Instead of a direct .exe for Photoshop, Softonic forces you to download their (often flagged by antivirus as potentially unwanted program – PUP).
Softonic’s “exclusive” offering is . It is a trial installer that requires a valid Adobe subscription after the 30‑day evaluation period. The download itself is a genuine Adobe installer packaged by Softonic; no malware or adware has been reported in recent tests. Instead of a direct
: Softonic is a third-party aggregator, not an official Adobe distributor. Adobe only officially supports downloads through the Adobe Creative Cloud official Adobe website Security Risks The download itself is a genuine Adobe installer
The download finished in minutes. He bypassed his antivirus warnings, dismissing them as "false positives" often found in cracked software. He clicked the installer. A progress bar crawled across the screen, but instead of the familiar Adobe splash screen, his desktop icons began to flicker. He bypassed his antivirus warnings, dismissing them as
By subscribing to the Photography Plan (which includes Lightroom) or the All Apps plan, you gain access to the most secure, bug-free version of the software.
The downloader attempts to install toolbars, browser hijackers, or other adware unless you carefully uncheck boxes.