Like most software developers, Adobe maintains a list of Adobe Products System Requirements for all products that can be used to help ensure the hardware in your computer system will work with their multimedia software. However, most “system requirements” lists tend to cover only the basics of what hardware is needed to run the software, not what hardware will give the best performance. In addition, sometimes these lists can be outdated, show old hardware revisions, or simply contain sub-optimal hardware. Based on all our testing, we have our list of recommended PC and macOS hardware for Adobe apps system requirements.
What are the system requirements for Adobe Creative Cloud?
Creative Cloud minimum specifications
The Creative Cloud website and associated websites such as the Adobe Admin Console are all designed to work optimally in the latest versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. The site should degrade gracefully on older browsers; you may have trouble using certain features on those older versions. Internet Explorer 9 and earlier are not supported.
Creative Cloud Desktop applications
Creative Cloud membership provides access to all creative desktop apps for download and installation on your local computer, as well as additional apps and online services. Desktop applications included with your membership are available in both Mac OS X and Windows versions.
Creative Cloud apps have varying minimum operating system requirements. Refer to the following pages for the complete system requirements for your Creative Cloud app.
Photoshop system requirements
Your computer must meet the minimum technical specifications outlined below to run and use Photoshop.
Minimum system requirements for Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop minimum specifications for Windows
- Processor: Intel® or AMD processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (64-bit), Windows 10 (Version 1709 or later)
- RAM: 2 GB or more of RAM (8 GB recommended)
- Hard disk space: 3.1 GB or more of available hard-disk space for 64-bit installation; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system)
- Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768 display (1280×800 recommended) with 16-bit color and 512 MB or more of dedicated VRAM; 2 GB is recommended
- Graphics processor acceleration requirements: OpenGL 2.0-capable system
- Internet: An Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.
Photoshop graphic processor requirements
Photoshop minimum specifications for macOS
- Processor: Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
- Operating system: macOS version 10.12 (Sierra), macOS version 10.13 (High Sierra), or macOS version 10.14 (Mojave)
- RAM: 2 GB or more of RAM (8 GB recommended)
- Hard disk space: 4 GB or more of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system)
- Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768 display (1280×800 recommended) with 16-bit color and 512 MB or more of dedicated VRAM; 2 GB is recommended
- Graphics processor acceleration requirements: OpenGL 2.0-capable system
- Internet: An Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, membership validation, and access to online services.
Photoshop graphic processor requirements
Adobe Premiere Pro system requirements
The recommended system specification below is the best choice for users. Your system must meet minimum specifications to run Premiere Pro.
System requirements for Adobe Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro minimum specifications for Windows
- Processor: Intel® 6thGen or newer CPU – or AMD equivalent
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) version 1703 or later
- RAM: 8 GB of RAM
- GPU: 2 GB of GPU VRAMFor a list of recommended graphics cards, see Recommended graphics cards for Adobe Premiere Pro.
- Hard disk space: 8 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (will not install on removable flash storage)Additional high-speed drive for media
- Monitor resolution: 1280 x 800
- Sound card: ASIO compatible or Microsoft Windows Driver Model
- Network storage connection: 1 Gigabit Ethernet (HD only)
Premiere Pro recommended specifications for Windows
- Processor: Intel® 7thGen or newer CPU – or AMD equivalent
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) version 1703 or later
- RAM: 16 GB of RAM for HD media and 32 GB for 4K media or higher
- GPU: 4 GB of GPU VRAMFor a list of recommended graphics cards, see Recommended graphics cards for Adobe Premiere Pro.
- Hard disk space: Fast internal SSD for app installation and cache. Additional high-speed drive(s) for media
- Monitor resolution: 1920 x 1080 or greater
- Sound card: ASIO compatible or Microsoft Windows Driver Model
- Network storage connection: 10 Gigabit ethernet for 4K shared network workflow
Premiere Pro minimum specifications for macOS
- Processor: Intel® 6thGen or newer CPU
- Operating system: macOS v10.12 or later (v10.13 or later required for hardware acceleration)
- RAM: 8 GB of RAM
- GPU: 2 GB of GPU VRAM
- Hard disk space: 8 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (will not install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system or on removable flash storage devices). Additional high-speed drive for media
- Monitor resolution: 1280 x 800
- Network storage connection: 1 Gigabit Ethernet (HD only)
Premiere Pro recommended specifications for macOS
- Processor: Intel® 6thGen or newer CPU
- Operating system: macOS v10.13 or later
- RAM: 16 GB of RAM for HD media and 32 GB for 4K media or higher
- GPU: 4 GB of GPU VRAM
- Hard disk space: Fast internal SSD for app installation and cache. Additional high-speed drive(s) for media
- Monitor resolution: 1920 x 1080 or greater
- Network storage connection: 10 Gigabit ethernet for 4K shared network workflow
What kind of computer do I need for Adobe Illustrator?
