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How to Fix “This unlicensed Adobe app will be disabled soon”

Lim How Wei
May 30, 2023

Are you getting a “This unlicensed Adobe app will be disabled soon” error when launching an Adobe app?

Here’s the second error message, “Unlicensed apps may contain malware that expose your files and personal data to security risks”.

Followed by, “Adobe provides a 10-day grace period to resolve this issue with exclusive discounts on replacement apps”.

Before you try fixing the error, do note that if your Windows Firewall is being managed by your antivirus, then all of the changes below must be applied to that antivirus Firewall.

If you get popups, block them with Firewall Creative Cloud, Licensing services.

Otherwise, block with the Firewall of the app.exe (e.g. photoshop.exe).

If you still get popups after that, Host file edit or run guide 4 and try again.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to fix “This unlicensed Adobe app will be disabled soon” and “Unlicensed apps may contain malware” (GenP/Photoshop).

How to fix “This unlicensed Adobe app will be disabled soon”

This unlicensed Adobe app will be disabled soon

To fix “This unlicensed Adobe app will be disabled soon”, you need to add a list of IP addresses in the hosts file (for Windows, the hosts file is located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.

Alternatively, you can add a Firewall rule to the “app-in-question.exe” app (e.g. Adobe Photoshop).

Method 1: CCStopper / Host File

CCStopper and DevNull .bat file.

For GenP method only—CCStopper.rar all files must be extracted and either .bats options above must be run as Administrator.

CCStopper selection (2) for Internet Patch > (1) for Firewall Block.

Create a firewall rule on the following services, located in:

  • Path of ADS – C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Desktop Common\ADS\Adobe Desktop Service.exe
  • Path of Licensing – C:\ProgramFiles\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Desktop Common\NGL\adobe_licensing_wf.exe
  • Path of Licensing helper – C:\ProgramFiles\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Desktop Common\NGL\adobe_licensing_wf_helper.exe

CCStopper selection (2) for Internet Patch > (2) for Host File / DevNull.bat.

For Windows:

1. Edit the Host file located in:

  • For Windows: Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.

2. And add the list of IPs below:

# BLOCK ADOBE #
127.0.0.1 ic.adobe.io
127.0.0.1 52.6.155.20
127.0.0.1 52.10.49.85
127.0.0.1 23.22.30.141
127.0.0.1 34.215.42.13
127.0.0.1 52.84.156.37
127.0.0.1 65.8.207.109
127.0.0.1 3.220.11.113
127.0.0.1 3.221.72.231
127.0.0.1 3.216.32.253
127.0.0.1 3.208.248.199
127.0.0.1 3.219.243.226
127.0.0.1 13.227.103.57
127.0.0.1 34.192.151.90
127.0.0.1 34.237.241.83
127.0.0.1 44.240.189.42
127.0.0.1 52.20.222.155
127.0.0.1 52.208.86.132
127.0.0.1 54.208.86.132
127.0.0.1 63.140.38.120
127.0.0.1 63.140.38.160
127.0.0.1 63.140.38.169
127.0.0.1 63.140.38.219
127.0.0.1 wip.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobeereg.com
127.0.0.1 18.228.243.121
127.0.0.1 18.230.164.221
127.0.0.1 54.156.135.114
127.0.0.1 54.221.228.134
127.0.0.1 54.224.241.105
127.0.0.1 100.24.211.130
127.0.0.1 162.247.242.20
127.0.0.1 wip1.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 wip2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 wip4.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 3dns.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 199.232.114.137
127.0.0.1 bam.nr-data.net
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe
127.0.0.1 ood.opsource.net
127.0.0.1 crl.verisign.net
127.0.0.1 3dns-1.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 3dns-2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 3dns-3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 3dns-4.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 hl2rcv.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 genuine.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 www.adobeereg.com
127.0.0.1 www.wip.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 www.wip1.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 www.wip2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 www.wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 www.wip4.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip1.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip4.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip1.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip4.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 cc-api-data.adobe.io
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.ntp
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.ipp
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns-1.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns-2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns-3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns-4.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 lm.licenses.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 hlrcv.stage.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 prod.adobegenuine.com
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.newoa
127.0.0.1 activate.wip.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate-sea.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 uds.licenses.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 k.sni.global.fastly.net
127.0.0.1 activate-sjc0.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate.wip1.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate.wip2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate.wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate.wip4.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 na1r.services.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 lmlicenses.wip4.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 na2m-pr.licenses.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 wwis-dubc1-vip60.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 workflow-ui-prod.licensingstack.com
0.0.0.0 2ftem87osk.adobe.io

