Photoshop CS3 serial number update

Photoshop CS3 Beta

[Update June 2, 2007: If you’re here because you’re trying to rip me off by somehow stealing Photoshop (via serial number, keygen, crack, etc.), you’re a thieving putz, and you’ll get no satisfaction here. May someone steal your hard work as you try to steal ours. Adios. –J.]

We continue to receive inquiries about Photoshop CS3 beta serial numbers.  There are a number of issues here:

  1. On Friday we discovered that a small percentage of the more than 3,000 product combinations that include Photoshop weren’t in the authentication list.  Unfortunately this bit quite a few people trying to obtain CS3 serials. We fixed that issue on Friday afternoon.
  2. Licensing customers have been in bit of a bind: even though they’re authorized to use a CS2 serial on multiple machines, the beta site is configured to issue serials that can be activated on only two machines.  If you’re a licensing customer, please send mail to photoshopcs3beta@adobe.com so that we can follow up with you (see details below).
  3. Some people are typing in the 20-digit serial number that’s visible in the CS2 About box. That makes total sense, except that the serial number is actually 24 digits long!  That is, you need to get your serial number from your product materials (tips here). Again, we’re working to make this clear on the serial number acquisition page.
  4. A lot of people aren’t reading the instructions on the Labs site.  Many are typing their CS2 numbers into CS3, then complaining that it doesn’t work.  We’re working to make the instructions harder to miss.

If you’re still having problems with serial numbers and CS3, please send mail to photoshopcs3beta@adobe.com. Important: in order to handle the process efficiently, your email needs to contain the following info (I suggest copy/paste):

    • Email address in the subject line (a weird eRoom quirk, but without it we can’t reach you)
    • First and last name:
    • Issue statement:
    • CS2 serial number (24-digits long):
    • CS3 serial number (if applicable):
    • Are you a CS2 single or volume license customer? (Y or N):
    • If volume license, approximately how many CS2 licenses do you own?:
    • Daytime phone number with area code:
    • Daytime e-mail address:

Customer service says they’ll turn things around in 48-72 hours.  (There’s no need to call them, as phone support is not available for the beta.)

I know that it’s frustrating to hit any delays, and we greatly appreciate your patience.  We’re just four days into a huge, never-been-done-here effort, but we’re making good progress.

Thanks,
J.

0 thoughts on “Photoshop CS3 serial number update”

  1. After installing Photoshop just rename file “C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3\AMT\application.sif” file and give another name. Then PS CS3 will work without any time limit.
    Have Fun! 🙂

  2. [Quote] On Friday we discovered that a small percentage of the more than 3,000 product combinations that include Photoshop weren’t in the authentication list. Unfortunately this bit quite a few people trying to obtain CS3 serials. We fixed that issue on Friday afternoon. [/Quote]
    So What? There Using Pirated Cd Keys ? lol
    [No, not at all, but the technical reasons for why certain SKUs didn’t get included are crushingly arcane and boring–*trust* me. –J.]

  3. I have all neccesary numbers but can not install on a computer that is not connected to internet. Why do I have to be connected to interet?
    CS2 single
    Was told to voice my concern to this blog.
    Thank you for your time.
    Roy
    [Roy, I’m afraid that’s just a limitation of the beta. When the product is actually shipping you’ll be able to use the phone to activate, as you can today, but that’s not set up yet for CS3. For what it’s worth, you need to be connected for all of 10 seconds, if that, to activate your software. –J.]

  4. I’m a CS owner who has never felt the need to upgrade to CS2, but I now have a MacBook Pro and really want to try (and buy) CS3. A 2 day trial of the new Intel version of Photoshop is scarcely helpful! How about an advance upgrade option for those of us who want to give this thing a try?! Or perhaps a deal where I could upgrade to CS2 and get CS3 when it comes out (and use the betas until then)…
    [Sorry, by for a variety of reasons those things aren’t possible. There are benefits to being a current customer, and this beta is one of them. In any case, it would not be fair to the people who paid for CS2 if we simply gave away those features to everyone. –J.]

