Adobe has announced that it will officially discontinue its long-running 2D animation software, Adobe Animate, effective March 1, 2026, the company confirmed on Monday via its support site.
Read More: Adobe puts artificial intelligence tools into its marketing software
The decision is part of Adobe’s broader strategic shift toward artificial intelligence. According to the company’s FAQ, while Animate “served its purpose well” for over 25 years, “new platforms and paradigms have emerged that better meet users’ needs.”
The announcement has drawn frustration from long-time users, many of whom rely on Animate as the primary tool for their animation workflows. Some have called for the software to be open-sourced, while others expressed concern over the impact on their Creative Cloud subscriptions and professional projects.
Adobe’s decision had been anticipated by some observers, following the software’s omission from the 2025 Adobe Max conference and the absence of a 2025 version release.
The company said it will not offer a direct replacement for Animate. Instead, Creative Cloud Pro users are encouraged to adapt existing workflows using other Adobe applications, including After Effects for keyframe animation and Adobe Express for simpler projects.
Current users will still be able to use Animate, but no future updates will be provided. Enterprise customers will continue to receive support until March 2029, while standard users will have support through March 2027, allowing a transition period for businesses and freelancers.
Read More: Adobe Acrobat introduces AI assistant for conversational
In the meantime, many animators are exploring third-party alternatives such as Moho Animation and Toon Boom Harmony to maintain production pipelines.
The move signals a major shift in Adobe’s product strategy, reflecting its growing focus on AI-driven creative tools while phasing out legacy software that has served animators for more than two decades.