Adobe warning: not compatible. What now?
Wednesday 3 December 2025, 16:32 by Nando Harmsen | 1,881 views | 5 commentsThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
New versions of Adobe's software are released every year. At some point, you will get a 'not compatible' message. This certainly applies if you are using an older computer.
Having a new version of the software you use to manage your photos on your computer every year is of course great. That is one of the things you pay those annual costs for. However, these new versions do come with new requirements.
Every new software version of Photoshop, Lightroom and Lightroom Classic demands more from your computer. More memory, more processing power, more storage and better graphics performance. So there will come a point when your computer no longer meets the requirements.
If that is the case, you can no longer install the latest version of the software. Your computer no longer meets the minimum system requirements for the software. To put it bluntly: your computer is too old.
That may indeed be the case if you have been using the same computer for five or ten years. But perhaps you have a more recent computer. In that case, you may not have enough memory, or your graphics card may not be fast enough.
Above are the minimum system requirements for Lightroom Classic version 15. You can find them on Adobe's website. You can find them for Lightroom here.
Once you reach this point, you have no choice but to upgrade your computer, or buy a new one if your computer is indeed very old.
Sometimes an upgrade is enough, such as installing more RAM. Or a larger hard drive. Or a new graphics card. Sometimes you have to upgrade so much that it is cheaper to buy something new.
Above are the minimum system requirements for Photoshop version 26. You can find them on Adobe's website.
Having to buy a new computer is of course frustrating, but that is how it works if you want to have the latest software. If you do not want to upgrade or buy a new computer, you will have to stick with the latest software that still works.
However, this does not mean that you can no longer use the software. Thankfully. Older versions of Lightroom, Lightroom Classic and Photoshop still work. And they will continue to do so. In Adobe's case, for a long time yet.
Software is therefore the same as cameras. If your camera is too old, you have to buy a new one if you want to use the latest features. If your computer is too old, you have to buy a new one to be able to use those latest features.
Or you can choose alternatives such as Luminar, Affinity or whatever. But bear in mind that here too, the latest software or upgrades may eventually start showing a 'not compatible' message.
About the author
Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.
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5 comments
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Henk de Reus wrote on Tuesday 9 December 2025 at 10:43 | replyDank voor de heldere uitleg, Nando!
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.
Het zal in dit verband met de AI functies te maken hebben die flink wat rekenkracht vragen. -
Paul wrote on Tuesday 9 December 2025 at 14:33 | replyDe melding "niet compatibel" kan ik nog begrijpen maar ik kreeg een melding van Adobe dat ze mijn toegang weigerde omdat ze van mening waren dat mijn Adobe film software door verschillende personen in mijn bedrijf werd gebruikt. Ik heb helemaal geen bedrijf en ben de enige die met die Adobe film software (premiere) werkt. Contact met Adobe verliep alles behalve vlot en daarom heb ik alles bij Adobe stop gezet en een alternatief gezocht en gevonden.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet. -
Marleen wrote on Tuesday 9 December 2025 at 15:20 | replyDeze melding kregen wij ook, een nieuw wachtwoord aangemaakt en het euvel is opgelost
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet. -
h.dereus wrote on Saturday 20 December 2025 at 20:22
| reply
Hallo Marleen, wat bedoel je met 'euvel'? De melding 'Niet compatibel' of slaat het op het probleem bij Paul (software door verschillende personen gebruikt).
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.
Als het op het eerste slaat dan begrijp ik niet dat ik de melding 'niet compatabel' wél op m'n PC krijg en niet op mijn wat jongere laptop, waarop de download wél lukte. -
Paul wrote on Tuesday 9 December 2025 at 16:43 | reply
Dank je wel Marleen voor je antwoord, van dat ander wachtwoord wist ik spijtig niet. Ik heb nu DavinciResolve studio aangekocht en ben daar super tevreden mee. Van DavinciResolve is ook een gratis versie beschikbaar maar die heeft iets minder mogelijkheden.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.
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