Editing Adobe

{{CompanyCargo
|Description=American software company popular for programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, and Acrobat.
|Founded=1982
|Industry=Software
|Logo=Adobe.svg
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Public
|Website=https://adobe.com/
}}
[[wikipedia:Adobe_Inc.|'''Adobe''']] is a software company based in San Jose, California, that specializes in creative software, including photo editing, video editing, animation, illustration, web development, and more. Founded in 1982, the company developed the Portable Document Format (PDF) in 1992, along with a comprehensive suite of creative software. Widespread adoption of their products by novices, industry professionals, and nation-states has enabled Adobe to carve out a significant market share in the creative software industry. In FY24, Adobe's Digital Media Segment reported $15.86 billion in revenue to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). <ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-29 |title=ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |url=https://www.adobe.com/cc-shared/assets/investor-relations/pdfs/adbe-2024-annual-report.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430145007/https://www.adobe.com/cc-shared/assets/investor-relations/pdfs/adbe-2024-annual-report.pdf |archive-date=2025-04-30 |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=Adobe}}</ref>  

==Consumer impact summary==

===Lack of ownership===
In 2013, Adobe switched from a perpetual license model to a subscription model (Creative Cloud).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=2013-05-06 |title=Adobe’s Creative Suite is dead, long live the Creative Cloud |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/05/adobes-creative-suite-is-dead-long-live-the-creative-cloud/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251118103913/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/05/adobes-creative-suite-is-dead-long-live-the-creative-cloud/ |archive-date=18 Nov 2025|access-date=2025-09-30 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Campbell-Dollaghan |first=Kelsey |date=2013-05-06 |title=Say Goodbye to Creative Suite: Adobe CS Is Now Creative Cloud |url=https://gizmodo.com/say-goodbye-to-creative-suite-adobe-rebrands-cs-as-cre-493155052 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251114172246/https://gizmodo.com/say-goodbye-to-creative-suite-adobe-rebrands-cs-as-cre-493155052 |archive-date=14 Nov 2025|access-date=2025-05-06 |website=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2013-05-06 |title=Adobe heralds subscription-only future for Photoshop and Creative Suite |url=https://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/05/06/Adobe-kills-perpetual-licenses-as-creative-suite-moves-to-creative-cloud-cc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622072403/https://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/05/06/Adobe-kills-perpetual-licenses-as-creative-suite-moves-to-creative-cloud-cc |archive-date=2013-06-22 |access-date=2025-09-30 |website=Digital Photography Review}}</ref> 

===Proprietary file formats===
Works created in Adobe software come in Adobe-exclusive file formats such as .psd for Photoshop<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Colin |date= |title=Most commonly used file types in Photoshop |url=https://photoshopcafe.com/commonly-used-file-types-photoshop/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250912034358/https://photoshopcafe.com/commonly-used-file-types-photoshop/ |archive-date=12 Sep 2025|access-date=2025-09-30 |website=Photoshop CAFE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Brendan |date=2023-10-12 |title=File Formats In Photoshop Explained (Complete List) |url=https://www.bwillcreative.com/file-formats-in-photoshop-explained/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250917234755/https://www.bwillcreative.com/file-formats-in-photoshop-explained/ |archive-date=17 Sep 2025|access-date=2025-09-30 |website=Brendan Williams Creative}}</ref> and .indd for InDesign.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Which File Format?: A Guide to INDD, IDML, INX and Everything In-Between |url=https://indesignskills.com/tutorials/open-indesign-files-in-earlier-versions/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250815053253/https://www.indesignskills.com/tutorials/open-indesign-files-in-earlier-versions/ |archive-date=15 Aug 2025|access-date=2025-09-30 |website=InDesign Skills}}</ref>

