FAQs for the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate
Basics
The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate empowers you to create all kinds of fully-responsive eLearning content with a smart authoring tool. Embrace the future, as you effortlessly design modern immersive learning experiences using VR and 360° media assets. Easily create engaging eLearning content that works across all devices by adding interactivity to existing PowerPoint slides and videos that you record yourself or bring in from YouTube.
Corporate training professionals, educators, instructional designers, and all types of business users with limited programming capabilities who want to create product demos, application simulations, soft skill and compliance training, and mobile learning. Also, educators and trainers who are currently using PowerPoint and need to add interactivity to their training materials.
Adobe Captivate helps you create various types of eLearning and mobile learning content without programming. Adobe Presenter Video Express is a simple tool that lets you create interactive videos for training and education in a few clicks, right from your desktop.
Special upgrade pricing is available to customers who have valid licenses for Adobe Captivate (2017 release) and want to upgrade to the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate. Alternatively, you may subscribe to Adobe Captivate in a pay-as-you-go model so that you always have access to the latest version.
The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate lets you create all kinds of fully-responsive eLearning content with a smart authoring tool. Embrace the future, as you effortlessly design modern immersive learning experiences leveraging virtual reality and 360° media assets. Amplify video-based learning by easily adding interactivity to videos, that you record yourself, or bring in from YouTube, and drive up learner engagement.
For a list of all features click here.
Yes. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate provides tight integration with Adobe Connect and Adobe Captivate Prime LMS. Users can also deliver content through standard web browsers and track and manage courses and learners by publishing Adobe Captivate files directly to Adobe Captivate Prime.
You can import content from a variety of formats, including image formats (PSD, GIF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, ICO, EMF, WMF and POT), sound formats (MP3 and WAV), and popular animation and video formats (SWF, FLV with metatags, AVI, and MOV).
Yes. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate integrates with LMSs that are Tin Can-, SCORM 2004–, SCORM 1.2–, and AICC-compliant. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate automatically generates the manifest file—an XML document that contains all the data required by the LMS to communicate with Adobe Captivate content.
Yes. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate integrates with Adobe Presenter†.
Users can call Adobe Captivate from within Adobe Presenter to record simulations. You can use the SWF files generated by Adobe Captivate with any tools that support SWF files, such as Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Dreamweaver software.
Yes. You can import projects created in Microsoft PowerPoint. You can also edit PowerPoint content in Adobe Captivate, add interactive elements, and publish to desktop, web, mobile devices, and LMSs such as Adobe Captivate Prime LMS.
The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate now lets you create all kind of responsive eLearning content including interactive video-based learning with just one tool. Take advantage of a smart authoring platform that helps you slash the time and effort to create various types of responsive eLearning and mLearning content including software simulations, HD product demos, compliance training and more. From storyboarding to storytelling, do it all with just one tool. Embrace the future, as you effortlessly design modern immersive learning experiences leveraging virtual reality and 360° media assets. Amplify video-based learning by easily adding interactivity to videos, that you record yourself, or bring in from YouTube, and drive up learner engagement.
Yes. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate supports right-to-left languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, and Urdu. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate is available in English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Spanish versions. All editions include a completely localized user interface and documentation.
The AutoText captions feature automatically generates caption text in Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish. Authors can customize the AutoText caption file to support additional languages.
Yes. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate is certified for Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1, and Windows 8.1 and 10.
Yes. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate is available for Mac OS X v10.12.3 (or later), running on a multicore Intel processor, and on iOS 10.2.1 (or later) for iPad.
Pricing and purchasing information
Prices listed in this section are the Adobe direct store prices in the United States. Reseller prices may vary. Prices do not include tax or shipping and handling.
A full license for the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate costs US$1299.††
It costs just US$499†† to upgrade to the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate from Adobe Captivate (2017 release). Users of Macromedia Captivate, or Adobe Captivate 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 must purchase a new license for the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate for US$1299.††
Yes. The education edition of the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate is available at a discounted price of US$399†† to qualified educational users.
Check the Adobe Volume Licensing page for more details.
Yes. You can download a free, fully functional 30-day trial version of the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate. To download a trial version, visit https://www.adobe.com/products/captivate/download-trial/try.html.
Support information
For answers to commonly asked customer service questions, visit the Customer Service page.
For answers to commonly asked technical support questions, visit the support page.
The computer with Adobe Captivate installed must connect to the Internet at least once within 30 days of the first launch of your serialized product.
Activation* occurs silently in the background after installation when the system detects an Internet connection. You don't have to do anything to activate.
The product must connect to the Internet at least one time within 30 days of the first launch of your serialized product. If the product has not been activated within 30 days, the application does not launch until an Internet connection is detected, and the software can be activated.
