For older macOS versions (El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave), a slightly different command works:
The script below checks if an entry exists and appends it if missing:
This usually indicates a DNS caching issue. Here's a more thorough flushing procedure:
The hosts file is protected by system permissions, meaning you must use the sudo command to edit it as an administrator. In Terminal, paste the following command: sudo nano /etc/hosts Use code with caution. Press Enter. hosts file entries to block adobe activation mac better
Because /etc/hosts is a protected system asset owned by the root user, standard text editors cannot modify it directly without elevated permissions. Use the native macOS Terminal application to complete this process. Step 1: Open Terminal Open . Navigate to Applications > Utilities . Double-click Terminal . Step 2: Access the Hosts File via Nano Paste the following command into Terminal and press Return : sudo nano /etc/hosts Use code with caution.
Manually maintaining hosts file entries becomes tedious, especially when domain lists need updating. Several GitHub projects offer automated solutions that fetch the latest list of Adobe domains and add them to your hosts file with a single command.
Use the arrow keys to scroll to the very bottom of the file. the blocklist entries (see below). Control + O Control + X Flush your DNS cache by typing: sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder 📋 Recommended Blocklist Entries For older macOS versions (El Capitan, Sierra, High
Here’s a helpful, clean list of to block Adobe activation on macOS .
You will be prompted to enter your Mac’s administrator password. The password characters will not show on the screen as you type. Type it anyway and hit Return . Step 3: Append the Entries
To effectively block Adobe activation and tracking on macOS, add the following lines to your hosts file. These cover the primary licensing and telemetry endpoints: Press Enter
Instead of returning an external IP address, the response should point to 127.0.0.1 —your local machine. If you see a different IP address, verify that your entries were saved correctly and that the DNS cache was flushed properly.
Enter your when prompted (you will not see characters appear as you type). Use the arrow keys to navigate to the bottom of the file. Add the entries listed below. Save the changes by pressing Control + O , then Enter . Exit nano by pressing Control + X .
Since hosts file entries affect all applications on your system, blocking Adobe domains won't interfere with other software. However, if you've accidentally blocked a domain that another application needs, you'll need to remove or comment out that specific line. Add a # at the beginning of a line to comment it out temporarily.