  5. In any case, it would not be fair to the people who paid for CS2 if we simply gave away those features to everyone.
    Does that mean that when Photoshop CS3 is released, one can only upgrade from CS2? Or will it be like before when any Photoshop version could be upgraded?
    [It’ll be as it has always been. I don’t see the issues as related. –J.]

  6. unable to generate activation code. for PScs3. telephone support directed me here. I have internet connection but we typically have issues with software activation and downloads and installation that require connection to the internet.
    What are my options.

  7. “unable to generate activation code. for PScs3. telephone support directed me here. I have internet connection but we typically have issues with software activation and downloads and installation that require connection to the internet.
    What are my options.”
    I am having the same issues. After launching (OS X Tiger), I could not generate an activation code either on the phone or over the internet. It still says I have 2 days left. The phone support directed me here. What do I do?
    [Tyson, a Net connection is needed to activate the software. When it’s actually shipping you’ll be able to use the phone for activation, but now you need a connection. For what it’s worth, activation takes a matter of seconds, so you don’t need to be connected for long. –J]

  9. I am having problems trying to activate the CS3 beta. I am currently licensed user of CS2 on mac OS X 10.4.8
    the 24 digit license code on the CS2 install cd does not work. of no phone support as this is a beta and I was directed here. How can I activate the beta? any help is greatly appreciated. thanks.
    [Jay, please send mail to photoshopcs3beta@adobe.com so that we can investigate. –J.]

  10. CS3 is fabulously blindingly quick on my new Mac Pro. Thank you, Adobe! Now please fix the precision brush cursor. Other than that, it’s all good. Better than good, in fact.
    [Cool, glad you’re digging the speed. The cursor issue is requiring a lot of close coordination with Apple. These things are often more complicated than they seem. –J.]]

  11. I think what some folks aren’t realizing is that you’re not supposed put your CS2 serial into the CS3 serial box — you’re supposed to go to
    http://www.adobe.com/go/photoshopcs3beta_serialnumber
    and put in your CS2 serial to generate a CS3 serial.
    I missed that instruction — it was in greyed-out (which generally means ‘not critical to read, only come back and read me if you have a problem’) text at the bottom of an otherwise informative web page.
    It would be nice for the beta’s serial reg box to actually tell users this.
    Thanks for all the help and info.

  13. I had to install a new version of Windows and I figured that CS3 could just be reinstalled. However it runs the installer and does nothing. I even tried deleting the folders and rerunning, running uninstall, and still the installer does nothing.
    How does it know I previously installed CS3 (it seems to)? The registry was wiped clean with the OS reinstall and I’ve deleted the folders.
    More importantly how do I get it to redo the install?

  14. After a couple of weeks of using CS3 Beta it crashed one day while opening a tif file and a message window appeared on restart titled:Licensing for this product has stopped working.
    It goes on to say: I can’t use the product (CS3 Beta), I have to repair the problem by uninstalling and then reinstalling, which I’ve done, but despite that I continue to get this error window on startup. Can someone get me back up and running?
    I should add that I also, like others here have already entered my Adobe supplied “NEW” CS2 serial number which initially had me ok for the first few weeks. Now, like others, I can’t get past this initial error window to accomplish anything.
    Thanks.

  15. Howdy. I’ve been demoing CS3 in Windows Vista for a couple of days and I’ve noticed that it has an issue with layer manipulation. Generally CS3 is ridonculously fast for everything I put it to until I try to do layer manipulation (moving layers about, dragging them to the trash can, etc), at which point CS3 gets jumpy. I noticed in CS2 as well and I had hoped that CS3 would be better optimized with Vista since it seems like CS3 will launch during the “Vista Era”. I don’t experience this problem using the same machine with XP.
    [Hmm–I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’ll pass along the report to QE for review. Thanks for mentioning it. –J.]

