Adobe and Avid To Provide Free Software Access During COVID-19 Shift
Accessing software is now a little easier for newly remote creatives.
During this new world of remote work for all, Avid and Adobe want to make it a little easier to support creative endeavors from home. Both companies are quickly rolling out support to help those impacted by COVID-19.
Announced Friday, March 13th, Avid will be providing temporary, 90-day licenses for Media Composer, Pro Tools, and Sibelius to students who no longer have access to their institutions. Avid will also provide the software to remote users who are no longer able to access their places of work. The policy will go into effect Monday, March 16th, and more information will be released on Avid's COVID-19 resource page.
Adobe will be providing "at home" access to Creative Cloud for students use the software at their higher education and K-12 programs. Access will be granted until May 31st, 2020. Students, teachers, and educators can now request home access to the Creative Cloud Suite on Adobe's site. Adobe has also prepared courses for the K-12 community to help support distance learning as most schools are closed. More information on how Adobe is responding to the need to work and learn from home can be found in the Adobe blog.
Other companies providing relief in our new all-remote world include the video conferencing platform Zoom, which is now available for free for K-12 schools in the U.S., Italy, and Japan. AT&T is removing internet data caps, keeping service available for customers unable to pay the internet bill, and waiving late fees. And, Comcast is providing Xfinity WiFi for free through hot spots, lifting the limits on data, and waiving late fees.