Adobe has many great tools, with loads available as phone apps. Despite having over eight cool phone apps, only four are worth using. These four Adobe apps should stay on your phone, as they each have great uses for
document management from your phone
or image editing options in a variety of styles. Most Adobe apps connect through the cloud, so you can access your files from the desktop versions for easy cross-platform use. These apps are perfect for editing on the go, whether from one of
many great tablets
or from your Android phone.
Related
How to cancel your Adobe Creative Cloud subscription
Suspend your Creative Cloud subscription if you have found solid Adobe app alternatives
4
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Manage and organize files from anywhere
Busy professionals, business owners, or anyone who opens, reads, or edits digital documentation for any need will benefit from using Acrobat Reader. The free mobile app is parred-down compared to the full desktop app, Adobe Acrobat, but you have the benefit of being able to
add on the AI Assistant to Acrobat Reader
for a monthly fee.
With AI Assistant in Acrobat, you can summarize lengthy documents (up to five documents per time) and ask questions to find cited answers within documents to save time skim-reading. AI Assistant also has contract-reading capabilities, which helps if you need to open contracts or legal documents from your small smartphone screen.
Acrobat Reader mobile app has saved me many times when I needed to open and sign documents while away from my computer. It has great compatibility across many file types, and its interface isn’t confusing, even for someone who doesn’t use it every day.
This is the kind of app I recommend everyone should keep on their phone. You don’t know when you’ll need it until the time comes, and it’s a huge frustration saver if you downloaded the app and are ready to open or edit documents.
3
Adobe Photoshop Express
Like Photoshop, but from your phone
Adobe Photoshop is one of Adobe’s most well-known and loved software tools, but there isn’t an exact Photoshop mobile app. While there’s a Photoshop for iPad app, and you can access Photoshop Web from the browser, these experiences aren’t as detailed as using Photoshop.
That’s where Adobe Photoshop Express comes in. It’s the perfect cross between the Photoshop desktop tool and Photoshop Elements, a less powerful version of Photoshop that doesn’t require a monthly subscription.
It has plenty of image editing tools, and although you can edit videos, its focus is on imagery. Video editing is limited to adding Looks (filters) and stitching videos together.
Photoshop Express connects easily to other Adobe tools. From the app, you can open Adobe Firefly (which opens in the browser) to access new and beta AI tools from Adobe. You can also open Adobe Express from Photoshop Express, with tool options in the app like Create Logo, QR code, and Schedule to Social.
It has Quick Actions like those in Photoshop Elements. You’ll find Looks, Smooth Skin, Selective Editing, Denoise, and others.
You can download and use Photoshop Express for free, as well as get a Premium upgrade from $4.99 monthly for extra features, including generative AI tools. There’s a 14-day free trial of Premium, or if you log in under a Creative Cloud subscription, it is included in most plans for no extra cost.
2
Adobe Express Mobile
You can do it all with Express
Adobe Express Mobile is my favorite Adobe tool. The desktop app is a go-to of mine most days of the week. I love that my account connects between desktop and mobile, allowing me to start a project on one device and finish from another. I can benefit from desktop features but easily download and share social networks from my phone.
Although I often look for mobile designs, if I need to access the Adobe ecosystem, I’ll choose Adobe Express. It costs $9.99 to subscribe to Adobe Express Premium without an inclusive Creative Cloud plan.
If you’re looking for high-quality generative AI tools, Adobe Express Mobile should be your choice. You get huge libraries of templates, photo, video, and audio stock files, benefits from Adobe Fonts and other Adobe integration, and some of the best AI tools in the game.
Express is built with Adobe Firefly built into it. You can generate or replace images, and your results are next-level. You won’t find extra fingers on your human generations, and Firefly follows text prompts sharply. You’ll find generative AI, such as template generation, AI text effects, and image generation tools. Many of the built-in features have smart features.
You can edit videos pretty well in Adobe Express, and it has some great animation features. It’s easy to complete your entire
content creation workflow through Adobe Express
without multiple other apps and tools. It includes calendars and schedulers for posting to most social platforms.
1
Adobe Lightroom Mobile
Professional photo editing on Android
I’m not a huge smartphone photographer, but I have a photography background. My go-to photo editing platform has always been Adobe Lightroom (Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic), and I’m grateful to have the Lightroom Mobile app when I’m away from my computer.
These days, I’m more likely to take photos from my phone rather than lug my heavy DSLR around. Although my photos are more casual than professional, I like the option of professional-level editing from Lightroom Mobile.
Since I have a Creative Cloud subscription, I’m privy to Lightroom Mobile’s premium offerings. One of the coolest Premium features is the Lens Blur, so I can easily add bokeh to my smartphone photos. I also enjoy the adaptive edits, AI features, and easy-to-use interface. Creative Cloud also means I can easily share my edits from phone to computer or vice versa.
You can download Lightroom Mobile for free, with many features available under the free plan. Lightroom Premium is $9.99 per month for access to smart features, RAW photo editing abilities, and Lens Blur editing.

Related
7 image-editing apps for next-level smartphone photography
Find the best editing app for your smartphone photography needs
Adobe’s best apps available on your smartphone
With helpful features such as file management, video and photo editing, content scheduling, and great AI tools, these four Adobe phone apps are the only ones you need on your Android. While other Adobe phone apps are fun to play and experiment with, they’re not worth keeping around and taking up space on your device. I keep these four on my phone and use them frequently. Along with some
great video editing Android apps
, these Adobe apps are here to stay.

Related
Canva vs. Adobe Express: Which app is better for mobile content creation?
Canva is my go-to mobile content creation app