  17. I’ve installed CS3 on my machine on Vista but it the trail version is not working? it says that i need to restart or reintall the program (i know that wont help)
    Thanks Martin
    [I’m afraid I don’t know, but I would suggest asking your question on the Labs forum. –J.]

  18. can someone tell me the serial number of photoshop cs3 ?
    [No. To paraphrase HL Mencken: “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of people wanting to rip off Photoshop.” –J.]

  19. I got my serial number from Adobe after emailing the link above. It still didn’t work until I reinstalled the download. I thought I’d post this in case others were having the same problem.

  20. I have been using CS3 , it is pretty fast but there seems to be a problem with the brush tools(i.e. cloning stamp. healing brush. and paint brush). They are just appearing as a cross hair intstead of acircle. is this something new in CS3 or just a glitch in the beta version?? How can I fix it???!!!
    [It’s a known issue. The workaround is to run in Rosetta. See the FAQ on the Labs forum for more info. –J.]

  21. So what I understand (I’m Dutch) is that I only have to change that file name? So if I do that there is no limit voor 30 days anymore? no trial anymore?
    Thank You!
    [You need to provide your CS2 serial number via the appropriate page, then put the CS3 beta number you’re given into CS3. –J.]

  22. Thanks for getting back to me on the cursors for the brush tools. Sorry, but I can’t seem to find where I choose to open with Rosetta. I selected the Photoshop icon and then went to “get info”. I can’t find where it is in the window. Please clarify this. Thanks.
    [You’re running on an Intel-based Mac, right? (Otherwise Rosetta isn’t an option.) Make sure that Photoshop isn’t running, then select the Photoshop icon and press Cmd-I to get info. The Rosetta checkbox should be pretty easy to see. Click it, then relaunch Photoshop. –J.]

  23. It’s been published elsewhere that “Adobe will not offer upgrade pricing more than three versions back on Photoshop CS3.” Does this make my PS6 an orphan? I’m using another copy of CS2 to try the beta and would like to update both.
    [I don’t believe Adobe has stated anything publicly along those lines, but I’ll check. Would you let me know where you’ve seen this written? –Thanks, J.]

  24. Quick question, perhaps this is what the individual posting in Spanish above was pointing out, but when I opened the CS3 Beta it stated I could choose to begin a 30-day trial, now its telling me I only have a day left on my 2-day trial. Obvious misprint or is it a 30-day trial and the warning dialog box is wrong?
    [Yeah–I think it’s a bug (something we didn’t catch) that the initial screen says 30 days. The trial period is, in fact, 2 days, and I think the Labs site says so. But the disconnect has caused confusion; sorry about that. –J.]

  27. hey when i go to get my cs3 serial code from the adobe site i enter my cs2 code but says it isnt right? what can i do i know that this serial i am using is 100% correct? so any help would be great thanx.
    [Please follow the instructions in the article. That is, send mail to the email address & they’ll sort you out. –J.]

  29. Adobe guided me here when I had a problem with activating CS3 Beta after doing a clean install of Vista. Thanks…problem resolved. Now I have a new problem. Several components would not install–mainly Bridge (maybe new update will fix it). AND…I can’t uninstall CS3 Beta AND I can’t install it. Setup starts and then dies. Anyone else having this problem. Will be posting in forum also.
    Again…thanks.

  31. I go to download Photoshop CS3 beta version and I receive an error. I am immediately directed to the adobe download website where there is no option of downloading the Photoshop CS3 beta.
    Has anyone else experienced this issue? If so, were they able to resolve the issue? how?
    I look forward to your reply.
    Thank you
    Terry
    [Terry, would you let me know the specifics of the error you’re seeing? I also recommend asking on the Labs forum, as you’re likely to get an answer more quickly there. –J.

  32. When I try to launch CS3 Bridge, the following error message appears:
    “An error occured in a Bridge extension. Java Script(EventHandler:0): handler is not a function”
    Please explain what I need to do to fix this. Bridge launches when I dlb click again, but I don’t know what is not functioning. Thanks for your help
    [I’m afraid I don’t know, so I’d suggest consulting the Labs forum. –J.]