===Data breaches===
In 2013, Adobe disclosed a data breach affecting approximately 3 million customers. This number was later revised to approximately 38 million. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Finkle |first=Jim |date=29 Oct 2013 |title=Adobe data breach more extensive than previously disclosed |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/technology/adobe-data-breach-more-extensive-than-previously-disclosed-idUSBRE99S1DJ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/rH59d |archive-date=2026-01-23 |website=Reuters}}</ref> This incident resulted in a $1,000,000 settlement and a commitment to implementing new security policies. <ref>{{Cite web |date=15 Nov 2016 |title=Adobe to Pay $1 Million, Update Security Policies to Resolve Multistate Investigation Into Data Breach |url=https://www.mass.gov/news/adobe-to-pay-1-million-update-security-policies-to-resolve-multistate-investigation-into-data-breach |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250902031250/https://www.mass.gov/news/adobe-to-pay-1-million-update-security-policies-to-resolve-multistate-investigation-into-data-breach |archive-date=2 Sep 2025|website=mass.gov}}</ref> In 2019, researchers discovered that Adobe's Elasticsearch database was insecure, potentially exposing the information of approximately 7.5 million users. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Khandelwal |first=Swati |date=26 Oct 2019 |title=Unsecured Adobe Server Exposes Data for 7.5 Million Creative Cloud Users |url=https://thehackernews.com/2019/10/adobe-database-leaked.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222202112/https://thehackernews.com/2019/10/adobe-database-leaked.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=22 Feb 2026}}</ref> Breaches impacting U.S. federal agencies and Adobe Commerce/Magento stores also occurred in 2023 and 2024, respectively. <ref>{{Cite web |date=5 Dec 2023 |title=Threat Actors Exploit Adobe ColdFusion CVE-2023-26360 for Initial Access to Government Servers |url=https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-339a |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251021123615/https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-339a |archive-date=21 Oct 2025|website=cisa.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sansec Forensics Team |date=1 Oct 2024 |title=Thousands of Adobe Commerce stores hacked in competing CosmicSting campaigns |url=https://sansec.io/research/cosmicsting-fallout |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251205154327/https://sansec.io/research/cosmicsting-fallout |archive-date=5 Dec 2025|website=sansec.io}}</ref>

==Incidents==

=== Adobe attempted to discontinue Adobe Animate (''2026)''<!-- Include sent mail in main article please, it is way too long. Putting it in this comment as easy preservation. We’re contacting you to let you know that Adobe will be discontinuing Adobe Animate on March 1, 2026. As an existing Animate user, you may continue to use Animate, but please note that technical support will no longer be available after March 1, 2027.  Please note that access to your Animate files and project data will end on March 1, 2027. To ensure a smooth transition, we encourage you to export your Animate FLA and XFL files to other formats such as SWF, SVG, and MP4 files before this date.  Customers with a Creative Cloud Pro plan can use other apps to replace some Animate functionality, including Adobe Express Premium for quick creation of animated videos and graphics and Adobe After Effects for more complex keyframe animation using the Puppet tool. All Creative Cloud members can also use free animation presets in Adobe Express to animate text, images, and design elements.  For more information about the discontinuation of Adobe Animate, review this Adobe Help Center article. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Adobe Support.  We thank you for being an Animate user and a valued Creative Cloud member,  The Creative Cloud Team --> ===
{{Main|Adobe attempted to discontinue Adobe Animate}}
On February 2, 2026, Adobe announced to users via e-mail that Adobe Animate, formerly the Adobe Flash Professional series of apps, was announced to be discontinued starting March 1, 2026. They stated that "as technologies evolve, new platforms and paradigms emerge that better serve the needs of the users." New customers would no longer be able to download Animate after March 1, 2026, and existing customers would have until March 1, 2027 to download the software that they had paid for. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-02 |title=Animate End of Life FAQs |url=https://helpx.adobe.com/animate/kb/end-of-life.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260203121443/https://helpx.adobe.com/animate/kb/end-of-life.html |archive-date=2026-02-03 |access-date=2026-02-15 |website=Adobe Help Center}}</ref> This means that users who could not download Adobe Animate in time had the software taken from them despite paying for a license to do so. However, after backlash from people still using the software, Adobe backtracked and stated that Animate would be in "maintenance mode", claiming that they will provide security fixes for the software but no new features.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-03 |title=Adobe Animate maintenance mode FAQs |url=https://helpx.adobe.com/animate/kb/maintenance-mode.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205042636/https://helpx.adobe.com/animate/kb/maintenance-mode.html |archive-date=5 Feb 2026 |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=Adobe Help Center}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Felecia |date=2026-02-03 |title=Adobe will discontinue its Animate software after 25 years |url=https://www.technobezz.com/news/adobe-will-discontinue-its-animate-software-after-25-years-2026-02-03-zg2t |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222202542/https://www.technobezz.com/news/adobe-will-discontinue-its-animate-software-after-25-years-2026-02-03-zg2t |archive-date=22 Feb 2026 |access-date=2026-02-03 |website=technobezz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Preran |date=2026-02-03 |title=Update on the status of Adobe Animate |url=https://community.adobe.com/announcements-539/update-on-the-status-of-adobe-animate-1548459 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222061248/https://community.adobe.com/announcements-539/update-on-the-status-of-adobe-animate-1548459 |archive-date=22 Feb 2026 |access-date=2026-02-03 |website=Adobe Community}}</ref> 

