Thursday, April 23, 2015

Adobe Lightroom 6 standalone and upgrade

If you're a Lightroom user you've no doubt gotten the update notice from your software. Unfortunately in Adobe's effort to continue to push the "Creative Cloud" rent-a-software model when you click to do the "upgrade" you are directed to the "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC" splash page, where it dazzles you with descriptions of the features.

Unfortunately, when you click "Download" or "Buy now" you are taken only to the Lightroom CC option. You are not even made aware that a standalone version is even available and what's worse is that they don't even hint to current users that there is a less expensive ($79 US) upgrade path if you own an existing version of Lightroom.

I searched and searched looking for the the upgrade path and couldn't find it I tried reaching out to Adobe and the Lightroom team via twitter, no response. I also tried their online chat tech support where an open chat box lurked there for over an hour every once in awhile beeping to let me nobody was home.

So I just had to keep digging until I finally found it. I figured I couldn't be the only one with this problem, so I decided to share the link so you can buy or upgrade to the standalone version instead of being shamelessly pushed towards the Creative Cloud "pay in perpetuity" model that Adobe has forced upon it's loyal user base. Well, some of us are loyal simply because their isn't another viable option out there.

In any case the link to the standalone version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6 is on the Adobe Products page. Click the link, scroll down to Photoshop Lightroom 6 and click "Buy" it will show the price of $149. If you don't already own a copy of a previous version click "Add to Cart" and then complete your purchase. If you already own a version of Lightroom 1-5 you can upgrade by clicking on the "I want to buy:" dropdown menu. Select "Upgrade". Another sub-menu appears that reads "I own:", click on that and select the version of Lightroom you own (1.x-5.x) at this point the upgrade price of $79 appears. Now click "Add to Cart". This will take you to your cart where you can now checkout. Look over your order to make sure it's correct and click the checkout button. This brings you to the billing process, and since Lightroom can be purchased in a box in most places, you get to pay taxes on it. Enter your payment info and there you go.

Keep in mind you only get a product key with this type of purchase. If you want a full DVD boxed version buy from Amazon by clicking on the Lightroom graphic below.
 
At this time the boxed version isn't available, in the meantime you can run a free trial of Lightroom CC, until your box is shipped.

I hope this helps those of you who are as frustrated as I am that Adobe is making it as difficult as possible to buy/upgrade the standalone version.

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