The Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool is a utility designed to help remove problematic Creative Cloud apps, CoreSync components, and related configuration files when standard uninstalls fail. This article compiles and reorganizes information from a provided draft to create a detailed, cohesive guide on using the tool effectively, including common steps, options, and post-cleanup verification.
Preparation: review and prerequisites
Review the Adobe End-User License Agreement: Type y to accept or n to decline (if you decline, the script stops). After you start the tool, you may be prompted to accept the terms before proceeding with any cleanup operations.
Ensure you have administrative privileges on the computer and a stable internet connection if the tool needs to contact Adobe servers during cleanup.
Starting and navigating the tool
Launch the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool and review the initial menu. Type the number that corresponds to the option you want to select and then press Enter. This menu-driven interface guides you through the cleanup process without needing to manually remove files.
Select an option from the menu in the upper-right corner of the window to access different actions and statuses. From the table, select the app you want to clean up, and then click Cleanup Selected. Similarly, to clean up CoreSync, first ensure that you have selected All in the pop-up menu.
Removing an Adobe Creative Cloud app
To remove an app using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool, you need to remove the app entry from the tool. Identify the app in the tool’s list, then choose the Cleanup option for that app. This action removes associated files and configurations that the standard uninstaller may not remove.
After selecting an app, you can proceed with the cleanup by confirming the operation when prompted by the tool.
Removing CoreSync
CoreSync is a background component responsible for syncing assets and licensing information. To remove CoreSync, ensure All is selected in the appropriate menu, then choose the CoreSync cleanup option. This helps resolve issues caused by corrupted CoreSync installations or stuck processes.
Repeat cleanup if necessary, following the same confirmation prompts as for apps.
Repairing host files (offline recovery)
(Optional) If you're unable to connect to Adobe's servers, repeat these steps to fix your host files. After accepting the End-User License Agreement, type 12 to select the host files option. Confirm that you want to fix the host files: Type y and then press Enter. This step helps route the tool's network requests correctly and can resolve connectivity-related cleanup failures.
Verification and logging
To verify that the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool completed successfully, open a log file in a text editor such as WordPad: Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool.log. Review the log file entries to confirm which components were removed and to identify any errors or remaining traces that may require manual action.
After cleanup, review the log entries for each cleaned component and ensure there are no outstanding references that could cause future issues with Creative Cloud activation or installations.
Tips for effective cleanup
- Run the tool with administrative privileges to ensure all files and registry/permissions can be modified.
- Back up important data before performing cleanup, especially if the machine is used in a production environment.
- If a cleanup does not fully resolve an issue, re-run the tool and consider cleaning additional components or checking for remnants in the user profile directories.
- Keep the system and other Adobe software updated after cleanup to minimize compatibility issues.
Table: cleanup steps at a glance
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool and accept the End-User License Agreement |
| 2 | Select the app to clean up from the list and click Cleanup Selected |
| 3 | For CoreSync, set the menu to All and choose CoreSync cleanup |
| 4 | (Optional) If offline, select Fix Host File and type y to confirm |
| 5 | Open the log file to verify cleanup results |