===FTC Lawsuit over hidden fees in subscription plans (''2024 - 2026'')===
{{Main|Adobe sued by FTC over hidden fees in subscription plans}}
The  U.S. [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) filed an ongoing lawsuit against [[Adobe|Adobe Inc]]. and two of its executives, accusing Adobe of concealing critical terms of its subscription plans and creating obstacles to cancellation, claiming that Adobe's practices violated the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA), which "generally requires companies offering online subscriptions to clearly disclose important subscription information and to provide subscribers with [[Click-to-cancel|simple ways to cancel]]". The issue being the seemingly hidden early termination fees for its "Annual, Paid Monthly" subscription plansOn March 2026, Adobe settled the lawsuit for $150 million, which is split into $75 million in penalties and $75 million worth of free services to customers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hale |first=Craig |date=16 Mar 2026 |title=Adobe reaches $150m settlement on US lawsuit over alleged hidden subscription fees, cancellation charges |url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/adobe-reaches-usd150m-settlement-on-us-lawsuit-over-alleged-hidden-subscription-fees-cancellation-charges |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260317130122/https://www.techradar.com/pro/adobe-reaches-usd150m-settlement-on-us-lawsuit-over-alleged-hidden-subscription-fees-cancellation-charges |archive-date=17 Mar 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2026 |website=TechRadar Pro}}</ref>

===Alleged use of user data for AI training (''2024'')===
{{main|Adobe ToS update gives the company rights over consumers' works}}
Adobe has been accused of using user information for the purpose of training artificial intelligence. In 2024, Adobe updated its Terms of Service, granting itself a "non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license" to users' content. This grants Adobe permission to reproduce, distribute, create derivative works from, publicly display, publicly perform, and sublicense their users' content.<ref name="tos-sec4.2">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-18 |title=Adobe General Terms of Use |url=https://www.adobe.com/legal/terms.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250216212938/https://www.adobe.com/legal/terms.html |archive-date=2025-02-16 |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=Adobe}}</ref> This change raises concerns over conflicts with existing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and intellectual property rights. Users were required to accept the new Terms of Service to access their previously stored content.{{Citation needed|date=29 Mar 2026}}<ref name="entrepreneur">{{Cite web |last=Shibu |first=Sherin |date=2024-06-06 |title=Adobe Photoshop Users Are Outraged at the Company's New Terms: 'Am I Reading This Right?' |url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/adobe-new-terms-for-photoshop-illustrator-infuriates-users/475273 |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=Entrepreneur}}</ref><ref name="adobe-blog-june10">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-10 |title=Here's what to know about Adobe's Terms of Use updates |url=https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/06/10/updating-adobes-terms-of-use |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=Adobe Blog}}</ref>