The software silently tries to connect to the Internet to activate for 7 days after the first launch of your serialized product. If the software has not been activated within the 7 days, you receive a reminder for the next 23 days on every launch that the computer must connect to the Internet and activate the software. As soon as the software detects an Internet connection, it silently activates the product.
No. Activation of the product via the Internet is required for the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate. If your system is connected to the Internet and you receive an activation reminder, contact your local Customer Service for assistance. However, Customer Service cannot activate your software over the phone if you don’t have an Internet connection.
If your system is connected to the Internet and you have received a reminder to activate your product, contact your local Customer Service.
Yes. All Adobe Captivate users must activate their products. If your company has firewall restrictions that prevent the computers from connecting to the Internet, have your IT administrator contact your local Customer Service.
Yes. The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate must be activated on every computer on which it is installed for continued use of the software.
If your company has firewall restrictions that prevent the computers from connecting to the Internet, have your IT administrator contact your local Customer Service.
Activation of the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate via the Internet is required for continued use of the product. Activating your product helps protect your computer and your environment by ensuring that you are using a genuine Adobe product. You must connect to the Internet at least once within 30 days of the first launch of your serialized product; otherwise, the product stops working. If you work in a company that has a firewall that prevents your system from connecting to the Internet, have your IT administrator contact your local Customer Service.
No. Activation of the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate is required via the Internet. Each computer with a serialized product installed must connect to the Internet at least once within 30 days of first launch for continued use of the product.
For details on Adobe return policies in your region, visit the return or change Adobe orders page.
No. Activation is a mandatory process that requires the software to connect to Adobe servers via the Internet and associate the products you have bought from Adobe with the computers on which you use those products. Activation helps protect your computers and environment from malicious code by verifying that you have genuine Adobe software. Registration is an optional process that gives you access to a wide range of benefits and options, including access to support, notification of product updates, newsletters, special offers, and invitations to Adobe events.
Registration and activation are completely different. Activation is a mandatory process that requires the software to connect to Adobe servers via the Internet and associates your Adobe products with the computers on which you use those products. Activation helps protect your computers and environment from malicious code by verifying that you have genuine Adobe software. Registration is an optional process that gives you access to a wide range of benefits and options, including access to support, notification of product updates, newsletters, special offers, and invitations to Adobe events.
Contact Customer Service from 6am to 5pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, at 800-833-6687, or submit a request online at any time. For faster service when calling, have your invoice number available.
Subscription information and pricing
A subscription is a new, more flexible way to get eLearning software. It gives you ongoing access to the software for a low monthly fee, as well as access to all upgrades at no additional charge as long as your subscription remains active.
The following Adobe eLearning software is available by subscription:
- Adobe Captivate
- Adobe Presenter†
- Adobe Presenter Video Express
Only the latest versions are available on a subscription basis.
There is no difference in functionality, and the system requirements are the same. The only difference is that if you cancel a subscription, you can no longer use the software.
Subscribing is a great option to consider if:
- You haven’t upgraded your software in years and want to move up to the current version at an affordable cost.
- You have never used Adobe eLearning software and want a way to try it for the first time.
Subscription editions are similar to retail versions in that they are installed locally on your computer, and there is no difference in functionality between the versions. You do not need to be online to use your Adobe eLearning software subscription. However, you must be online when you install and license your software and at least once every 30 days thereafter. The software alerts you if you need to make an Internet connection for a license status check.
Adobe eLearning software subscriptions are available exclusively through Adobe.com. For more details, visit
If you are already using a trial version of the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate or the 2017 release of Adobe Presenter Video Express, you can buy a subscription for that product from Adobe.com. Select the Subscription option when you add the product to your online cart. Once the order is complete, subscription will start reflecting on your Adobe.com account. Please launch the product and choose the option to license this software, logon to your Adobe ID and the product will get activated. You can convert only the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate or the 2017 release of Adobe Presenter Video Express trial to a subscription. You cannot convert earlier trial versions to a subscription.
No. When you purchase your subscription, you electronically download the software.
Your subscription includes access to current and future versions of the Adobe eLearning application as long as your subscription remains active.
The 2019 release of Adobe Captivate offers an annual subscription plan with a monthly payout.
Subscription fees vary by product, plan, and your country of residence. Visit Adobe.com or the online Adobe Store in your respective country for pricing information.
Your credit card is billed each month. See terms and conditions for details.
The only way to pay for an individual subscription fee is by credit card. You can pay for team subscriptions (bought via the VIP buying program) using a PO and invoice model.
No. There is no price discount on a subscription if you own a Adobe eLearning software application.
Subscription editions of Adobe eLearning software are available only on Adobe.com. For more details, visit
Yes. Adobe Value Incentive Plan is a flexible subscription licensing program that allows the purchase of volume license. For more details, please refer to Adobe Buying Programs.
