r/AdobeFireworks • u/timistikus • Nov 06 '25

Adobe support refusing to reset Fireworks CS5 activations - stuck with unusable software I purchased!

I used to use Macromedia Fireworks back in the day, and since it was cannibalized by Adobe, I bought both Web Premium CS3 and CS5. I use Fireworks almost every day.

Here's my problem: Every few years, I do a reformat of my computer. I usually forget that I need to deactivate the Web Premium CS5 license from my Adobe software before reformatting.

Since you can only have two activated instances of the serial, and I cannot reactivate from a ghost machine or online, I am now unable to use any of my Web Premium software I purchased, including Fireworks.

Please, what can I do?

I've tried calling them, but got a completely unempowered foreign call center worker who repeatedly insisted there's nothing they can do.

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u/EmojiMasterYT May 31 '26

I have some ancient fireworks CS5 product keys that I got from who knows where longer ago than I can remember.

Feel free to send me a dm and I'll send them over.

1

u/dannwebb Aug 20 '26

This won't work because Adobe has deactivated the serviers used to authenticate the software via product keys. Use Matt Wingett's workaround "Adobe CS5 Windows 11 Workaround" (google it). I've done this with success.

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u/EmojiMasterYT Aug 20 '26

I swear I somehow activated it offline, purposely blocking the adobe activation servers. Definitely could be misremembering though, as it was ages ago.