Adobe has stated that it does not use user content to train generative AI, but Adobe may use it for improving its machine learning systems, with an opt-out available. However, no opt-out option was presented during acceptance of the Terms of Service.{{Citation needed|date=29 Mar 2026}} <!-- Needs References. -V -->

===User information leaks and data breaches (''2013 & 2019'')===
{{Main|Adobe leaks sensitive user information}}
In 2013, credit card information and personal data of 38 million users were exposed in a data breach.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Maaz |date=26 Mar 2023 |title=The Adobe Attack of 2013: A Cautionary Tale of Cybersecurity Failure |url=https://medium.com/@maazptl240602/the-adobe-attack-of-2013-a-cautionary-tale-of-cybersecurity-failure-1ef4ec74eb64 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250413174341/https://medium.com/@maazptl240602/the-adobe-attack-of-2013-a-cautionary-tale-of-cybersecurity-failure-1ef4ec74eb64 |archive-date=13 Apr 2025 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[Medium]]}}</ref> 

In 2019, Adobe left approximately 7.5 million Creative Cloud customer records publicly accessible online due to gross negligence. The database was not protected with a password.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |date=26 Oct 2019 |title=Adobe left 7.5 million Creative Cloud user records exposed online |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/adobe-left-7-5-million-creative-cloud-user-records-exposed-online/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260208162655/https://www.zdnet.com/article/adobe-left-7-5-million-creative-cloud-user-records-exposed-online/ |archive-date=8 Feb 2026 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[ZDNet]}}</ref>

===Tracking users' eBook reading activities (''2014'' ''- Present'')===
{{Main|Adobe found to track users' reading activities}}
In 2014, it was revealed that Adobe Digital Editions, Adobe’s e-book reading application, reported extensive information about users' reading habits back to Adobe. This included several unique identifiers, such as which e-books were added to the application, when each one was opened, and for how long, as well as the percentage read and page navigation information.

All of this information was transmitted completely unencrypted in plain text. This meant that someone else using the same public Wi-Fi as another user would have been able to track their reading activities in real-time, entirely undetected.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Sean |date=8 Oct 2014 |title=Adobe’s e-book reader sends your reading logs back to Adobe—in plain text |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/adobes-e-book-reader-sends-your-reading-logs-back-to-adobe-in-plain-text/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251220184934/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/adobes-e-book-reader-sends-your-reading-logs-back-to-adobe-in-plain-text/ |archive-date=20 Dec 2025|access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[ArsTechnica]]}}</ref>

===Transition to subscription-based software (''2013 - Present'')<!-- Might need a moderator to rename the Adobe Creative Suit activation article to a title which reflects the whole subscription transition -->===
{{Main|Adobe Creative Suite activation}}
Adobe initially distributed its software with perpetual licenses, allowing its users to make a one-time payment to own and access a specific application or, through Adobe's Creative Suite, a collection of applications. In 2011, Adobe introduced Creative Cloud, a subscription service that provides users with access to individual applications or multiple applications for a monthly or yearly fee. In 2013, Adobe discontinued Creative Suite.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> 

As of 2025, the only means to access up-to-date versions of many Adobe applications legally is through Creative Cloud. Additionally, the activation servers for perpetual licenses of previous versions of these applications have been shut down, which prevents consumers from activating the software using a legitimate copy and a serial number.{{Citation needed|date=29 Mar 2026}} 

Creative Cloud offers various subscription options, including monthly plans (with monthly or annual billing) or prepaid yearly plans. There are also plans for individual applications and bundles containing multiple applications. Prices of individual applications range from $22.99 per month or $263.88 prepaid annually. The Creative Cloud Pro subscription, which includes 22 applications and additional extras such as 100 GB of cloud storage, is priced at $69.99 per month or $779.88 per year prepaid.{{Citation needed|date=29 Mar 2026}} 

