ALBAWABA - After getting backlash from tens of thousands of users, Adobe Animate will no longer be shut down.
Adobe confirmed that the animating software (previously known as Adobe Flash Professional) will not receive new features, but it will remain accessible to existing and new users. Adobe Animate has been widely used by animators from various industries since its launch in 1996.
News about its shutdown on March 1, 2026, sparked anger and disappointment among animators who still depend on the software to produce content, prompting Adobe to backpedal on its decision.
Adobe Animate will not shut down after backlash
Adobe launched a statement that read, "We are not discontinuing or removing access to Adobe Animate. Animate will continue to be available for both current and new customers, and we will ensure you continue to have access to your content."
The Photoshop and Substance 3D developer stated further, "There is no longer a deadline or date by which Animate will no longer be available. These are changes from what we shared in our original email. Adobe Animate is in maintenance mode for all customers. This applies to individual, small business, and enterprise customers."
A social media user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Is there a worse a company than Adobe? Like how to alienate your user base to add unnecessary AI into a product that doesn’t need it."
Another wrote, "glad they listened, but “maintenance mode forever” still feels like a slow goodbye."
Adobe has become one of the most hated developers among content creators and artists, who criticize it for its "predatory practices" such as an expensive yet mandatory subscription-based model, difficult cancellation processes, and its recent introduction of AI to its software, like Photoshop.
