Adobe error code 81, also called ErrorP81, shows up when the installation or update process for any Adobe app gets interrupted in the Creative Cloud. Usually, you’ll see a message like “Sorry, installation failed”, and the installer shuts down before completing. Kind of frustrating, but normally it’s due to other Adobe processes running in the background that mess with the installer or corrupted files within the Creative Cloud setup.
Knowing the causes makes fixing it a bit less of a headache. These background processes or leftover files can prevent the installer from working smoothly. So, the main goal here is to clear those processes and make sure everything’s clean before trying again.
Here’s what’s helped in the past — try these steps before throwing in the towel. Sometimes a simple restart or process kill can do the trick, but other times more invasive cleanup is needed. We’ll cover both.
How to Fix Adobe Error Code 81 in Windows / Mac
Close Adobe Processes and Restart Your System
If the error pops up right when starting an installation, it’s likely that some Adobe processes are still hanging around. Windows or Mac can be a pain because sometimes these processes run hidden — and of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
- Open Task Manager on Windows by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. On Mac, use Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities.
- Head to the Details tab on Windows (or look for Adobe processes in Activity Monitor).
- Look for any processes with “Adobe” or related names. Right-click them (or select) and choose End Process Tree on Windows or Quit Process on Mac. Do this for each process.
- On Windows, if you see multiple Adobe processes lingering, kill them all. On Mac, close everything Adobe-related you find.
- All done? Restart the computer. Yep, it sounds basic, but this step can solve a lot of conflicts.
- Try running your installer again once the system’s back up. Usually, this clears out the active process conflicts that trigger Error 81.
This approach helps because it clears the way for the installer, removing the interference from background Adobe tasks. Sometimes, a reboot is all it takes — on one setup it worked right after, on another… not so much.
Rename the PDApp Folder to Kill Background Processes
This method’s kind of sneaky but effective. The PDApp folder, part of the Adobe Application Manager, runs background processes during installations or updates, and if something’s stuck, it can cause Error 81. Renaming this folder tricks those processes into stopping, basically forcing them to restart fresh next time.
- Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder on Mac.
- Head to the path depending on your OS:
- Windows 64-bit:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE\PDApp - Windows 32-bit:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE\PDApp - Mac:
/Users/<user>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE/PDApp
- Windows 64-bit:
- Find the PDApp folder, right-click it, and hit Rename. Change it to PDApp-old or something similar.
- Once renamed, try your installation again. Because the original folder is now renamed, the background processes related to it will halt — at least temporarily.
On some machines, this might not do the trick immediately, but it’s worth a shot. It forces Adobe to regenerate or reinitialize those processes when you try again.
Use the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool for a Deep Clean
If the above doesn’t fix it, chances are there’s some leftover files or broken components messing everything up. Adobe offers a dedicated cleaner tool to wipe out all previous Creative Cloud remnants safely, which is kinda essential if you’ve had multiple failed installs or updates that left bad files behind.
- Download the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool from the official Adobe help page. The file is usually named
AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool.exe. - Right-click the downloaded file and select Run as administrator— especially on Windows.
- Follow the prompts: When asked for language, just type E and hit Enter for English.
- Agree to the terms by typing Y. If you’re not comfortable with deleting everything, you can cancel, but be warned, it might complicate your install process.
- Choose All when prompted to clean all Adobe apps and files.
- Wait it out — this can take a few minutes. When it’s done, press Enter to close the tool.
- Head over and grab the latest Creative Cloud installer. Run it as admin and follow the setup steps.
- After that, try installing or updating again. If any lingering bits caused the problem, this should wipe them out.
Sometimes, if nothing else works, this cleaner is the bomb because it digs deep — much more than manually deleting files ever will.
If these steps still don’t sort it, then it’s probably time to get in touch with Adobe Support with all the error details. They’re usually pretty helpful if you can send logs or screenshots.