Adobe XD with Feature Restricted License

Learn about the differences in interface, features, and workflows in XD with a Feature Restricted License (FRL) compared to a Creative Cloud license.

In general, workflows related to XD cloud documents and Creative Cloud Libraries are unavailable in the FRL environment. To learn about the FRL in general, see Feature Restricted Licensing | Overview.

To check if you have an FRL version, navigate to the following and look for FRL next to the version number:

macOS: XD > About XD

Windows: Help > About XD

Check if  your XD has an FRL license on the About XD dialog

 Access to monthly updates with new features and bug fixes will lag by a few releases for FRL licenses. This limitation is in contrast to the Creative Cloud subscribers who can access updates immediately.

Help menu

Help menu on macOS and Windows for FRL
Help menu on macOS and Windows

What's different in the FRL experience?
You can't manage your Adobe account.
Contact the IT administrator of your organization for any FRL account-related queries.
You can't update your XD app.
IT administrators push updates to your computer when updates for the FRL are available, and according to your organization's policy.

Home screen

XD Home screen for FRL
XD Home screen

What's different in the FRL experience?
You can't create cloud documents in FRL as cloud documents are native to the Creative Cloud.
Create local XD documents. Then, share them using your organization's shared drives, or any file-sharing services.

File menu

XD File menu for FRL
File menu

What's different in the FRL experience?
Unlike XD cloud documents that are auto-saved periodically, local XD documents are not auto-saved.
Save your local XD documents periodically to avoid losing data.
You can't check your document history.
You can't use Creative Cloud Libraries that let you work seamlessly across devices and with collaborators.
You can't link your document to assets on the Creative Cloud.

Libraries panel

XD Libraries panel for FRL
Document Assets section in the Libraries panel

What's different in the FRL experience?
You can't publish design assets to Creative Cloud Libraries that help you maintain asset uniformity in a collaborative environment.
You can add assets of your document to the Document Assets section of the Libraries panel. Once added, use the search and filter options in the Libraries panel to locate assets.

Plugins menu

XD Plugins menu for FRL
Plugins menu

What's different in the FRL experience?

  • You can't install or create plugins.
  • You don't get access to the Adobe Creative Cloud marketplace that offers over 200 XD plugins.
  • You can view all the plugins deployed by your IT administrator.
  • You can find any plugins that are currently getting packaged by your IT administrator.

 Contact your organization's IT administrator if you want any plugins created, or third-party plugins packaged.

Sharing workflow

What's different in the FRL experience?
You can't share design specs or prototypes directly with your stakeholders to gather feedback. 
To work with your stakeholders, export design specs and prototypes to a shared folder, and host them on an HTTP (or HTTPS) server.

You can't invite others to your local XD document to coedit. To learn about coediting, see Collaborate and coedit designs.

 Adobe

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