What happens if I don't cancel my subscription before deleting my account?

You must cancel your subscription before you can delete your Adobe account. Adobe's system typically won't allow account deletion with an active subscription. Always cancel your subscription first to avoid continued billing and potential cancellation fees.

Will I be charged a cancellation fee?

If you're on an annual plan paid monthly and cancel before the year is up, Adobe charges an early termination fee equal to 50% of your remaining contract value. Month-to-month plans can be cancelled without a fee. Check your plan details in your Adobe account to see your specific terms.

What happens to my Adobe Stock downloads?

Licensed Adobe Stock assets that you've downloaded can still be used according to the license terms, even after account deletion. However, you'll lose access to your download history and won't be able to download any assets again. Save all your Stock assets before deleting your account.

Can I keep using Adobe fonts after deleting my account?

No. All Adobe Fonts (formerly Typekit) will be deactivated when you cancel your subscription and delete your account. Any documents using Adobe Fonts will require font substitution. Export documents as PDFs with embedded fonts before cancellation if you need to preserve the exact typography.

What happens to my Adobe Portfolio website?

Your Adobe Portfolio website will be permanently deleted along with your account. All content, custom domains, and configurations will be lost. Export your portfolio content and migrate to another portfolio platform before deletion if you want to preserve your online presence.

How long does Adobe keep my data after account deletion?

Adobe's privacy policy states that they will delete your personal data within 30 days of account deletion, though some data may be retained for legal or business purposes as outlined in their privacy policy. The account becomes inaccessible immediately, but complete data removal takes time.

How to Delete Your Adobe Creative Cloud Account - Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

Written & Verified By

Delete.Directory Content Team

Our team of privacy advocates and former social media employees verify every deletion process through hands-on testing.

This guide helps you permanently delete your Adobe Creative Cloud account. We believe in digital autonomy: your right to leave any platform should be as easy as joining it. Follow these verified steps to ensure complete account deletion.

How We Verified This Guide

Methodology: Hands-on testing with live accounts

Quick Information

Time Required

10 minutes

Difficulty

medium

Steps

5 steps

Official Resources

Adobe Help Center - Manage Your Account

Official deletion guide from Adobe Creative Cloud

Additional Resources

[1]

Adobe Privacy Policy

Details about how Adobe handles your data and privacy

[2]

Adobe Subscription Terms

Information about subscription terms and cancellation policies

Step-by-Step Guide

Review and Cancel Your Subscription

Before deleting your account, you must cancel your Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. Log in to account.adobe.com, navigate to Plans & Products, and click 'Manage plan' next to your Creative Cloud subscription. Follow the prompts to cancel your subscription.

Tips

•Check if you're in a contract period or month-to-month subscription
•Consider waiting until the end of your billing cycle to avoid losing prepaid time
•Download any files from Adobe cloud storage before cancelling

Warnings

•Cancelling before your contract end date may incur early termination fees (up to 50% of remaining contract value)
•You will lose access to all Creative Cloud apps immediately upon cancellation unless you're in a paid period

Back Up Your Cloud Files and Libraries

Download all your files from Creative Cloud storage, including cloud documents, libraries, and synced files. Go to creative.adobe.com, select 'Your work', and download all important files to your local computer.

Tips

•Check all Adobe apps for synced files (Lightroom photos, XD prototypes, etc.)
•Export library assets as files you can import into other software
•Make note of any shared libraries or collaborations

Warnings

•All cloud storage files will be permanently deleted when you close your account
•Creative Cloud Libraries (colors, fonts, graphics) will be lost forever

Log in to Your Adobe Account

Open your web browser and go to account.adobe.com. Sign in with your Adobe ID (email address) and password.

Tips

•Make sure you're logged into the correct Adobe account
•If you have multiple Adobe IDs, verify which one you want to delete
•Have your password ready or use password reset if needed

Navigate to Account Settings and Security

Once logged in, click on your profile icon or name, then select 'Account & Security' from the menu. Scroll down to find the 'Delete Account' section.

Tips

•The deletion option is usually at the bottom of the Security & Privacy section
•You may need to verify your identity before proceeding
•Adobe may ask you to provide a reason for deletion

Confirm Account Deletion

Click 'Delete Account' and carefully read all the warnings about what will be permanently deleted. Adobe will list all the data, apps, and services you will lose. Confirm your decision by entering your password and clicking the final confirmation button.

Tips

•Take screenshots of the confirmation for your records
•Save any license keys or purchase receipts you may need
•Note that deletion may take 30 days to fully process

Warnings

•This action is permanent and cannot be undone
•All purchased apps, fonts, and assets will be lost
•Adobe Portfolio websites will be permanently deleted

Important Warnings

Subscription Cancellation Fees

If you're on an annual contract paid monthly and cancel early, Adobe charges an early termination fee equal to 50% of your remaining contract value. Make sure to understand your contract terms before proceeding.

