By Larrisa Turner, communications specialist, University Information Technology

Whether you’ve been on campus a few days or a few years, you need to know about the benefits Adobe offers the U community. As part of an ongoing agreement with Adobe, you receive a no-cost, all-access pass to Adobe Creative Cloud.

The U educates and employs more than 60,000 people. Since January 2018, however, only 11,000 unique users have accessed the Adobe Creative Cloud apps. That’s just a fraction of the people on campus who could be using the software.

“Our team worked with Adobe to update the agreement, and since 2017, accessing the Creative Cloud has been easier than ever to access. Now, all users can sign in with their university-issued email address and password. That’s it. And students, faculty and staff can activate the software on personal computers for university purposes,” said Bill Lutz, vendor manager for the U’s Office of Software Licensing (OSL).

Here are five reasons why you should take advantage of the campus licensing agreement.

1. Free access

That’s right: Active students, faculty and staff can access, activate and download Creative Cloud apps, services and features at no cost. Get access by one of the following methods:

Individual users (students, faculty and staff)

• New installation of Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app
• Transition to Enterprise ID

Department computers managed by IT administrators

• Access for IT administrators

If you are already paying for a Creative Cloud account, cancel it. Because of the U’s agreement, you can terminate your contract without penalty.

2. Downloads by the dozens

Under the agreement, more than 50 Adobe apps, features, services, tools and support are available. You’ll find core apps like Photoshop, Acrobat DC, InDesign and Illustrator, as well as others designed for web, video and audio production. You can also access archived apps that Adobe no longer develops or updates.

And should you need to purchase an app not included in the agreement, the Office of Software Licensing can provide a custom quote.

3. Access it anywhere

All of Adobe’s apps live in the Creative Cloud. So, you can access the software from anywhere in the world. And beyond apps, you can access Creative Cloud support services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, as well as hundreds of hours of free online tutorials through Creative Cloud Learn.

You can activate Creative Cloud on up to two devices at a time by logging in with your uNID email address and password. From there, you can download and install various apps on multiple devices, including tablets and smartphones. The only catch: You cannot use the software on more than one computer at a time—so be sure to close the apps after you’re finished.

4. Keep it in the cloud

Each subscriber gets 20 GB of cloud-based storage. With this extra capacity, you can save large projects without using space on your computer or mobile device. You also can access files stored in the cloud from any device using file sync or a web browser. Now, if you go home at night and still need to get some work done, just sign in and continue working.

NOTE: Creative Cloud storage should not be used for files containing sensitive, restricted or PCI/credit card data.

5. Never miss an update

Once an active student, staff or faculty member activates a named user license, it can be used for the full term of the agreement. You don’t have to pay for anything and can upgrade your software at any time.

NOTE: You must remain an active member of the university.