I remember staring at Photoshop’s subscription page, calculator in hand, trying to decide if I should commit to the full price before knowing if the software would fit my needs. After all, image editing software isn’t exactly pocket change these days, even with the cheapest Photoshop plan.
Quick links:
Then I discovered that Adobe offers a free way to test drive Photoshop with all its features—no stripped-down version, no hidden limitations—just the full software for three weeks.
If you want to explore Photoshop before making a commitment, here’s how to get started with an Adobe Photoshop free trial. And if you’re a student, you might want to check out the 66% discount available after your trial ends.
Table of contents:
- How to download Photoshop for free?
- How to get a 21-day Photoshop trial?
- How to cancel a Photoshop free trial?
- How to get Photoshop free trial: FAQs
How to download Photoshop for free?
Getting started with Photoshop’s free trial takes just a few steps. Here’s how to do it:
- On the Photoshop free trial page, click Start free trial.
- Select for Individuals, Business, or Students and teachers.
- Select your Photoshop plan and how you want to be billed.
- Create your Adobe account by entering your email address and billing information.
- Download and install Photoshop.
Now let’s look into more details about how to get a Photoshop trial (similar steps work for teams, and I’ll point out the differences).
1. Click Start free trial.
Navigate to the Photoshop trial page and click the Start free trial button. Follow the same steps if you’re a student, while for teams, it’s the easiest to go directly to the free trial for business. Teams should also choose the number of licenses (up to 10).
Note: you can also select Photoshop trial for students and teachers or businesses in the next step. As a student, you’ll need to prove your eligibility.
2. Select for Individuals, Business, or Students & Teachers
Completing the previous step will open a popup. In the bar above (see the GIF), you should select Individuals, Business, or Students and teachers, depending on your status.
While the plans are similar, there are important differences. For example, the business plans allow up to 10 licenses and come with an admin dashboard, while the students get a 66% discount after the trial expires.
3. Select your plan and how you want to be billed
As an individual, you can choose between the Photoshop and the Creative Cloud All Apps plans. The main difference is that the Photoshop plan grants you access to all Photoshop apps and Adobe Express, while All Apps also includes all other Adobe software (e.g., Premiere Pro, Lightroom, Illustrator).
There’s another plan for individuals to get Photoshop (and Lightroom), but Adobe doesn’t show it here—it’s called the Photography plan, and it’s the one I use. You can find it on the Photoshop plan comparison page.
Teams get the same two options (Photoshop and All Apps), while students can only get the heavily discounted All Apps plan.
With your plan selected, it’s time to choose how you want to be billed. This is important only if you don’t cancel the free trial since all options include an identical 7-day trial. Most plans are available monthly (the most expensive) and annually, either as paid monthly or prepaid (the cheapest).
Note: Adobe may offer you different upsells during the next steps. Typically, they offer you a 30-day Adobe Stock free trial or various single-app plans.
4. Create an Adobe account (or sign in)
Create your Adobe account by entering your email address and billing information. (You need to provide billing information upfront, but you won’t be billed until the trial ends.) After 7 days, your free trial will convert to a paid membership plan unless you cancel before then.
5. Download and install
After completing your checkout process, a download process for your trial package, which includes Adobe Creative Cloud, should start automatically. First, you will download the Adobe Creative Cloud app, which will allow you to manage all your apps, including the Photoshop app.
Once you download and install the Creative Cloud app, you will be prompted to sign in to your account through the app. After signing in, you can download and install Photoshop, and the free trial will be automatically applied. This will give you complete access to Photoshop right away. Once the installation is complete, you can open Photoshop and begin your design journey.
After completing these steps, you’ll have access to Photoshop for 7 days (current pricing after trial). Cancel before the trial ends to avoid charges.
How to get a 21-day Photoshop trial?
Adobe’s policy allows for full refunds (no questions asked) up to 14 days after your first payment. Their refund policy states: You will have 14 days after your free trial ends to cancel and get a full refund
.
Here’s how you can use this to your advantage to get 21 days of Photoshop for free:
- Sign up for a Photoshop free trial following the steps above.
- Let your 7-day free trial run out and get charged.
- Keep using Photoshop for 14 more days, and cancel your subscription right before the third week of you starting the free trial. Ask for a refund and wait a couple of minutes for it to be processed.
Although this method is 100% legal and within Adobe policies, they request that you don’t use this approach if you aren’t serious about continuing with your plan. In other words, do not abuse it.
How to cancel a Photoshop free trial?
If you don’t want to continue your Photoshop subscription after your free trial, you can cancel it. Even if you forget to cancel, you can ask for a full refund within 14 days of your payment, regardless of which plan you picked.
Here’s how to cancel your Photoshop free trial:
- Sign in at https://account.adobe.com/plans.
- Select Manage plan for the plan you want to cancel
- Click Cancel plan (sometimes also Cancel your plan)
- Click Continue to cancel and provide a reason for canceling the trial
- Select Confirm cancellation.
How to get Photoshop free trial: FAQs
In case this detailed guide about the Photoshop trial wasn’t enough, here are answers to some other questions I see a lot.
How long does a Photoshop free trial last?
With any Adobe plan that includes Photoshop, you can enjoy a whole 7-days without paying a thing. There was a time once when Photoshop’s free trial lasted for 30 days, but Adobe shortened this offer years ago.
Thereafter, the plans cost between $19.99 a month and $89.99 a month, depending on which plan you chose and for how long. You can also add a 30-day free trial of Adobe Stock, which will renew at $29.99 a month after the 30-day period.
Can I get a Photoshop free trial as a student?
If you qualify to get a Photoshop student discount and pay just $19.99 per month for the entire Creative Cloud suite, you are also eligible for a 7-day free trial period.
What can I do with my Photoshop free trial?
By activating a Photoshop free trial, you get all the same features as if you paid for the subscription plan. In other words, you get a full version of the Photoshop.
This means that you get all the latest features, such as automatic removal of distractions tools, editing 3D designs, and the latest version of Generative Fill.
How to get a Photoshop free trial without a credit card?
To start a Photoshop free trial, you need to provide your payment information. This helps Adobe avoid free trial abuse, which comes when relying only on email addresses. You can avoid entering your credit card information by providing PayPal details instead.
Related reading:
- The cheapest way to get Photoshop
- How to get Adobe Creative Cloud free trial
- How to get a Photoshop student discount
- How to get Adobe Express free trial
- The best Adobe Creative Cloud discounts
This article was originally published in May 2021. The most recent update was in March 2025.