  34. Hello. A work-around for the CS3 Beta missing precision brush tip on the Mac Pro is to choose the five-pixel brush, and set the image size to 100 per cent. Instead of the cross, the cursor becomes a pair of parentheses that approximate the precision brush tip we all know and love.
    Stan

  35. I’m having trouble getting the PS CS3 setup to run. I’m using a MacBook Pro with 10.4.8 and whenever I try to run the setup file, I am asked for my password. I type it in and a window with a progression bar that says “Initializing Setup” opens up. After about 2 seconds it disappears.
    I don’t know what’s wrong and I can’t find the installed PS CS3 anywhere.
    Would someone please help me? Please, I’d appreciate any ideas. Thanks kindly.
    Erika
    [I’m afraid I don’t know the answer. I recommend asking on the Labs forum. –J.]

  36. I’m using Photoshop CS3 beta 2, I can’t reduce only the toolbox (where every tools are displayed) since the CS3 version.
    I can reduce it in CS3 way so in one column, but I can’t make it smaller as in CS2 with no tool displayed (dbl-click on the top of this box), it was pretty useful when you don’t want this on your screen but in some cases.
    How about a way to iconize this element… maybe ?
    [Hmm–not that I can find. Sorry. –J.]

  37. I know Adobe thinks new Mac/intel consumers wanting to use this beta should pay $$$ for the privelidge of three months use of CS2 so they can then pay more $$ for the upgrade.
    What’s the benefit of becoming a (new) “current customer” when I have to pay extra money for the technology of the last release just so I can get something that works on my computer?
    Adobe should really think about offering new customers some ability to buy access to this intel-operable release without having to spend extra $$$ while waiting for a critical upgrade.
    As of now, there’s no reason to buy Photoshop and I’m really getting tired of waiting. Why not figure out some way to make a sale to me NOW?

  38. I just got the Beta installer.
    But we are trying out the Beta on a Mac after having had CS2 on a windows machine.
    So, inserting the(windows) CS2-SN on the page we seem to get a Windows-SN for CS3.
    Is that so? How can we run the full Beta on the mac to make sure all our tasks can be fullfilled on a Mac in PS CS 3?
    [Please send mail to photoshopcs3beta@adobe.com. –J.]

  39. …done that.
    Thank’s very much.
    Meanwhile: I guess there is no such easy way of removing the far too short time limitation on the demo as described above but on a Mac… ?

  40. Thanks for getting back to me on the cursors for the brush tools. Sorry, but I can’t seem to find where I choose to open with Rosetta. I selected the Photoshop icon and then went to “get info”. I can’t find where it is in the window. Please clarify this. Thanks.
    [You’re running on an Intel-based Mac, right? (Otherwise Rosetta isn’t an option.) Make sure that Photoshop isn’t running, then select the Photoshop icon and press Cmd-I to get info. The Rosetta checkbox should be pretty easy to see. Click it, then relaunch Photoshop. –J.]
    TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK!!!!
    🙂

