Adobe Animate to shut down in 2026 as company shifts focus to AI

Adobe is discontinuing its long-running 2D animation software, Adobe Animate, as the company increasingly shifts its focus toward artificial intelligence-driven products. 

According to an update posted on Adobe’s support website and emails sent to customers on Monday, Adobe Animate will officially shut down on March 1, 2026.

Adobe said enterprise customers will continue to receive technical support until March 1, 2029, while all other users will have access to support through March of next year to help ease the transition. 

Despite the extended timelines, the announcement has sparked frustration and concern among Animate’s user base, many of whom say the software plays a critical role in their creative workflows.

On social media, users expressed disbelief and anger over the decision, with some urging Adobe to open-source the program rather than abandon it entirely. 

Others warned that the move could drive subscribers away, arguing that Animate is a major reason many creators remain within the Adobe ecosystem.

In an FAQ explaining the decision, Adobe said Animate has existed for more than 25 years and has “served its purpose well” in supporting the animation community.

The company added that evolving technologies and new creative paradigms now better meet user needs, prompting the decision to end support.

However, Adobe stopped short of offering a full replacement. Instead, it suggested that Creative Cloud Pro users combine other Adobe tools to replicate parts of Animate’s functionality. 

Recommendations included using After Effects for advanced keyframe animation via its Puppet tool and Adobe Express for basic animation effects applied to text, images, and video—alternatives many users say fall short of a true substitute.