Information on the Adobe Acrobat Pro campus contract
From the beginning of December 2024, JLU Gießen will introduce a campus license for Adobe Acrobat Pro.
License Application for Staff
Click here to apply for a license
Note: Login with university user credentials is required
Information about the Campus License starting December 2024
The decision to introduce a campus license is based on several factors. Previously, JLU purchased Adobe Acrobat Pro perpetual licenses as needed through a licensing program provided by the software vendor Asknet. Currently, many of these device-based Acrobat Pro 2020 licenses are in use at JLU. Since Adobe is discontinuing its perpetual licensing model and will no longer release new perpetual versions of Acrobat Pro, a transition is necessary.
Adobe has long been pushing for the adoption of personal subscription and rental license models, as already seen with its Creative Cloud products (e.g., Photoshop, InDesign). An analysis of current usage has shown that a campus license is more economical for JLU than continuing with individual purchases. Additionally, support (and therefore the usability) for Acrobat Pro 2020 will end in June 2025, making the introduction of the campus license the most economical and organizationally sensible solution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Who is eligible?
- What should staff with a J-user account consider?
- What costs will users incur?
- Which Acrobat Pro version does the license cover?
- I have Acrobat Pro 2020 on my computer. What should I do?
- I purchased an Acrobat Pro DC rental license via JustOS between July and October. What should I do?
- I am already using an Adobe Creative Cloud license. What should I do?
- Do I need to uninstall the free Acrobat Reader first?
- How do I get a license?
- How do I get the installation media?
- What should I consider when installing?
- Which operating systems is the license usable on?
- What type of license is it?
- How long is the license valid?
- Can I install the software on multiple devices?
- For what purposes can I use the software?
- Why doesn't JLU use cheaper PDF editing tools?
Who is eligible?
All JLU staff are eligible. A university user account is required for access and use. Unfortunately, students cannot use the license.
What should staff with a J-user account consider?
Since the winter semester 2024/25, new JLU staff members receive user accounts starting with a "J" instead of a "g" as in the past. In these cases, users will receive the error message "Only employees with g-accounts are eligible" when submitting the license application. Please send an email to software-manage. We will manually assign you an Acrobat Pro license and provide all necessary information via email.
What costs will users incur?
The costs for the campus agreement are centrally covered by the HRZ budget. No additional costs are incurred for end users.
Which Acrobat Pro version does the license cover?
The license covers the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC version. Adobe no longer uses year-based version numbers, as was the case with previous perpetual versions (e.g., 2015, 2017, 2020). Instead, the software is continuously developed and updated ("Continuous Release"). You can check the current (internal) version number of Acrobat Pro DC in the software under "Menu > Help > About Adobe Acrobat Pro" (e.g., 2024.003.20180).
I have Acrobat Pro 2020 on my computer. What should I do?
Acrobat Pro 2020 will continue to receive updates from Adobe until June 2025. Until then, you can continue using this version, so you do not need to take any immediate action. By June 2025 at the latest, you will need to switch to Acrobat Pro DC. Before switching, all components of version 2020 should be uninstalled, first via the Control Panel and then using the Acrobat Cleaning Tool:
https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html#downloads
Direct links for the Cleaning Tool:
MacOS: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/AdobeAcroCleanerTool.dmg
After cleaning, you can install the new version.
I purchased an Acrobat Pro DC rental license via JustOS between July and October. What should I do?
Your Acrobat Pro DC license remains valid until 22.11.2025 and is unaffected by the campus license. You do not need to take any action.
During the first half of 2025, we will integrate your personal rental license, purchased between July and October 2024, into the campus license. You will be informed in advance when this transition occurs.
The transition will be seamless for you, with no downtime or additional costs.
I am already using an Adobe Creative Cloud license. What should I do?
You do not need to take any action. The Adobe Creative Cloud ("All Apps") license already includes Acrobat Pro DC. If Acrobat Pro is not yet available on your system despite having an Adobe Creative Cloud ("All Apps") license, you can add it at any time. For instructions on how to install additional programs from Adobe Creative Cloud, we have created this guide.
Do I need to uninstall the free Acrobat Reader first?
In principle, the Acrobat Pro version and the Acrobat Reader can be installed on the same system at the same time.
However, this can lead to certain irritations, for example, which program is allowed to open PDFs by default. In addition, the free Reader is redundant when using the full version and takes up unnecessary storage space.
Therefore, it is recommended to uninstall Acrobat Reader before installing Acrobat Pro. This can initially be done via the control panel. After that, you can use the Acrobat Cleaning Tool to clean up any remaining Acrobat Reader files.
Direct links for the Acrobat Cleaning Tool:
MacOS: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/AdobeAcroCleanerTool.dmg
After the cleanup, you can install Acrobat Pro.
How do I get a license?
All staff members can obtain a license via this application form.
Please log in with your university user credentials to use the application form. Agree to the terms of use and submit the form. You will then receive a confirmation email with all further information about using the license.
How do I get the installation media?
The installation media can be downloaded directly from Adobe's website:
https://helpx.adobe.com/de/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html
Direct links (latest versions):
Win64:
https://trials.adobe.com/AdobeProducts/APRO/Acrobat_HelpX/win32/Acrobat_DC_Web_x64_WWMUI.zip
MacOS
Version 10.15 and newer
https://trials.adobe.com/AdobeProducts/APRO/Acrobat_HelpX/osx10/Acrobat_DC_Web_WWMUI.dmg
Version 10.14
https://trials.adobe.com/AdobeProducts/APRO/Acrobat_HelpX/osx10/Acrobat_DC_Web_WWMUI_1014.dmg
You can find additional versions for previous MacOS versions via the download link mentioned above.
What should I consider when installing?
Windows:
Please extract the ZIP archive to your computer first.
The archive contains a directory called "Adobe Acrobat," which includes the file setup.exe. Right-click on setup.exe and select "Run as Administrator."
Note: Do not run the setup.exe file from within the ZIP file of the installation program, as this may cause errors during installation.
Follow the instructions to complete the installation.
MacOS:
Double-click the downloaded DMG file to mount the Acrobat installation volume. Open the mounted Acrobat installation volume. Navigate to Acrobat installer.pkg and execute it.
Follow the instructions to complete the installation.
Which operating systems is the license usable on?
The license is valid for Windows and MacOS.
What type of license is it?
It is a time-limited, personal rental license. The license is linked to a user account, and usage occurs through login within the Acrobat Pro software.
How long is the license valid?
The license is initially valid until the end of November 2025. We will strive for a license renewal. Initial discussions with Adobe are expected no earlier than the second quarter of 2025.
Can I install the software on multiple devices?
Since the license is personal, it can be installed on all devices of the license user. Simultaneous usage on two devices is possible. If you log in on a third device, one of the other two installations with active login will be logged out.
For what purposes can I use the software?
The software can be used for all official tasks (research, teaching, administration).
Why doesn't JLU use cheaper PDF editing tools?
Alternative PDF tools often do not meet the technical requirements to comply with legal standards for accessible PDFs. Additionally, they frequently exhibit significant shortcomings in critical functions, such as editing digital forms. Adobe Acrobat Pro, on the other hand, provides the necessary technical foundation for accessibility and ensures stable, comprehensive functionality that meets diverse requirements.
If your question is not answered or not sufficiently addressed, please send an email to software-manage