Adobe Photoshop Requires Windows 10 Anniversary Update -version 1607- -

Close the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application completely. Check your system tray (bottom right corner) to ensure it isn't running in the background.

Locate the folder and delete it (this clears cached application data).

Here is a comprehensive guide on why this happens and exactly how to fix it. Why is This Error Occurring?

Here are your alternatives if you cannot update:

While it's possible to continue using older versions of Photoshop on older versions of Windows, there are some limitations to consider: Here is a comprehensive guide on why this

“I can bypass this with compatibility settings.” → False. Required OS APIs are missing; can’t be emulated.

Open Creative Cloud, click on your profile icon in the top right, and sign out. Close the application completely. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type %localappdata%\Adobe\ and press Enter.

The , released in August 2016, marked a significant shift in Windows architecture, bringing improved stability, security features, and updated APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that Adobe developers rely on.

There are several benefits to Adobe's new requirement. These include: Required OS APIs are missing; can’t be emulated

The error message typically occurs when your operating system's build is older than the minimum version required for modern Adobe Creative Cloud applications.

: Bypassing the check will likely cause Photoshop to crash instantly upon launch because the missing system files it needs to run simply do not exist on your hard drive.

Press the on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Type winver into the box and press Enter .

If winver showed that you are already running a modern version of Windows, the installer is being tricked by a compatibility setting. Before changing any settings

Before changing any settings, you need to find out exactly which version of Windows your computer is running.

: Modern versions of Photoshop require specific Universal Windows Platform (UWP) APIs and graphics architecture that do not exist in versions of Windows 10 older than build 1607.

The shift toward requiring Windows 10 Version 1607 (also known as the "Anniversary Update" or build 14393) was not arbitrary. It was a strategic move driven by both Adobe and Microsoft for several key reasons: 1. Advanced API and Graphics Technology

: Fully exit the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application from your system tray.