Applies to enterprise & teams.
The document shows the procedures to customize managed packages for the Creative Cloud desktop app.
As an admin on the Adobe Admin Console, you can decide how your end users interact with the Creative Cloud apps and services that you make available to them. For example, you can install apps and updates on users' computers, or you can allow them to do self-serve. You can also enable users to sign into Creative Cloud via the browser on their computers.
Use the following setup and installation customization methods:
Using managed packages
The customization options that you set during package creation are applied to all machines to which that package is deployed.
When you create and deploy packages to end-user computers, the Creative Cloud desktop app is installed on the computers as part of the deployment. By default, users can then go to the Apps tab in the Creative Cloud desktop app to install and update apps on their computers independently.
Use the Enable self-service install option to control whether users in this product profile can install apps and updates. When disabled, both the Apps panel and the Discover panel will be hidden from users.
If you allow users to install apps and updates, you can also choose to show or hide older versions of apps in the Creative Cloud desktop app. For example, you may want to prevent users from installing older versions of apps.
If you deselect this option, users will not be able to install or update apps on their own. Also, they will see a message in the Apps tab that says, "You don't have access to manage apps."
As an end user, now you can:
- Download, install, and update your apps through the Apps tab.
- Choose fonts from hundreds of type foundries in Adobe Fonts.
- Organize and share your files in the Files tab.
- Change the install language, launch settings, auto-update options, notifications
For more, see Manage apps and services with the Creative Cloud desktop app.
Allow non-admins to update and install apps
End users may or may not have operating system level administrative privileges on their computers. So, even if you select Enable self-service install, they still might not be able to install or update apps on their computers. Selecting Allow non-admins to update and install apps allows users to install and update apps even if they do not have administrative privileges on their computer.
To allow users to install and update apps on their computers, you must choose both the options: Enable self-service install and Allow non-admins to update and install apps.
- The Allow non-admins to update and install apps option is only available if you choose the Enable self-service install option.
- Also, you may choose the Enable self-service install option and not choose the Allow non-admins to update and install apps option. In this case, only users with administrative privileges on their computers can install and update apps.
Disable auto-update for end users
The Auto-update option in the Creative Cloud desktop app, allows your end users to choose apps that they want to auto-update. This implies that any app a user selects will update on their machines as soon as Adobe release a major or minor update for the app.
The Disable auto-update for end-users option allows you to prevent users from enabling auto-update on apps. In this case, the Auto-update option is not available in the Creative Cloud desktop app for which you've deployed the package.
See how end users enable or disable auto-updates.
See how end users enable or disable auto-updates.
Enable self-service plugin install
This feature is not available for Adobe's education customers.
As an admin, you can add plugins to your package while creating a managed package. These plugins are also available on the Creative Cloud desktop app. Use the Enable self-service plugin install option to allow users to install and update plugins from the Creative Cloud desktop app. Whenever you toggle this option, the users must quit and relaunch, or sign out and sign back into the Creative Cloud desktop app to reflect the change.
If selected, users can go to the Marketplace tab in the Creative Cloud desktop app to browse, install, or uninstall plugins. If deselected, users can only uninstall plugins that were not installed using a managed package. They can't browse or install new plugins.
For the plugins installed from a package, users can't enable, disable, or remove them. You must create and install an update package to manage the plugins installed from packages.
If selected, users can go to the Marketplace tab in the Creative Cloud desktop app to browse, install, or uninstall plugins. The plugins installed using a managed package can only be uninstalled using the Extension Manager Command-line tool.
If deselected, the users can only uninstall the plugins that were not installed using a managed package. They can't browse or install any new plugins.
As an end user, you can:
- Browse through thousands of extensions, plugins, scripts, and more to enhance your creativity and extend the functionality of Creative Cloud applications.
- Install or uninstall plugins using the Marketplace tab.
For more information, see Install extensions and add-ons for Adobe apps.
As an Admin, you can choose to disable Creative Cloud file syncing on your end users' computers. By default, file syncing is enabled. However, disabling this option is useful when you are deploying packages in a test environment. For example, if you're testing for deployment scenarios, you do not require, a potentially large number of the files to sync across devices.
If file sync is enabled (default): As an end user, if your Admin has allowed file syncing for your enterprise or teams Creative Cloud account, the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app keeps all the assets in sync. You can preview many creative asset types directly in a web browser on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. These asset types include: Adobe Fonts, file formats such as PSD , AI, INDD, JPG, PDF, GIF, PNG, Photoshop Touch, and many others.
Navigate to Files > Your files to browse your assets.
For more, see Browse, sync, and manage assets.
If file sync is disabled: As an end user, if your Admin has disallowed file syncing for your enterprise or teams Creative Cloud account, most of your assets are not synchronized across devices. Adobe Fonts will continue to sync. As a practice, we do not recommend disabling file sync. However, this feature is provided, usually, for admins in enterprises and teams to test their deployments.
As an Admin, when you create and deploy packages, your end users must launch the Creative Cloud desktop app to get started with Adobe products and services. When users launch the app, they are required to sign in.
By default, users must sign in using the Creative Cloud desktop app. However, you can choose to redirect users to sign in via the browser by selecting Enable browser-based login.
If you have users who have previously deployed packages, these users can sign in via the Creative Cloud desktop app, directly. This functionality is available in versions 5.7 or later of the Creative Cloud desktop app. So, your users can either update the Creative Cloud desktop app or you can create and deploy a package with only the latest version of the app.
As an end user, if you aren't already signed in, when you launch the Creative Cloud desktop app, you are immediately redirected to sign in via your default browser.
After you sign in, you are prompted with this message:
When you go back to the Creative Cloud desktop app, default panel is displayed.
As an Admin, when you create and deploy packages, you can enable your end users to install and update beta app via the Creative Cloud Desktop application.
To make the Photoshop beta available to enterprise users, you'll also need to create a product policy with Make updates available 30 days option enabled. For details, see how to manage self-service policies.
As an end-user, you'll have the option to install and update beta apps via the Beta apps tab on the Creative Cloud Desktop application.
Using ServiceConfig.xml
When you create and deploy packages to end-user computers, the Creative Cloud desktop app is installed on the computers as part of the deployment. By default, users can then go to the Apps tab in the Creative Cloud desktop app to install and update apps on their computers.
Use the ServiceConfig.xml file to allow (enable Apps panel) or disallow (disable Apps panel) users to install apps and updates. If you deselect this option, users will have no means to install or update apps on their own.
Follow the steps to enable or disable the Apps panel using the ServiceConfig.xml:
Navigate to the following location and locate the ServiceConfig.xml file:
- Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE\Configs\
- macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE/Configs/
Copy the file to your desktop and open this copy in a text editor such as TextEdit.
In the file, find the <visible> element and change the content to True or False (Default) to enable or disable the Apps panel.
<config>
<panel>
<name>AppsPanel</name>
<visible>false</visible>
</panel>
</config>
Save the edited file and copy it back to the Configs folder you copied it from, replacing the original file.