Plans billed annually but paid monthly have a cancellation fee 14 days after purchase. This fee is set at 50% of the remaining contract balance. For example, if the user cancels the plan in the seventh month of an annual plan that costs $69.99 per month, they will incur a fee of $174.98. Prepaid annual plans do not offer refunds or cancellation options after the 14-day period.{{Citation needed|date=29 Mar 2026}}

===iPad edition users' documents forced into the cloud with no opt-out (''2021'' - Present)===
{{Main|Adobe forces iPad edition users' documents forced into the cloud}}
Some of Adobe's iPad applications, including, but not limited to, the digital painting application Adobe Fresco<ref>{{Cite web |author=PaulaArtist2 |date=2021-12-13 |title=[How To] Save work locally / work offline |url=https://community.adobe.com/t5/fresco-discussions/how-to-save-work-locally-work-offline/m-p/12390252 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222202234/https://community.adobe.com/questions-646/how-to-save-work-locally-work-offline-307290?postid=5880549#post5880549 |archive-date=22 Feb 2026 |access-date=2025-09-22 |website=Adobe Community}}</ref> and the document scanning application Adobe Scan<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tagra |first=Ria |date=2021-06-14 |title=Does Adobe Scan offer a way to not utilize the Adobe Cloud |url=https://community.adobe.com/t5/adobe-scan-discussions/does-adobe-scan-offer-a-way-to-not-utilize-the-adobe-cloud/m-p/12104402 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222202347/https://community.adobe.com/questions-517/does-adobe-scan-offer-a-way-to-not-utilize-the-adobe-cloud-11536 |archive-date=22 Feb 2026 |access-date=2025-09-22 |website=Adobe Community}}</ref>, [[Forced account|require an account]] to access and do not offer any option to opt out of syncing all documents created in these applications with Adobe's cloud servers. Similarly, the new non-Classic versions of Lightroom are fundamentally built around uploading all images to Adobe's cloud. Disabling internet access allows the user to work offline, but any files created in the affected apps will immediately sync to the cloud in the background as soon as the device is connected to a network again.{{Citation needed|date=29 Mar 2026}}

===Paywalling Pantone colors and changes user files (''2022 - Present'')===
{{Main|Adobe paywalls Pantone colors and affects user files}}
In 2022, Adobe removed access to Pantone colors across its Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator Creative Cloud applications, unless an additional $15/month is paid. Consumers reported that the colors in some older PSD files were turning black.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weatherbed |first=Jess |date=1 Nov 2022 |title=You now have to pay to use Pantone colors in Adobe products |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/1/23434305/adobe-pantone-subscription-announcement-photoshop-illustrator |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260207012227/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/1/23434305/adobe-pantone-subscription-announcement-photoshop-illustrator |archive-date=7 Feb 2026 |access-date=29 Mar 2026 |website=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stokel-Walker |first=Chris |date=2 Nov 2022 |title=Adobe Just Held a Bunch of Colors Hostage |url=https://www.wired.com/story/adobe-pantone-color-subscription-fee/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251220045003/https://www.wired.com/story/adobe-pantone-color-subscription-fee/ |archive-date=20 Dec 2025 |access-date=29 Mar 2026 |website=Wired}}</ref>

==Products==

===Adobe Creative Cloud===
Adobe's previous line of creative software has been joined into a broader ecosystem called the ''Adobe Creative Cloud.'' Some of Creative Cloud's products include:

*Photoshop
*Lightroom
*InDesign
*After Effects
*Dreamweaver
*Illustrator
*XD

Depending on plan options, Adobe also offers cloud-based storage, typefaces, stock photos, and other stock files.

==References==
<references />
*{{cite web |author=((Wikipedia contributors)) |date=2025-02-03 |title=Adobe Inc. |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adobe_Inc.&oldid=1273676016 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Wikipedia |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708192927/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adobe_Inc.&oldid=1273676016 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}
*{{cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |title=Adobe roofies all of their customers |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXxMCm941WA |date=2024-06-07 |website=YouTube |access-date=2025-01-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251119014714/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXxMCm941WA |archive-date=19 Nov 2025}}

[[Category:Adobe]]