  41. I ran into a problem yesterday after two months of no-problems -CS3 just refused to startup on my WinXP laptop. The last time it was used it was just shut down 4 days ago and yesterday CS3 would not start. OK reboot – NG. Time to reinstall. Well, 4 attempts later and still no CS3. The beta uninstall program seems to be as buggy as their page setup program, you go through the motions and it says finished, but NOTHING is uninstalled. Only the uninstall program thinks its working – sort of. The complete program and files and registry entries (3700+) are all intact. OK, time to reinstall. First after the second attempt to use Adobes CS3 uninstall, I manually deleted the entire Photoshop CS3 folder, and then used a registry editor to find all the dead registry links and deleted all of them. Then I used Registry Vacuum to check the registry again – found another 250 dead ends. Should be clean. Time to reinstall – so I run the CS3 installer, install ALL (this time it adds things I skipped the first time, (stock photos, device central, Fonts, Linguistics plugin, etc) and even though there is nothing on the hard drive and most if not all of the CS3 registry entries should be gone, the installer THINKS that CS3 is still on my hard drive and asks me to cherry pick the new installs or reinstalls (old CS3) which I thought I deleted. I reinstall everything hoping that the installer will recreate the Photoshop CS3 folder, but no luck – Now the installer tells me it repaired the installation and is finished – BUT THERE IS NO Photoshop CS3 folder. I uninstall everything through the CS3 setup routine, and then I go to /program files/Common Files/ and manually delete everything Adobe CS3, run the registry cleaners again to clean out the dead links and run the setup again – CS3 still thinks the original install is on the PC (noted by (reinstall) after modules) but the same scenario repeats!
    1)Where does CS3 put the installed modules in the registry (or elsewhere) so I can delete it and try to finally uninstall and then reinstall?
    2)I suspect when CS3 RTM is finally out, I’m still going to need some way to clean out CS3 Beta before I install CS3Final.
    Hank

  42. I have purchase Photoshop CS3 but I can’t install that.Because there is no serial number on the box.Plese help me.
    [I’m not surprised that nothing is on the box, because there is no box, because CS3 isn’t for sale. –J.]

  43. i have just downloaded the trial version of adobe photoshop cs3 beta for mac and it gives me the error message
    – u can not use this installer with this version of mac os
    i currently have a mac book pro….
    any ideas..?
    thankyou
    [You need to be running OS 10.4.6 or later, so you’ll need to update/upgrade. With all the changes required to run natively on Intel Macs, supporting older versions of the OS became impractical. –J.]

  44. Looks like Adobe didn’t do a very good job of dotting it’s “i”s and crossing it’s “t”s before releasing its rough draft. Is excellence such a long reach?
    [Wow–No good deed goes unpunished… –J.]

  46. Perhaps Tired of BS is unfamiliar with the concept of a beta release.
    [Perhaps that dude is just deeply unhappy and would like to make the corporate monkey jump. –J.]

  47. Im having trouble installing Adobe Photoshop CS3 it says”Installation cannot continue until the following applications are closed: Internet Explorer”. Can anyone help me??? How do I turn Internet Expl.? or smthing. PLSSS HELP!!

  48. kemenyadi, and all other peoples that have problems in installation!
    I`m have problem “Installation cannot continue until the following applications are closed. Internet Explorer” in installation process too!
    My solution this problem easy:
    -1- just rename “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe” to “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.ex_”;
    -2- stop all process “IEXPLORE.EXE” in task manager;
    -3- and run setup.exe installation CS3.
    After installation dont forget rename “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.ex_” to “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe”.
    🙂
    Good luck!

  49. I’m having the same problems Hank is. I used the beta version for a couple of months, then purchased the full version today. Can’t install because I can’t uninstall the beta. Ran uninstall but still there. Did manual uninstall, but new installer still thinks beta is there and quits.
    Any help would be fantastic. Not holding my breath, however. Hank’s been waiting for a month…

  50. Hallelujah! CS3 has arrived, and it is fabulous. The precision brush cursor is grand. Thanks to John and the other good folk at Adobe. I hope all who purchase it read the beta deactivation and uninstall instructions that are provided. I followed them, and all is well.
    Stan
    [Cool–glad to hear it. –J.]

  51. After a couple of months of smooth operating, CS3 will just not start now. Any reasons why?
    Marty

  53. hello can sombody give me serial key to adobe photoshop cs3 beta me s serial key i lost it.

  54. can not get CS3 to install, keeps on saying internet explore is open and to shut it, but it is not open. But when i go to task maganer i see 3 internet explores open ? ? can not get them to shut! i end task them , and they just come back!!
    and i have also tried to rename IE, but still not work..??
    anyone have any clues ?