Permanent Loss of Cloud Storage

All files stored in Creative Cloud storage will be permanently deleted. This includes cloud documents, synced files, Adobe Stock downloads, and any files you've stored in the cloud. There is no way to recover this data after deletion.

Creative Cloud Libraries Will Be Lost

All Creative Cloud Libraries containing your saved colors, character styles, graphics, and other assets will be permanently deleted. Export these as files before deletion if you want to keep them.

Loss of Purchased Apps and Fonts

Any Adobe fonts you've activated will be deactivated. Perpetual licenses purchased through your Adobe account may be lost. Documents using Adobe fonts will need font substitution.

Adobe Portfolio and Behance Integration

If you have an Adobe Portfolio website, it will be permanently deleted. Any work showcased there will be lost. Behance integration will also be disconnected, though your Behance account may remain separate.

Alternatives to Consider

Switch to Affinity Suite

medium

Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher offer professional-grade tools similar to Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign with a one-time purchase instead of subscription.

Pros

•One-time purchase with no subscription fees
•Professional features comparable to Adobe apps
•Can open and export PSD, AI, and PDF files
•Available for Windows, Mac, and iPad
•Significantly lower cost than Adobe Creative Cloud

Cons

•Learning curve if you're used to Adobe's interface
•Some advanced Adobe features may not be available
•Smaller user community and fewer tutorials
•No cloud collaboration features built-in

30 min

Use DaVinci Resolve for Video Editing

medium

DaVinci Resolve is a professional video editing and color grading software that's free for personal use, with a paid Studio version for advanced features.

Pros

•Free version is extremely capable for most users
•Professional color grading tools
•Built-in visual effects and motion graphics
•Industry-standard for color correction
•One-time purchase for Studio version ($295)

Cons

•Steep learning curve, especially for color grading
•Requires powerful hardware for smooth performance
•Different workflow than Premiere Pro
•Limited template marketplace compared to Adobe

45 min

Try GIMP and Open Source Alternatives

easy

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free, open-source image editor that can handle many Photoshop tasks, along with other free tools like Inkscape for vector graphics.

Pros

•Completely free and open source
•Active development and community support
•Can open PSD files and many Adobe formats
•Extensive plugin ecosystem
•Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Cons

•Less intuitive interface than Adobe products
•Missing some professional features
•Non-destructive editing is limited
•Smaller community compared to Adobe
•May require multiple apps to replace Adobe suite

20 min

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Once your Adobe account is permanently deleted, it cannot be recovered. You will need to create a new account if you want to use Adobe services again. All your purchase history, licenses, and cloud data will be permanently lost.

References & Citations

[1]
Adobe Privacy Policy
Details about how Adobe handles your data and privacy
https://www.adobe.com/privacy/policy.html
[2]
Adobe Subscription Terms
Information about subscription terms and cancellation policies
https://www.adobe.com/legal/terms.html

All citations verified as of 11/11/2025. We regularly review and update all external links to ensure accuracy.

Found incorrect information?

We strive for accuracy. If something's outdated or wrong, let us know.

Report incorrect information

Quick Navigation

Related Guides

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canva

Browser-based design tool with simpler interface and subscription model

figma

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behance

Portfolio and creative community platform owned by Adobe but with separate account

Critical Warnings

Subscription Cancellation Fees
If you're on an annual contract paid monthly and cancel early, Adobe charges an early termination fe...
Permanent Loss of Cloud Storage
All files stored in Creative Cloud storage will be permanently deleted. This includes cloud document...
Creative Cloud Libraries Will Be Lost
All Creative Cloud Libraries containing your saved colors, character styles, graphics, and other ass...

Last Updated

November 11, 2025

Adobe Creative Cloud Account Deletion

How We Verified This Guide

Quick Information

Official Resources

Additional Resources

Step-by-Step Guide

Review and Cancel Your Subscription

Back Up Your Cloud Files and Libraries

Log in to Your Adobe Account

Navigate to Account Settings and Security

Confirm Account Deletion

Important Warnings

Subscription Cancellation Fees

Permanent Loss of Cloud Storage

Creative Cloud Libraries Will Be Lost

Loss of Purchased Apps and Fonts

Adobe Portfolio and Behance Integration

Alternatives to Consider

Switch to Affinity Suite

Use DaVinci Resolve for Video Editing

Try GIMP and Open Source Alternatives

Frequently Asked Questions

References & Citations

Found incorrect information?

Quick Navigation

Related Guides

Critical Warnings

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