Getting Started with Photoshop 2025 Installation

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:

• Install Adobe Photoshop 2025 on desktop, web, and iPad
• Set up and link your Adobe account with Firefly AI features
• Configure content credentials to maintain project authenticity

Introduction

Setting up Photoshop 2025 properly from the start saves you headaches later. This chapter walks you through the complete installation process across all devices, shows you how to activate AI features, and explains why content credentials matter for your work. Whether you're brand new to Photoshop or upgrading from an older version, these steps will get you up and running smoothly.

Lessons

Installing Photoshop 2025 on Different Devices

Photoshop 2025 works across desktop, web browsers, and iPad. Here's how to get it running on each:

Desktop Installation:

• Visit adobe.com and sign into your Adobe account
• Go to Creative Cloud apps in your account dashboard
• Find Photoshop 2025 and click Install
• Choose your preferred installation location
• Wait for the download and installation to complete

Web Version:

• Navigate to photoshop.adobe.com
• Sign in with your Adobe account
• Click "Start editing" to launch the web version
• No installation needed – it runs in your browser

iPad Installation:

• Open the App Store on your iPad
• Search for "Adobe Photoshop"
• Tap Get and install the app
• Open the app and sign in with your Adobe account

The desktop version offers the most features, while the web and iPad versions are perfect for quick edits and working on the go.

Setting Up Firefly AI Integration

Firefly AI adds powerful generative features to Photoshop. Here's how to activate it:

• Open Photoshop 2025 on your desktop
• Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences (Mac)
• Click on Technology Previews in the left panel
• Check the box next to "Enable Firefly-powered features"
• Restart Photoshop when prompted

Once activated, you'll see new AI options in the toolbar and menus. The Generate Fill and Generate Expand tools become available in the contextual menu when you make selections.

This is the bit most people miss: you need an active Creative Cloud subscription with generative credits to use these features. Check your account status if the tools appear greyed out.

Configuring Content Credentials

Content credentials track how your images were created and edited. Here's why this matters and how to set it up:

Why use content credentials:

• Proves authenticity of your work
• Shows what AI tools were used
• Builds trust with clients and viewers
• Helps combat misinformation

Setting it up:

• Open Photoshop and go to Edit > Preferences
• Select Content Credentials from the left menu
• Check "Attach content credentials to exports"
• Choose whether to include your name and contact info
• Select which export formats should include credentials

Your credentials will now be embedded in exported images. Viewers can check these details on the Content Authenticity Initiative website.

Practice

Try installing Photoshop on a second device you use regularly. This could be your iPad if you have the desktop version, or vice versa.

Once installed:

• Sign in with the same Adobe account
• Enable Firefly AI features if available on that device
• Create a simple test image and export it with content credentials enabled
• Check that your credentials appear correctly

Notice how your work syncs between devices through Creative Cloud.

FAQs

Can I use Photoshop 2025 offline?
The desktop version works offline for editing, but you need internet connection for AI features and initial activation.

What if Firefly AI features won't activate?
Check you have an active Creative Cloud subscription and restart Photoshop after enabling the preference. If problems persist, sign out and back into your Adobe account.

Do content credentials make my files larger?
Yes, but only slightly. The metadata adds a few kilobytes to each file.

Can I install Photoshop on multiple computers?
Yes, your Creative Cloud licence allows installation on two computers for personal use.

Jargon Buster

Creative Cloud: Adobe's subscription service that includes Photoshop and other apps
Firefly AI: Adobe's artificial intelligence technology for generating and editing images
Content Credentials: Metadata that tracks how an image was created and edited
Generative Fill: AI feature that creates new content in selected areas of your image

Wrap-up

You now have Photoshop 2025 installed and configured with AI features and content credentials. These foundations will serve you well as you start editing images. The next chapter covers the Photoshop interface and where to find the tools you'll use most often.

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