If you’re the person on your team who knows Captivate Classic inside and out, you’ve probably earned that reputation the hard way. You’ve learned the quirks, solved the weird issues, and figured out how to get projects across the finish line even when the tool made things harder than they needed to be.
Now you’re looking at the new version of Adobe Captivate and wondering:
- Should I upgrade?
- How hard will this be?
- What happens to my Captivate Classic projects? (Will I need to redo them?)
- How do I convince management that leaving Classic for the new Captivate is the right move?
Those are exactly the right questions — and the good news is, the answers are better than most people expect.
First, yes — I strongly encourage the move from Captivate Classic (CpC) to Adobe Captivate (Cp13).
Captivate Classic had a long, successful run, but it’s clearly legacy software now. Captivate 13 is where active development is happening, especially around modern device compatibility and streamlined workflows. Adobe has also indicated that an upgrade path from Classic is planned, and I’m hopeful we’ll see meaningful progress on that this year. That’s a strong signal about long-term direction.
The next concern is usually difficulty. This is where teams are genuinely surprised.
Captivate 13 is far easier to use than Captivate Classic.
The interface is cleaner. Workflows are more logical. There’s less digging through panels and fewer “why is this so complicated?” moments. Tasks that once required deep Classic knowledge now feel more straightforward. Instead of wrestling with settings, you spend more time actually building learning experiences. That’s not just a usability win — it’s a productivity and morale win.
So how do you move forward without creating fear or disruption?
The most effective approach is not a big, dramatic cutover. It’s a smart, phased shift:
Keep maintaining legacy projects in Classic. There’s no need to disrupt what already works.
Start all new projects in Captivate 13. This prevents your Classic backlog from growing.
Choose one pilot project. Pick something important but low risk, and use it to build internal familiarity and standards.
Share the results. When others see smoother workflows and faster development, resistance tends to fade on its own.
That’s also how you make your case to management. This isn’t about chasing shiny new features. It’s about reducing risk long term, improving compatibility, and making your development team more efficient. When the tool is easier to use, projects move faster, and developers spend less time troubleshooting.
One important mindset shift: don’t try to force Cp13 to behave like Classic. It’s a different tool with a different design philosophy. The people who struggle are the ones trying to recreate old habits. The people who level up are the ones who learn the new workflow and lean into it.
That’s where confidence comes from — and that’s what turns someone into the go-to expert on a team.
Cp13 makes the tool easier. Learning how to use it efficiently is what really accelerates your growth. When you understand the workflow, structure, and design approach behind Cp13, you build faster, experiment more, and look like you’ve been using it for years.
If you want to shorten that learning curve and step into that role more quickly, my live, project-based Captivate training is built specifically to help developers make this transition smoothly and confidently.