Adobe Creative Cloud is a set of applications and services from Adobe Inc. that gives subscribers access to a collection of software used for graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, along with a set of mobile applications and also some optional cloud services. Common applications include Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Premiere Pro. Other applications included in this suite are included, but not limited to, the tags of this article located beneath the title.
This article applies to all Adobe products offered by MSU Denver to faculty, staff and students. There are different levels of access depending which group you belong to. Please read carefully to understand these differences.
Quick Information
VENDOR: Adobe
PRODUCT: Creative Cloud
VERSION: Current year
LICENSE TYPE: Named user license
REQUIRES VPN: No
PLATFORM: Windows & Mac
What are the different types of licenses for Adobe?
Adobe All Apps Pro
This allows a user to use the entire Creative Cloud suite including apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premier Pro or Adobe Express and install the desktop apps on up to two personal devices. If a person with this license activates Adobe on a university managed machine it will use up one of these licenses if the machine is designated as "Single User" but it will not use up a license if the machine is designated as "Multi User" like at a computer lab, front desk or faculty bullpen.
Basic Adobe Account
This allows a user to use Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop, Illustrator and Premier Pro when logged into a "Multi User" machine like in a MSU Denver computer lab. It also includes access to apps like Premiere Rush, Fresco, Bridge, Photoshop Express, Aero, and Adobe Express (starting in November 2025).
Adobe Shared Device Access
This allows a user to log in to Adobe desktop apps like Photoshop, Illustrator and Premier Pro in MSU Denver computer labs and other computers with the shared device versions installed. This license is automatically assigned to all users with the Adobe All Apps Pro license and users with an Adobe Basic Account.
Who is licensed to use Adobe Creative Cloud?
Staff
All full-time staff, part-time staff and student employees are granted an Adobe All Apps Pro license. Once a person has been designated with the "worker" status by HR in Workday, they will be granted a license within 48 hours.
Faculty
All designations of faculty members (full time, part time, associate, adjunct etc.) are granted an Adobe All Apps Pro license. Once a person has been designated with the "worker" status by HR in Workday, they will be granted a license within 48 hours.
Students
Unregistered students
are not granted any Adobe account or license.
Registered students
are automatically granted a Basic Adobe Account. If a student becomes unregistered, their account is removed.
Student employees
are automatically granted an a license to use the full suite of Adobe Creative Cloud products. Once a person has been designated with the "worker" status by HR in Workday, they will be granted a license within 48 hours.
University-owned device with the shared device licensing installed
The aforementioned Basic Adobe Account allows students to use the full suite of Adobe products (Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat etc.) on a university-owned device that has been configured properly for shared-use. In other words, students with this default level of licensing, can use the full suite of Adobe products on MSU Denver devices where those apps have been installed but CANNOT use them on personally owned devices except those basic apps previously mentioned. Good examples of this are computer labs or departmental shared devices like at a front desk.
Personally-owned devices
Students can request access to an Adobe All Apps Pro license. We have limited licenses available for this and students can request access below. Be aware, that access to the full suite will be terminated each semester on the first day of classes. Students can re-request the license each semester.
How do I request access to Adobe Creative Cloud?
- For faculty, staff, and student employees there is no need to request access, follow installation instructions in the next section.
- For registered students, you may need to request access depending on your use case scenario:
How do I install Adobe Creative Cloud?
- For MSU Denver issued single user Windows computers (such as an individually assigned laptop for a full time staff member): open the Adobe Creative Cloud app from your Start menu, find the app you wish to use, click Install.
- For MSU Denver issued single user Mac computers (such as an individually assigned laptop for a full time staff member): open the Adobe Creative Cloud app from your launchpad or spotlight search, find the app you wish to use, click Install.
- For MSU Denver issued multi user Windows & Mac computers, (such as a front desk machine, department computer lab or general computer lab) please submit a Software Request for University Devices so that we can schedule a deployment.
- For personal computers, go to https://www.adobe.com/, sign in with your MSU Denver email address and password, click the waffle icon in the top right-hand corner, then click Adobe Creative Cloud. There you will find all the apps you have access to and options for installation.
How do I access Adobe Creative Cloud?
Once you have installed Adobe Creative Cloud from one of the methods above, you can launch the application from your Start menu (Windows) or Launchpad (Mac) and you will be able to use it.
For web applications such as Adobe Express, go to https://www.adobe.com/, sign in with your MSU Denver email address and password.
Additional Support Resources
If you require assistance using the application, please contact your instructor, department tutor, or supervisor for help. You can also view the help articles below.
If you experience trouble installing the applications on a University-issued device, you receive license errors, or you feel it is not running correctly, please submit a Software Issues & Errors request.
If you experience issues installing the applications on a personal device, please visit https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/apps.html.
Adobe app issues - https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/apps.html.
Adobe app tutorials - https://www.adobe.com/learn?learnIn=1
Adobe app LinkedIn Learning courses - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/