Tip: Go to the same location above, right-click the “hosts” file, open with Notepad, copy and paste the IP addresses from the list above under the file, save it, and restart your computer.

For Mac:

  1. Close all of your Adobe programs.
  2. Open the Terminal (command + space bar, type “Terminal”, and hit enter).
  3. Type “sudo nano /etc/hosts”, hit enter, type your password, and hit enter.
  4. Scroll to the bottom of the document and copy and paste all the IP addresses from the list above.
  5. Press CONTROL + X, press Y, and press ENTER to go back to the Terminal’s main screen.
  6. Paste this command “sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder && sudo dscacheutil -flushcache” and hit enter.

New IP addresses: If the error is not fixed, try adding these IP addresses: 127.0.0.1 gw8gfjbs05.adobe.io and 127.0.0.1 ph0f2h2csf.adobe.io.

Tip: If it still doesn’t fix the error, you need to browse the Reddit AdobeZii community for the latest IP addresses to add.

Method 2: Firewall rule on app-in-question.exe

This is for GenP or MonkRus methods.

The below example will be for Adobe Photoshop, but the method is similar across all programs.

  1. Navigate to Windows > Windows Firewall > Advanced Settings.
  2. Select “Outbound Rules”, select “New Rule”, and follow these steps:
    • Rule type: Program.
    • Program Path: Right-click the “Adobe Photoshop” app > Open file location > Copy the URL of the file > Paste the URL into the “This program path” field.
    • Action: Block the connection.
    • Profile: Tick “Domain”, “Private”, and “Public”.
    • Name: Choose any name.
  3. Select “Finish”—you will lose internet access going out from the application but the app won’t be able to check your license.

Method 3: CC loading continuously / loop (clean)

Due to CCStopper or other firewall rules created (host file that are working against each other that completely blocks the internet—the reverse of option 1).

Reverse CCStopper Rule:

  • Windows > Windows Firewall > Advanced Settings.
  • Check both Inbound and Outbound.
  • Disable or remove the rule “CCStopper” or other firewall rules you created asked in the guides.

Reverse Hosts File edit:

  • C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.
  • Right-click “hosts” file > “Open with notepad” > remove all the lines related to:
  • BLOCK ADOBE # in this article, save the file, and reboot your system.

This should fix the looping and bring CC to its default behavior.

However, the internet will be active, which can cause issues for the currently installed apps.

If so, use option 2 and create an Outbound rule for the “.exe” programs that are malfunctioning.

Further reading

How to Fix Generative Fill Not Showing in Adobe Photoshop

How to Fix Access Point 22 Error Code on Spotify

How to Fix “This app is restricted to Premium users only” on Spotify

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About the author

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Lim How Wei

Lim How Wei is the founder of followchain.org, with 8+ years of experience in Social Media Marketing and 4+ years of experience as an active investor in stocks and cryptocurrencies. He has researched, tested, and written thousands of articles ranging from social media platforms to messaging apps.

Lim has been quoted and referenced by major publications and media companies like WikiHow, Fast Company, HuffPost, Vice, New York Post, The Conversation, and many others. One of his articles about the gig economy was quoted by Joe Rogan who hosts The Joe Rogan Experience (arguably the most popular podcast in the world), in the This Past Weekend podcast by Theo Von.

In his free time, Lim plays multiple games like Genshin Impact, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Hearthstone, RuneScape, and many others. He creates guides, walkthroughs, solutions, and more on games that he plays to help other players with their progression.