Adobe is suspending its plan to discontinue Adobe Animate after a strong backlash from customers after it announced plans to end the 2D animation software amid an increased focus on its investments in artificial intelligence.
“We are not discontinuing or removing access to Adobe Animate. Animate will continue to be available to both current and new customers, and we will ensure that you continue to have access to your content,” the company he wrote in a post on Wednesday.
Adobe’s announcement on Monday about the discontinuation of Animate was met with distrust, frustration, and anger, and users expressed concerns about the lack of alternatives that mirror Animate’s functionality.
The company changed its tune on Wednesday, saying there will no longer be a “deadline or date by which Animate will no longer be available.”
“Adobe Animate is in maintenance mode for all customers. This applies to individual, small business and enterprise customers. Maintenance mode means that we will continue to support the app and provide ongoing security and bug fixes, but we are no longer adding new features. Animate will continue to be available to both new and existing users – we will not stop or remove access to Ado it.”
A customer, posting on Xhad asked Adobe to at least open source the software instead of abandoning it. Commenters on the thread responded with anguish, saying things like“this is legal it will ruin my life” and“literally what the hell are they doing? Animate is the reason a large portion of adobe users sign up in the first place.”
On Monday, the company updated its support website and sent emails to existing customers announcing that Adobe Animate will be discontinued on March 1, 2026. Enterprise customers will continue to receive technical support until March 1, 2029, to ease the transition, the company said at the time. Other customers will have support until March next year.
Adobe explained its decision to discontinue the program in a FAQsaying, “Animate is a product that has been around for over 25 years and has served its purpose well in creating, nurturing, and growing the animation ecosystem. As technologies evolve, new platforms and paradigms emerge that better serve the needs of users. In recognition of this change, we plan to discontinue support for Anim.”
Reading between the lines, it seemed as if Adobe was saying that Animate no longer represents the company’s current direction, which is now more focused on products that incorporate AI technologies.
What’s surprising is that Adobe couldn’t even offer software that would fully replace what customers lose with Animate. Instead, he said, customers with a Creative Cloud Pro plan can use other Adobe apps to “replace parts of Animate’s functionality.”
For example, he suggested that Adobe After Effects can support complex keyframe animation using the Puppet tool, and Adobe Express can be used for motion effects that can be applied to photos, videos, text, shapes, and other design elements.
There were signs that Adobe was heading in that direction when there was no mention of Animate at the company’s annual Adobe Max conference. Additionally, no version of the 2025 software has been released.
Before going into “maintenance mode,” Abode intended to keep the software running for those who downloaded it. Adobe typically charges $34.49 per month for the software, which drops to $22.99 with a 12-month commitment. The annual prepaid plan was available for $263.88. Now, the company says it will be available to new users as well.
Some users have recommended other animation programs to use as a replacement, including Moho Animation and Toon Boom Harmony.
Updated, February 4, 2026, to note that Adobe has reversed its decision and announced that the software will be put into maintenance rather than discontinued.
