Reminder to users of Adobe Creative products
Adobe’s license agreement with the university has been updated and no longer includes
free Keyserver access to Adobe software. In early May of this year, Adobe customers
who use the university’s Keyserver to access the software — programs like InDesign,
Illustrator and Photoshop — can start using these products through Adobe Creative
Cloud @ UA (Adobe CC @ UA), the new discounted subscription-based alternative to Adobe
Creative Suite.
Find more information on alternatives to Acrobat Professional — especially FoxIt Pro,
a free cloud-based editing option with features that are very similar to Acrobat Professional
— by visiting .
The good news is that all of the Adobe tools can now be accessed via the cloud and
are ADA compliant, meet accessibility requirements, compatible with newer macOS computers,
and carry security safeguards not found in previous versions of Adobe Creative Suite.
The alternatives to Acrobat Professional also carry these same feature upgrades.
But wait, what is Adobe Creative Cloud?
Adobe Creative Cloud is a suite of that include Acrobat Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Lightroom, and XD, among others. Formerly known as Creative Suite 6 (CS6), Adobe consolidated a large number of cloud-accessible programs under the Adobe Creative Cloud umbrella in 2017.
How do I access Adobe creative tools through the Cloud rather than through the KeyServer?
Sign up for the suite of software and web-based applications. Licenses are available for either employees (including student employees) or for instructional use. Find the forms to sign up for either of these options at , along with answers to frequently asked questions. Expect a yearly subscription fee, charged to the individual’s sponsoring department and pro-rated, depending upon the time of year that you sign up.
What if I haven’t used Adobe tools for some time, but want to start using them again?
If you want to start up again, you’ll access Adobe programs via the cloud now, using
an app that you download. Visit to sign up for either an Employee/Student Employee license or an Instructional Use
license. After submitting the form, your payment fund/org and account information
will be verified. Soon you will receive notification from Adobe, typically a few days
after submitting the form, giving you access instructions to download the Adobe CC
app, where you will find access to all of the Adobe Creative tools via the cloud,
rather than through the KeyServer.
The OIT Service Desk is available to assist with any further questions.