  55. I have the same problem as Jinit Shah.It’s making me crazy..
    Using Windows Xp
    Someone Help.

  56. If you hve problems with IE you can:
    1.Rename iexplorer.exe to iexplorer.exG “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer”
    2.Or temporarily remove or delete IE from Program Files
    Have a Nice Day

  57. Yikes! My purchased and registered CS3 says its license has expired! What to do? This after de-activating and uninstalling the Beta version as per instructions, followed by successful installation, registration, and use of the release version of CS3… until this morning. Thanks.
    Stan
    [Stan, it sounds like your beta serial number is sticking around somehow. Photoshop QE recommends the following:
    1. Uninstall using the uninstaller
    2. Run the cleanup script at its highest level
    3. Re-install and make certain to enter the RETAIL GM serial number.
    Let us know how that goes. –J.]

  58. I purchased Photoshop CS3 upgrade but when I attempt to install it tells me my CS serial number is invalid for the product type……
    I have not had any trouble with CS but really would like to complete the upgrade to CS3.

  59. I know this is a little off subject, but when does Adobe plan on releasing a patch for Photoshop Lightroom. I can’t export and I’m constantly getting a “diskburner.dll” file crash. Some say this is a problem with Nvidia cards, so I disabled everything in ctrl panel and I still get this error.
    [Sorry to hear that. I’ll ask for more info. –J.]

  60. At first I was unable to launch my newly installed CS3 Release version after uninstalling CS3 Beta, in spite of carefully following the uninstall guidelines provided. But the clean-up utility did its job, and after cleaning up and re-installing CS3 Release, all is well.
    Stan
    [Solid–glad to hear it. –J.]

  61. I am also having the same problem as many of the above people. I get the ‘installation cannot continue until the following applications are closed: Internet Explorer.
    I have tried renaming and moving the directory. When I rename the exe and try to end process, the iexplorer.exe’s in the Task Manager processes do not go away and in the Internet Explorer directory, it just creates a new exe called iexplorer.
    Anybody have any more help on this?
    Thanks

  62. I have found it impossible to activate CS3 under Windows Vista. Installation goes well, but when I start the program I get an error message (“licensing for this product has stopped working…”. I have a legitimite CS3 but it doesn’t give me the possibility to enter a licence number! I have contacted Adobe Service already 5-6 times on this but to no avail. They keep saying “we’re working on it”. I never had a CS3 beta installed. I had a trial version of Lightroom installed, but I removed that long ago. I have tried everything, from switching off antivirus to shutdown of the Vista firewall and using the Adobe CS3 clean-up script even with options 3 and 4. De-install and reinstall: No dice. Everything else I install works OK, even a SCSI-scanner. I am totally fed up with the copy protection of Photoshop. It has cost me days of work. I guess I am lucky that Photoshop CS (on the same computer) hasn’t stopped working yet. Any ideas about what to do would be greatly appreciated.
    Hans

  63. I had purchased photoshop cs3
    i tried to install it but i haven”t got any serial no
    So plese sent me a serial no
    [You can install it perfectly well without a serial number. What you can’t do is activate it and use it forever, so you want me to give you $650 worth of intellectual property. This is why one can never idiot-proof things, as the world will keep coming up with bigger and better idiots. –J.]

  64. i cant install my adobe phptoshop cs3 trial version because i dont have any serial number.where do i get this serial number?
    [You get it by buying a copy of Photoshop, via the Adobe store or elsewhere. –J.]

  65. I have seen this problem mentioned but no answer to it:
    All I’m trying to do is install the Windows trial of CS3. The extractor extracts the files okay, but then when I run setup, it does NOTHING. Help please.
    [Have you tried running the cleanup script? –J.]

  66. After installing Photoshop just rename file “C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3\AMT\application.sif” file and give another name. Then PS CS3 will work without any time limit.
    this doesnt work for me.
    [Good. –J.]

  67. I’m also having the IExplorer problem but I can’t change the file “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe” to “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.ex_”
    can someone help me?