This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Creative Cloud Desktop
The Creative Cloud Desktop application is a management console for all of your Adobe desktop applications. It also acts as a gateway for you to access mobile software, web-based services, and learning resources.
The application interface
When you launch the Creative Cloud desktop application, you’ll be presented with an easy-to-understand interface that includes application management and links to additional mobile applications and web-based services.
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You’ll see a set of four views accessible from tabs along the top of the application interface. By default, the Apps view 
will be active. If it isn’t, click the icon to activate this view.
The software interface is simple to navigate and includes the following primary sections in the Apps view:
Apps: This shows a full list of installed and available applications across three categories: Desktop, Mobile, and Web. You can also access updates from the Apps section.
Categories: Applications are grouped into categories. This is often the more direct way to access Creative Cloud applications for specific purposes rather than listing everything at once.
Resource Links: Web-based services like Adobe Stock, Behance, Portfolio, and Adobe Fonts can be accessed here.
Current Page: When you’re exploring the various sections of the desktop application, this area displays the sectional content you’ve chosen to navigate into.
You can also access additional content and services by switching the view along the top of the application interface from the Apps view to another by clicking the desired tab:
Files: Here you’ll get direct access to cloud documents and Creative Cloud Libraries.
Discover: Filter by application to discover learning content and other resources.
Stock and Marketplace: This area provides access to Adobe Stock, Adobe Fonts, application plugins, and more.
You will also find quick access to a search, notification, and software preferences in the upper right.
Creative Cloud on the web
You can also access some of these same features on the web by visiting https://creativecloud.adobe.com and logging in with your Adobe ID.
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Much of the interface and options are shared with the Creative Cloud Desktop application, but an important distinction is that you are initially taken to a Creative Cloud dashboard. This view presents you with suggested applications, recent files, and direct access to web-based applications like Adobe Express from the left sidebar.
Managing application preferences
The Creative Cloud Desktop application includes preferences that you can set for application updates, notifications, and syncing.
In the upper-right corner of the interface, you can access your Adobe account by clicking the circular photo or avatar 
shown there. An account overview overlay will appear.
Choose Preferences from the overlay menu to open the application preferences dialog box.
The dialog box has categories along the left side, and details for the selected category are displayed in the wider column to the right.
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Here are a few items of note in each category that you will want to consider when setting up your preferences:
General: This section displays how much storage you have remaining in the cloud. You can also choose whether to launch this application at system login and whether to keep the desktop app up to date automatically.
At times, application updates will require that you keep the desktop app updated, so I highly suggest leaving this option activated.
Apps: This is where you determine which applications to keep updated and specify the installation location on your computer for all your applications.
Some applications will have advanced settings that determine whether to retain old versions and whether to import previous settings to newer installations.
Syncing: This determines the location of your Creative Cloud files sync folder on your computer. You can also pause syncing or throttle download and upload transfer speed from this location.
Notifications: This list of several notification types can be activated or deactivated depending on your personal preference.
Services: Here you’ll specify the download location for assets and choose whether to enable Adobe Fonts.
If you choose to disable Adobe Fonts, all fonts that have been previously downloaded will deactivate.
Appearance: This changes the user interface appearance for the Creative Cloud Desktop application. You can switch between light and dark themes.