Yes. For more details on Adobe Value Incentive Plan for government, please refer to the Adobe VIP Program Guide
For education, please refer to the Adobe VIP Program Guide for Education.
Subscriptions for the 2019 release of Adobe Captivate and Adobe Presenter Video Express are available in English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Spanish.
Getting started with a subscription is fast and easy: Go to www.adobe.com and choose your product and plan, and then complete the purchase. Immediately after purchase, check your email for a message from Adobe with your serial number and a link to download your software. After you download the product, double-click the installer and follow the onscreen instructions to install your product and start your subscription.
Your subscription begins as soon as the order is fulfilled by the Adobe Store.
Visit the Adobe Support page where you can find information about typical software download issues.
From the Your Plans and Products tab on the My Account Page on Adobe.com, choose View your products. A column displays the serial number for your subscription, along with a link to download the product.
During the course of your purchase and installation, you are asked to create or enter an Adobe ID. An Adobe ID is simply your email address.
When you install your software, you are required to enter the same Adobe ID used for your subscription to:
- Help ensure that the person who subscribed is the same person who is installing the software
- Enable Adobe to send you important account information if your subscription is about to expire or cannot be charged
Adobe respects your privacy and sends you information about other Adobe products or services only if you explicitly opt in for such messages.
Ensure that your Adobe ID is your current active email address. If not, update it.
No. You can use the same Adobe ID with all your Adobe products, including subscriptions. Each subscription is considered a separate purchase, so you might receive a separate email for each subscription if there is a problem associated with multiple subscriptions on your account.
See subscription terms and conditions.
See the product license agreement for the software that you want to subscribe to.
When you buy a software product from Adobe, you are issued a serial number that represents your license to use that software. Activation is the process by which Adobe validates that your software and serial number are genuine and being used as allowed by your product license agreement. It is intended to protect both your rights as a consumer and Adobe’s rights as a software developer. Activation helps confirm that the software you bought is not counterfeit. You cannot use your Adobe subscription edition software if it is not activated.
Yes. If Adobe cannot activate the product, you are warned when you launch the application. Blocking access to the activation server prevents the product from launching.
Yes, there is a way for you to buy subscription for teams via the VIP buying program. For more details on Adobe Value Incentive Plan, please refer to the Adobe VIP Program Guide.
Yes, you can cancel your annual subscription. If you cancel within the first 14 days, you receive a full refund. Otherwise, you are billed 50% of your remaining contract obligation.
To cancel your membership at any time, contact Adobe Customer Service
You can restart your subscription within six months of canceling. After six months, your account is deactivated, and you must purchase a new subscription on www.adobe.com. If the version of the Adobe eLearning software you have installed is still the current version, you do not need to download it again, even if you are past the six-month period. Simply launch the installed software, and enter your new subscription number.
You can return a subscription edition within the first 14 days of purchase and get a full refund. The return process differs for countries and regions. Learn more about returning products in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
If your subscription expires or is stopped for any reason (for example, due to an expired credit card), you are notified by email, and your software displays an alert that your subscription has ended. If it has been less than six months since the subscription ended, click the Renew button displayed with the alert to enter the information required to restart your subscription.
No. When you cancel your subscription, you no longer have access to any version of your Adobe eLearning subscription software.
There are no discounts offered for moving from a subscription edition to a non-subscription purchase of Adobe eLearning software.
You are eligible to receive updates to the subscription edition of Adobe Captivate, Adobe Presenter, or Adobe Presenter Video Express as long as your subscription remains active. Adobe notifies you by email as updates become available. The email contains instructions on how to access and install the update. Ongoing bug fixes, security patches, and other update releases that do not require full upgrades are made available through the Updater in the Adobe Application Manager, just as in the regular versions of Adobe eLearning software.
Notifications of applicable upgrades are sent to you as soon as Adobe announces them. Adobe emails you the instructions on how to access and install the upgrade when it is available.
No. You are not required to install any new version of the subscription software, and you have a great deal of flexibility on when you install an upgrade should you choose to do so. You can continue using your current version of the product for one full year after the subsequent version is released.
Contact Adobe Customer Service.
Contact Adobe support for issues with your Adobe software.
You get the same service and support with your subscription that you would get under the traditional licensing model for that product.
*This product may integrate with or allow access to certain Adobe or third-party hosted online services (“Online Services”). Online Services are available only to users 13 and older and require agreement to additional terms of use and Adobe’s online privacy policy (see www.adobe.com/go/terms). Online Services are not available in all countries or languages, may require user registration, and may be discontinued or modified in whole or in part without notice. Additional fees or subscription charges may apply.
†Available only for Windows
††Prices listed are the Adobe direct store prices in the United States. Reseller prices may vary. Prices do not include tax or shipping and handling.