For basic telemetry, yes. For critical license validation, no. Adobe has shifted to "heartbeat" check-ins that require occasional success.
Copy and paste these entries into your hosts file. For a complete and updated list, you can use the Adobe URL Block List on GitHub .
When a user attempts to access an Adobe software or service, the operating system queries the hosts file to resolve the hostname to an IP address. If the hostname is present in the hosts file and mapped to a non-routable IP address (e.g., 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0 ), the request is effectively blocked. Adobe's Hosts File Block List contains a comprehensive list of hostnames associated with pirated software, cracks, and illicit services. Adobe Hosts File Block List
The refers to a curated set of domain entries added to a computer’s hosts file to block communication between Adobe software (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Creative Cloud) and Adobe’s licensing and activation servers. The primary goal is to prevent software from validating subscriptions or trial periods — often used to run Adobe products without a valid paid license.
Many non-Adobe applications (video editors, PDF readers, even some games) rely on Adobe services for license checks. Your block list could break them. For basic telemetry, yes
The hosts file is a local operating system file (e.g., /etc/hosts on Linux/macOS, C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows) that maps domain names to IP addresses before DNS lookup.
Modern Adobe applications have hardcoded IP addresses for critical activation servers. If DNS resolution fails (due to a Hosts block), the software tries the direct IP. If that works, the license check proceeds. Copy and paste these entries into your hosts file
A local block list serves several practical purposes depending on the user's workflow: