For a "transition year" product, Photoshop 2021 on M1 was surprisingly stable.

⚠️ Important: If you only see version 23 or newer, Adobe may have removed older installers. In that case, use Method 2.

While Rosetta 2 is impressive, running Photoshop 2021 through it means:

Cause: Incompatible plugins (Intel-only plugins like older Nik Collection or Topaz). Fix: Temporarily move all plugins from /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-Ins/ to your desktop. Launch Photoshop, then reintroduce plugins one by one.

  • If it shows "Intel," you have an outdated version.

    • The term "work download" implies a functioning installer that operates correctly on the M1 architecture. For Photoshop 2021 on M1, there are specific technical requirements to ensure it functions natively rather than through emulation:

    The safest and most reliable way to get Photoshop 2021 working on your M1 Mac is via Adobe Creative Cloud. Do not trust random “cracked” installer websites—they often contain malware and rarely include the M1-optimized builds.