To move Photoshop to a new computer, first log into the same Adobe account and deactivate the old license, then install and activate it on the new machine. 1. Deactivate Photoshop on the old computer via Help > Deactivate or remove inactive devices online. 2. Download and install Photoshop on the new computer using the Creative Cloud app. 3. Transfer the Adobe Photoshop Settings Folder—located in AppData (Windows) or Library/Application Support (Mac)—from the old to the new computer to preserve brushes, presets, and layouts. 4. Reinstall third-party plugins manually and reactivate licenses as needed. 5. Copy custom files such as patterns, layer styles, actions, tool presets, keyboard shortcuts, workspace configurations, and color profiles separately if stored outside the settings folder. Following these steps ensures your full Photoshop setup moves smoothly without data loss.
Moving Photoshop to a new computer isn’t just about reinstalling the app — you also want to make sure your settings, brushes, presets, and other customizations come with you. Here’s how to do it right without losing anything.
Check Your Adobe Account First
Before jumping into file transfers, make sure you’re logged into the same Adobe account on your new machine. Photoshop is subscription-based now, so your license and download access are tied to that account.
You don’t need to "transfer" the license — just deactivate it on the old computer (if possible), then install and activate it on the new one. If you can't access the old computer, log in to your Adobe account online and remove any inactive devices manually.
Here's what to do:
- Deactivate Photoshop on the old computer under Help > Deactivate if it's still accessible
- On the new computer, download Photoshop from the Creative Cloud desktop app
- Log in with the same Adobe ID and install as usual
Transfer Your Settings and Presets
Photoshop stores all your preferences, brushes, actions, gradients, and more in a folder called the Adobe Photoshop Settings Folder. To keep everything consistent, you’ll want to copy this over.
On Windows, it’s usually located at:C:\Users$$YourName]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [Version]
On Mac:/Users/[YourName]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [Version]
To transfer:
- Copy the entire folder from your old computer
- Paste it into the same location on the new machine
- When you open Photoshop, your brushes, presets, and workspace layouts should all be there
Note: If you're upgrading to a newer version of Photoshop on your new computer, some older preset files might not show up immediately — try resetting the presets or using the “Legacy” preset option in newer versions.
Don’t Forget Your Plugins and Custom Files
If you use third-party plugins like Topaz or Nik Collection, they won’t automatically move with Photoshop. You'll need to:
- Reinstall them manually on the new computer
- Reactivate any licenses if required
Also, check for these commonly forgotten items:
- Custom patterns or shapes
- Layer styles (.asl files)
- Actions (.atn files)
- Tool presets (.tpl files)
These are often stored within the settings folder mentioned earlier, but sometimes people store them separately for backup purposes.
If you have external files like:
- Custom keyboard shortcuts
- Workspace configurations
- Color profiles
Make sure to locate and copy those too — especially if you’ve spent time fine-tuning them.
That’s basically all. It doesn’t take much time once you know where everything is, but skipping even one step can leave you rebuilding your setup from scratch.
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