Troubleshooting Adobe Creative Cloud application preferences and settings involves addressing corrupted files, permission conflicts, and improper configurations that cause performance issues, crashes, or persistent prompts. Common problems include slow application response, repeated preference dialogs, login errors, and installation failures—often resolved through targeted steps like resetting preferences, adjusting folder permissions, or performing clean reinstalls. The most effective solutions combine manual interventions (e.g., keyboard shortcuts to reset settings) with systematic cleanup of leftover files and proper permission management.

Key findings from the sources:

• Resetting preferences via keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Ctrl+Alt+R on Windows or Cmd+Opt+R on Mac) resolves login and licensing issues in Creative Cloud ^[6].
• Folder permissions for SLStore and Adobe PCD must grant "Read & Write" access to System/Admin and "Read only" to Everyone to avoid configuration errors (1, 15, 16) ^[2].
• Clean installs—uninstalling all Adobe apps, clearing AppData folders, and reinstalling—fix persistent preference prompts and corrupted settings ^[4][7].
• Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool is recommended for advanced issues, requiring backup of preferences before use ^[9].

Comprehensive Troubleshooting Methods

Resetting Preferences and Configuration Files

Preferences files in Adobe applications store user settings, workspace layouts, and performance configurations. When these files become corrupted, applications may freeze, crash, or behave unpredictably. Resetting preferences is the first line of defense, with methods varying by application and operating system.

For Adobe Illustrator, users can reset preferences directly through the interface or via keyboard shortcuts during launch. The Adobe Help Center advises holding Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (Mac) immediately after launching Illustrator to trigger a reset dialog ^[1]. This method is particularly effective for resolving:

• Interface lag or freezing during tool selection.
• Unexpected crashes when opening specific files.
• Workspace layout reverting to default settings.

For Creative Cloud desktop app issues, such as login loops or apps launching in trial mode, a dedicated reset shortcut exists:

• Windows: Ctrl + Alt + R while the app is in the foreground.
• Mac: Cmd + Opt + R while the app is in the foreground.

This shortcut forces a refresh of licensing and account data, resolving 70% of sign-in related problems reported in community forums ^[6]. Users experiencing persistent issues after reset should proceed to a clean uninstall, as residual files in AppData (Windows) or Library (Mac) folders can reintroduce corruption.

Critical steps before resetting:

• Back up the preferences folder (located at ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe on Mac or %AppData%\Adobe on Windows) to restore custom settings later ^[1].
• Close all Adobe applications to prevent file locks during the reset.
• Disable third-party plugins, which are common culprits for preference corruption ^[1].

Fixing Permission Errors and Folder Access

Incorrect folder permissions are a leading cause of configuration errors (e.g., Error 1, 15, or 16) in Creative Cloud applications, particularly on macOS and Windows systems with strict user account controls. These errors manifest as failed launches, missing fonts, or sync issues with cloud documents. The solution involves manually adjusting permissions for two critical folders: SLStore and Adobe PCD.

macOS Permission Fixes:

1. Navigate to /Library/Application Support/Adobe via Finder’s "Go to Folder" option.
2. Right-click the SLStore folder and select "Get Info."
3. Under "Sharing & Permissions," ensure: - System and Admin have "Read & Write" access. - Everyone has "Read only" access (for Adobe PCD) or "Read & Write" (for SLStore) ^[2].
4. Click the gear icon and apply permissions to all enclosed items.

1. Enable hidden items in File Explorer (View > Hidden items).
2. Navigate to: - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ (for PCD). - C:\ProgramData\Adobe\ (for SLStore).
3. Right-click each folder, select "Properties," then the "Security" tab.
4. Ensure Administrators have "Full control," while System and Users have at least "Read & Execute" permissions ^[2].

Additional Considerations:

• On Windows, run Command Prompt as Administrator and execute icacls "folder_path" /reset /T to recursively reset permissions if UI changes fail ^[7].
• For multi-user systems, verify the problematic user account isn’t restricted by Group Policy or parental controls, which can block Adobe’s background processes ^[7].
• After adjusting permissions, restart the computer to ensure changes propagate fully.

Common Pitfalls:

• Overlooking hidden folders (e.g., AppData on Windows) during permission checks.
• Assuming reinstallation alone fixes permission issues—residual folders often retain incorrect settings.
• Not applying permissions recursively to subfolders, leaving nested files inaccessible.

Advanced Solutions for Persistent Issues

When basic resets and permission fixes fail, advanced troubleshooting involves clean installs, diagnostic tools, and system-level interventions. These methods address deep-seated corruption or conflicts with other software.

Clean Install Procedure:

1. Uninstall all Adobe applications via the Creative Cloud desktop app or Control Panel (Windows)/Applications folder (Mac).
2. Delete residual files: - Windows: Navigate to %AppData%\Adobe, %LocalAppData%\Adobe, and C:\Program Files\Adobe—delete all folders. - Mac: Remove /Library/Application Support/Adobe/ and ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe/ ^[4][7].
3. Use the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (download from Adobe’s support site) to remove registry entries and system hooks. This tool is essential for: - Resolving "installation already in progress" errors. - Removing orphaned license files causing trial mode launches. - Cleaning conflicts from failed updates ^[9].
4. Reinstall Creative Cloud as Administrator (Windows) or with elevated privileges (Mac), then reinstall individual apps.

Diagnostic Tools and Logs:

• Adobe Log Collector: Gathers system logs for support analysis (available via Adobe’s support portal).
• Creative Cloud Logs: Located at:
• Windows: %LocalAppData%\Adobe\Creative Cloud\Logs.
• Mac: ~/Library/Logs/Creative Cloud/ ^[9].

Review logs for errors like ELICENSENOT_FOUND or EINSTALLPENDING.

System-Level Fixes:

• Create a new user profile (Windows/Mac) to isolate account-specific corruption. If apps work under a new profile, the original profile’s data is likely damaged ^[7].
• Disable antivirus/firewall temporarily—Adobe’s background processes (e.g., Adobe Desktop Service) are often flagged as suspicious.
• Repair disk permissions (Mac) via Disk Utility or chkdsk (Windows) to fix filesystem errors affecting Adobe folders.

Community-Validated Workarounds:

• For persistent preference prompts (e.g., Photoshop settings dialogs), sign out and back into Creative Cloud to force a rescan of installed apps ^[4].
• If apps launch in trial mode despite an active subscription, use the Adobe License Recovery Tool (available from Adobe support) to reactivate licenses ^[6].