Adobe Digital Editions Troubleshooting

Owned by Sarah Holsapple
Last updated: Oct 12, 2023 by Abigail Wickes
2 min read

Scope:  A collection of links regarding Adobe Digital Editions troubleshooting

Contact:

Unit: Electronic Resources & Serials Acquisitions

Date last reviewed: 06/15/2022

Date of next review:

Adobe Digital Editions is required to read or download an ebook from the ProQuest and EBSCO platforms: https://guides.library.duke.edu/eBookFAQ

How to install Adobe Digital Editions: https://helpx.adobe.com/digital-editions/kb/install-digital-editions-20-windows.html 

Note: Adobe Digital Edition accounts do not sync across devices.  

Authorizing and de-authorizing Adobe Digital Editions: https://helpx.adobe.com/digital-editions/using/authorizing-and-de-authorizing-adobe-digital-editions.html 

List of activation errors in Adobe Digital Editions: https://helpx.adobe.com/digital-editions/kb/activation-errors-adobe-digital-editions.html 

If a patron is still having trouble getting the newest edition of Adobe Digital Editions to work with their device, they may find success downloading and using an older edition.  Older editions can be found under Additional Downloads: https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions/download.html 

Note: Follow these steps to authorize and de-authorize on a Mac:

  • Open Adobe Digital Editions.
  • Press Cmd-Shift-D to de-authorize Adobe Digital Editions
  • Select Erase Authorization.
  • Click OK and quit Adobe Digital Editions.
  • Navigate to /Users/[[Your user account]]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Digital Editions and drag the activation.dat file to the trash. ADE is now de-authorized.

If for some reason you cannot navigate to the activation.dat file (Mac OS X 10.7 and later), please try the following:

  • Go to the Finder menu.
  • Hold down the Option (Alt) key and select Go in the Finder menu bar. This reveals the hidden user Library below the current user's home directory.
  • Select Library.
  • Go to Application Support/Adobe/Digital Editions and delete the file named “activation.dat”
  • Follow these steps to authorise Adobe Digital Editions again.

There is a known issue of the Adobe Digital Editions app not working on some Android tablets. 

List of troubleshooting options for this issue: https://helpdeskgeek.com/help-desk/fix-your-device-isnt-compatible-with-this-version-on-android/

Most common fix is to download the Adobe Digital Editions app from an APK (Android Package Kit) Site: https://helpdeskgeek.com/free-tools-review/5-best-safe-apk-download-sites-for-android-apps/

APKs are free and safe to use with APKMirror being the most commonly used one.