[How-To] Install Specific Adobe CC App Versions on MacOS
✈️🔥Info
The official Adobe CC Desktop App only downloads the latest version of each Adobe app based on your MacOS version, this can sometimes present a problem when relying on Zii for activation.
Zii may not support a certain Adobe app version or the latest available Zii does not yet support the most recent Adobe app version that Adobe CC Desktop App is pushing.
The alternative is to source and download individual app installers from TNT but that isn't always quick or easy.
To work around this issue we can use a custom script to download specific Adobe app versions, the exact version needed to use Zii, directly from Adobe! This works for all Adobe apps EXCEPT ACROBAT.
Prerequisites
• Install Adobe CC Desktop app [download DMG from under the "macOS | Alternative downloads" section]:
https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html
• Install xcode components, open Terminal and enter: xcode-select --install
• Download and unzip the Adobe Packager scripts: https://github.com/Drovosek01/adobe-packager/archive/refs/heads/master.zip
Download Adobe Apps
1. Double-click on the ccdl.command file inside the extracted master directory and follow the prompts in the terminal.
2. When asked "Do you want to make M1 native packages (y/N)" ...
• For Adobe CC 2021 and earlier, regardless if using Intel or M1: type N for no then hit enter/return key. [this gives you INTEL-only and UNIVERSAL builds]
• For Adobe CC 2022, regardless if using Intel or M1: type Y and install the UNIVERSAL builds. Most public pre-patched binaries will be based on UNIVERSAL binary.
3. Select the app you want to generate an install file for. Example: type "PHSP" without quotes then hit enter/return for Photoshop.
4. Select the version you want to generate an install file for. Example: type "22.5.1" without quotes then hit enter/return for version 22.5.1.
5. Adobe Packager script will download and create the install file on your Desktop.
6. Repeat steps 1-4 for all additional Adobe apps you want to download/install.
Install Adobe Apps
• Run the Adobe installer(s) on your Desktop.
• Once started, wait for pop-up saying finished.
If "damaged/blocked" error appears while trying to open installer, right-click on installer and select "Open" from the menu (instead of double-clicking)
Activate Adobe Apps
FOR THE ADOBE ZII METHOD (CC 2015 - 2021):
• Download the appropriate Adobe Zii version for your installed Adobe apps.
• Open and run Zii. Click the "PATCH OR DRAG" button* to begin patching app(s) or drag the Adobe app icon from /Applications/ into the Zii window to patch that specfic app.
*With the "PATCH OR DRAG" button, Zii will scan and look for all installed Adobe versions, request admin permission to patch, then patch all possible apps.
If you get a warning about an unsupported version, DO NOT PATCH IT! Skip that app and let it continue patching any remaining apps.
Click on Help > Changelog in Zii to see a list of supported Adobe app versions. Uninstall the unsupported Adobe app and install a supported version... or use a version of Zii that supports that Adobe app version. Re-run Zii to activate.
FOR THE PRE-PATCHED BINARY METHOD (CC 2022):
- download and extract pre-patched binaries
- replace original app binary w/pre-patched file¹
(right-click *.app > "Show Package Contents" > Contents > MacOS)
- after replacing, chmod and clearing attributes may be needed...
example:
chmod +x "./Applications/Adobe Photoshop 2022/Adobe Photoshop 2022.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Photoshop" xattr -cr "./Applications/Adobe Photoshop 2022/Adobe Photoshop 2022.app"
¹Pre-patched binary must match exact app version.
Notes, Issues & FAQ
• Depending on Adobe app version and Zii version used, you may or may not need to sign into Adobe CC Desktop App. Create a free Adobe account within the Adobe CC Desktop App if needed.
• Updated Adobe apps must be re-patched with Zii.
• Why is Adobe Packager (ccdl.command) failing to run?
Confirm all prerequisites were met. This is usually an issue with python or xcode components weren't installed.
• Why is my Adobe app asking me to log in?
The app is not patched by Zii.
• Why is my Adobe app crashing at launch?
This could due to one or more of the reasons below:
-Adobe CC Desktop App not installed
-HOSTS file or firewall is blocking something Adobe doesn't want you to
-You may need to sign into Adobe CC Desktop App
-You're running Adobe app as M1-native but the Zii version used only supports Intel/Rosetta
-You ignored the unsupported version warning in Zii while patching
-Potential Zii/Adobe compatibility issue (even if Zii says supported), try different version of Zii/Adobe app.
• How do I force an Adobe app to run with Rosetta on an M1 Mac?
Right-click on the Adobe app icon in /Applications/, select "Get Info" and check the "Run using Rosetta" box.
• For unanswered ccdl.command issues see https://github.com/Drovosek01/adobe-packager/issues
• For unanswered Zii issues try Google or making sure you read everything in this how-to.
• For Adobe app specific issues try Google.