to know how to properly combine or manage Acrobat Pro 2017 (perpetual) and Acrobat Pro DC (subscription) licenses for multiple users.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to maximize simultaneous users by installing both perpetual and subscription versions of Adobe Acrobat on team devices.
- Observed behavior
- Installing both products does not automatically provide four independent simultaneous users, and using a single Adobe ID across them fails to bypass the subscription activation limits.
Gather the serial number for your Acrobat Pro 2017 perpetual license and ensure you have administrative access to the Adobe account managing your Acrobat Pro DC subscriptions.
Assign Individual Licenses and Adobe IDs
Ensure each employee has their own authorized license to prevent activation limit errors and maintain software compliance.
Acrobat Pro 2017 utilizes a perpetual licensing model typically tied to a serial number, whereas Acrobat Pro DC relies on a subscription model authenticated via an Adobe ID. Combining them on a single account does not multiply your allowed simultaneous users.
Check the End User License Agreement (EULA) for Acrobat Pro 2017. Typically, it allows installation on two devices for a single user, but only one can be active at a time.
Log in to your Adobe account online and navigate to 'Plans and payment' to verify the activation limits of your Acrobat Pro DC subscription.
Do not share a single Adobe ID across multiple employees. Create or ask employees to create individual Adobe IDs for their respective workstations.
For multiple employees requiring Acrobat Pro DC, purchase and assign individual licenses through an Adobe Teams or Enterprise console for compliant centralized management.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install Acrobat Pro 2017 and Acrobat Pro DC on the same computer?
While technically possible, it is highly discouraged. Running both can cause conflicts with default PDF handlers, licensing checks, and plugin integrations. It is best to stick to one version per machine.
Does owning both licenses give me four simultaneous users?
No. Even if each license allows installation on two computers, they are legally intended for a single user. You cannot combine them under one user or account to provide independent access for four different employees.
How should I manage Acrobat access for multiple employees?
The most compliant and efficient method is to upgrade to an Adobe Teams or Enterprise plan, where you can easily assign and revoke individual Acrobat Pro DC licenses to each employee's unique Adobe ID.