Illustrator system requirements
Minimum system requirements for Adobe Illustrator
Illustrator minimum specifications for Windows
- Processor: Multicore Intel processor (with 32/64-bit support) or AMD Athlon 64 processor
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1, Windows 10
- RAM: 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended) for 32-bit; 4 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended) for 64 bit
- Hard disk space: 2 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation; SSD recommended
- Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768 display (1920 x 1080 recommended)To use Touch workspace in Illustrator, you must have a touch-screen-enabled tablet/monitor running Windows 10 (Microsoft Surface Pro 3 recommended).
- Graphics processor acceleration requirements: OpenGL 4. Optional: To use GPU Performance: Your Windows should have a minimum of 1GB of VRAM (4 GB recommended), and your computer must support OpenGL version 4.0 or greater.
- Internet: Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.
Illustrator minimum specifications for macOS
- Processor: Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
- Operating system: macOS version 10.14 (Mojave), 10.13 (High Sierra), 10.12 (Sierra)
- RAM: 4 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended)
- Hard disk space: 2 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation; SSD recommended
- Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768 display (1920 x 1080 recommended)
- Graphics processor acceleration requirements: Optional: To use GPU Performance: Your Mac should have a minimum of 1 GB of VRAM (2 GB recommended), and your computer must support OpenGL version 4.0 or greater.
For eGPU, support on Mac OS 10.13.5 or above. To check for VRAM values: Choose Mac > About This Mac (Graphics information).
To find out if your computer supports the required OpenGL version (4.0 or later). - Internet: Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.
Lightroom system requirements
Your computer must meet the minimum technical specifications outlined below to run and use Lightroom.
Minimum system requirements for Adobe Lightroom
Lightroom minimum specifications for Windows
- Processor: Intel® or AMD processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10 with 64-bit support (Version 1709 or later)
- RAM: 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended)
- Hard disk space: 2 GB of available hard-disk space for program installation
- Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768 display
- Graphics processor acceleration requirements: AMD: Radeon GPU with DirectX 12 or OpenGL 3.3 support.Intel: Skylake or newer GPU with DirectX 12 support.NVIDIA: GPU with DirectX 12 or OpenGL 3.3 support.OpenGL 3.3 and DirectX 10-capable video adapter for GPU-related functionality.1 GB Video RAM (VRAM). 2 GB of dedicated VRAM (4 GB recommended) for large, high-resolution monitors, such as 4K- and 5K-resolution monitors.
- Internet: Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.
Lightroom minimum specifications for macOS
- Processor: Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
- Operating system: macOS v10.12 (Sierra), macOS v10.13 (High Sierra), or macOS v10.14 (Mojave)
- RAM: 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended)
- Hard disk space: 2 GB of available hard-disk space (cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system or on removable flash storage devices)
- Graphics processor acceleration requirements: AMD: macOS 10.12, macOS 10.13, or macOS 10.14 with Metal support.Intel: macOS 10.12, macOS 10.13, or macOS 10.14 with Metal support.NVIDIA: macOS 10.12, macOS 10.13, or macOS 10.14 with Metal support.OpenGL 3.3-capable video adapter for GPU-related functionality.1 GB Video RAM (VRAM). 2 GB of dedicated VRAM (4 GB recommended) for large, high-resolution monitors, such as 4K- and 5K-resolution monitors.OpenGL 3.3–capable video adapter for GPU-related functionality.
- Internet: An Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.
After Effects system requirements
Minimum system requirements for Adobe After Effects
After Effects minimum specifications for Windows
- Processor: Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) versions 1703 (Creators Update) and later
- RAM: 16 GB minimum (32 GB recommended)
- Hard disk space: 5GB of available hard-disk space; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on removable flash storage devices)Additional disk space for disk cache (10GB recommended)
- Monitor resolution: 1280×1080 or greater display resolution
- Internet: Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.
After Effects minimum specifications for macOS
- Processor: Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
- Operating system: macOS versions 10.12 (Sierra), 10.13 (High Sierra), 10.14 (Mojave)
- RAM: 16 GB minimum (32 GB recommended)
- Hard disk space: 6GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system or on removable flash storage devices)Additional disk space for disk cache (10GB recommended)
- Monitor resolution: 1440×900 or greater display resolution
- Internet: Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.
If you would like to learn about Adobe Photoshop check out our article Adobe Photoshop Review.
