Adobe Animate is dead: What to do if you're an animator
Adobe is saying goodbye to its long-running animation app, Animate, as it pivots toward AI-powered creative tools.
Adobe will discontinue Animate on 1 March 2026; technical support will continue through 1 March 2027 for non-enterprise customers and through 1 March 2029 for enterprise customers.
Existing users may continue to use Animate, and the software will continue to work for those who have it downloaded, but Adobe suggests switching over to After Effects or Adobe Express—though neither fully replaces what Animate could do.
Users are calling for Animate's source code to be released
The news has hit animators hard, sparking backlash on social media and forums. Many are upset and want Adobe to open-source Animate so the community can keep it alive.
With no perfect replacement available, users are now exploring other apps like Moho Animation and Toon Boom Harmony as they prepare for the transition away from a tool many grew up using.