Adobe Creative Cloud Resources

Adobe Creative Cloud App is the central hub for managing all your Adobe Creative Cloud software and services. Whether you're a graphic designer, photographer, video editor, or digital artist, this app streamlines your workflow by giving you easy access to your installed apps, available updates, and new tools in the Adobe ecosystem.

With a sleek, user-friendly interface, the Creative Cloud App lets you download, install, and update over 20+ Adobe applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and more. You can also manage your Creative Cloud storage, access synced files across devices, explore tutorials, discover new features, and connect with the creative community.

Key features include:

• Seamless app installation and updates

• Cloud storage and file syncing

• Fonts from Adobe Fonts

• Stock image and asset browsing

• Personalized content and tutorials

• Team collaboration tools (for business and enterprise plans)

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, the Adobe Creative Cloud App makes it easier to stay productive and creative — all in one place. If you have questions about how to license yourself please refer to this article: Article - Adobe Applications Self-Ser.... 

Please refer to this knowledge base article on installing Adobe Creative Cloud desktop applications: How to install Adobe Creative Cloud desktop applications?

Overview of applications

These are apps available to faculty, staff and students alike in the adobe creative could app through the Creative Cloud licence U of I has. You will also find some practical uses and, if the app has it, a link to adobe learning page for that app.

Acrobat 

Description: Create, edit, organize, and sign PDFs. Essential for accessible documents, forms, and collaborative feedback. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Compile research into organized PDFs, annotate lecture notes, and submit assignments in a universally accepted format. 

• Faculty: Distribute course materials, syllabi, and reading lists as secure PDFs; provide feedback through annotations. 

• Staff: Manage administrative documents, create fillable forms, and ensure document accessibility. 

Learn: Learn how to use Acrobat on the Adobe learn site

 

After Effects 

Animate 

Description: Design interactive animations for web, games, or e-learning using vector graphics and HTML5. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Develop interactive web content and animations for digital portfolios. 

• Faculty: Create animated educational content to support online learning modules. 

• Staff: Design engaging multimedia content for university websites and digital signage. 

Learn: Learn how to use Animate on the Adobe learn site

 

Audition 

Description: Professional audio editing software. Great for cleaning up podcasts, voiceovers, and multimedia projects. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Produce high-quality audio for podcasts, interviews, and multimedia assignments. 

• Faculty: Record and edit lectures or create audio resources for language courses. 

• Staff: Develop clear audio content for promotional videos and event recordings. 

 

Dreamweaver 

 

Description: A powerful tool to design and code responsive websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—perfect for digital media or web development courses. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Build personal websites or portfolios to showcase work and projects. 

• Faculty: Develop course websites to centralize resources and information. 

• Staff: Maintain and update departmental websites with current information. 

Learn: Learn how to use Dreamweaver on the Adobe learn site

Express 

Description: A quick and easy tool for making graphics, flyers, videos, and web pages—perfect for students and educators with no design background. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Create visually appealing presentations and social media content.  

• Faculty: Design course announcements, event flyers, and simple infographics. 

• Staff: Develop promotional materials and internal communications effortlessly. 

Learn: Learn how to use Adobe Express on the Adobe learn site

 

Firefly 

Description: Adobe’s AI-powered design assistant. Generate images, effects, and text styles using natural language prompts—great for rapid ideation and creative exploration. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Quickly prototype design ideas and generate unique visuals for projects. 

• Faculty: Incorporate AI-generated visuals into teaching materials to enhance engagement. 

• Staff: Create innovative marketing materials with ease using AI-generated content. 

Learn: Learn how to use Firefly on the Adobe learn site

 

Fonts 

Description: Access to thousands of high-quality fonts that sync across Adobe apps—great for typography, branding, and visual design. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Enhance design projects with a diverse range of typography options. 

• Faculty: Maintain consistent and professional typography in course materials. 

• Staff: Ensure brand consistency across all university publications and digital content. 

 

Illustrator 

 

Description: Create detailed vector graphics—logos, icons, infographics, and illustrations that scale without losing quality. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Design logos and graphics for student organizations or personal projects. 

• Faculty: Develop custom diagrams and illustrations for research papers and presentations. 

• Staff: Create branded materials such as brochures and posters for university events. 

Learn: Learn how to use Illustrator on the Adobe learn site

 

In Copy 

Description: A writing and editing tool that integrates with InDesign—ideal for collaborative publishing teams (e.g., campus magazines or yearbooks). 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Collaborate on articles and content for student publications. 

• Faculty: Work with editors on academic journals and conference proceedings. 

• Staff: Coordinate content creation for university newsletters and magazines. 

 

InDesign 

 

Description: Desktop publishing software for creating print and digital layouts—used for books, brochures, newsletters, and academic journals. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Design professional-looking resumes, portfolios, and project reports. 

• Faculty: Create course syllabi, research posters, and academic publications.  

• Staff: Develop marketing materials, event programs, and informational brochures. 

Learn: Learn how to use InDesign on the Adobe learn site

 

Lightroom 

Description: A cloud-based photo editor focused on fast edits and sharing—ideal for beginners or mobile-first creators. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Edit and organize photos for assignments, portfolios, or social media. 

• Faculty: Enhance images for presentations, lectures, or research documentation. 

• Staff: Manage and edit photos for university publications and websites. 

Learn: Learn how to use Lightroom on the Adobe learn site

 

Lightroom Classic 

Description: The desktop-focused version of Lightroom with comprehensive tools for professional photo editing and management. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Handle large photo projects with advanced editing and organizing features. 

• Faculty: Process high volumes of images for research or publication purposes. 

• Staff: Maintain extensive photo archives for institutional use. 

Learn: Learn how to use Lightroom Classic on the Adobe learn site

 

Media Encoder 

Description: Software for encoding and exporting video and audio files into various formats—integrates seamlessly with Premiere Pro and After Effects. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Convert video projects into different formats for presentations or online submission. 

• Faculty: Prepare lecture recordings or multimedia content for diverse platforms. 

• Staff: Standardize media files for use in marketing or archival purposes. 

 

Photoshop 

 

Description: The industry-standard for photo editing, digital art, and graphic design—essential for creating and manipulating images. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Create and edit images for projects, portfolios, and social media content. 

• Faculty: Develop visual aids for lectures, research presentations, and publications. 

• Staff: Design promotional materials, website graphics, and official documents.  

Learn: Learn how to use Photoshop on the Adobe learn site

 

Photoshop Express 

Description: A mobile-friendly version of Photoshop for quick edits, filters, and retouching on the go. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Enhance photos for social media or class projects directly from mobile devices. 

• Faculty: Quickly edit images for presentations or online courses while away from the desktop. 

• Staff: Manage and edit images for immediate use in communications or social media. 

 

Premiere Pro 

 

Description: Professional video editing software for film, TV, and web content creation.  

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Edit video projects for film classes, multimedia assignments, or personal portfolios. 

• Faculty: Produce recorded lectures, instructional videos, or research documentaries. 

• Staff: Create promotional videos, event recaps, and content for university channels. 

Learn: Learn how to use Premiere Pro on the Adobe learn site

 

Scan 

Description: A mobile app that turns your device into a scanner, allowing you to capture documents, forms, and whiteboards and save them as PDFs.  

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Digitize handwritten notes, textbooks, and handouts for easy organization and sharing. 

• Faculty: Scan and distribute excerpts from books or articles for course materials. 

• Staff: Quickly capture and archive paper documents for digital record-keeping. 

 

Stock 

Description: A service providing access to millions of high-quality, royalty-free images, videos, templates, and more. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Incorporate professional visuals into presentations, projects, and portfolios. 

• Faculty: Enhance course materials and lectures with high-quality images and graphics. 

• Staff: Utilize stock assets for marketing materials, website content, and official publications. 

 

Substance 3D Designer 

 

Description: A node-based tool for creating procedural materials and textures, widely used in game design, visual effects, and architectural visualization. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Develop custom textures and materials for 3D models in game design or animation projects. 

• Faculty: Teach procedural material creation and its applications in various industries. 

• Staff: Create unique textures for use in promotional 3D visuals or virtual campus tours. 

Learn: Learn how to use Substance 3D Designer on the Adobe learn site

 

Substance 3D Modeler 

Description: A 3D modeling and sculpting application that allows creation across both desktop and VR, making 3D object creation intuitive and immersive.  

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Sculpt and model 3D assets for use in animations, games, or virtual reality projects. 

• Faculty: Introduce students to VR-based modeling techniques and workflows. 

• Staff: Develop 3D representations of campus facilities or artifacts for virtual tours or exhibitions. 

Learn: Learn how to use Substance 3D Modeler on the​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​Adobe learn site

 

Substance 3D Painter 

Description: A 3D painting software that enables texturing and rendering of 3D meshes with advanced brushes and Smart Materials.  

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Texture 3D models with realistic materials for class projects or portfolios. 

• Faculty: Demonstrate texturing techniques and workflows in digital media courses. 

• Staff: Prepare detailed 3D assets for use in marketing materials or virtual reality experiences. 

Learn: Learn how to use Substance 3D Painter on the​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​Adobe learn site

 

Substance 3D Sampler 

Description: An application that allows users to create digital materials by combining and augmenting existing resources, including photos and scans. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Convert real-world textures into digital materials for use in 3D projects. 

• Faculty: Teach students how to digitize physical materials for virtual applications. 

• Staff: Create accurate digital representations of campus materials or artifacts for virtual displays. 

Learn: Learn how to use Substance 3D Sampler on the​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​Adobe learn site

 

Substance 3D Stager 

Description: A professional staging tool for scene design and rendering, allowing users to assemble 3D scenes by staging models, materials, lights, and cameras. 

Practical Applications: 

• Students: Compose and render 3D scenes for product design, interior design, or advertising projects. 

• Faculty: Demonstrate principles of lighting, composition, and rendering in 3D environments. 

• Staff: Create high-quality 3D visuals for marketing campaigns or virtual campus tours. 

Learn: Learn about Substance 3D Stager on the Adobe learn site