Done with Captivate? Your courses aren't.
Classic or 12/13, .cptx or just the zip, edited in a browser on any OS.
Last reviewed
Scormbusters is a browser-based authoring tool that imports Captivate courses — Classic .cptx files, Classic HTML5 publishes from Captivate 9 to 2019, and all-new 12/13 publishes — as editable courses, with their quizzes, answer keys and, where they run the same, their actions.
Adobe has not ended Classic support, so there is no deadline to beat; the gain is courses that reflow, can be edited by anyone on the team and export to SCORM, cmi5 or xAPI.
- Adobe has not set an end date for Captivate Classic; on 2025-03-17 it lifted the one it had announced.
- The all-new Captivate (12/13) cannot open a Classic .cptx directly; the beta importer in Captivate 13.1 takes .cptx files from 11.8.3 onward and produces non-responsive output.
- Scormbusters imports Classic .cptx files, Classic HTML5 publishes from Captivate 9 to 2019, and all-new Captivate 12/13 publishes, so a course whose source is lost still comes across.
- Captivate actions are rebuilt as working triggers on a slide canvas where it runs them the same way: 40% of Classic publish actions and 9.7% of all-new 12/13 actions in our test corpus. Execute JavaScript and effects never are, and each is counted in the import report.
- Scormbusters runs in a browser on Windows, macOS and Linux, and exports SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, cmi5 and xAPI with no Scormbusters branding.
Side by side
| Aspect | Scormbusters | Adobe Captivate 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Classic projects | Imports Classic .cptx files and Classic HTML5 publishes from Captivate 9 to 2019. | Captivate 13.1's beta importer opens .cptx files from 11.8.3 onward. |
| Lost source files | A published course is enough; the .cptx is optional. | Needs the .cptx. |
| Actions | Jumps, show and hide, variables and conditional actions are rebuilt as working triggers where they run the same way (40% of Classic publish actions in our test corpus); JavaScript and effects are listed in the import report. | Adobe describes the importer as a beta whose support is still evolving; some interactions may need manual review after import. |
| Layout | Reflowing lessons, or a slide canvas when the course's actions keep state. | Imported Classic projects are not responsive. |
| Where it runs | In a browser, on Windows, macOS and Linux. | A desktop application. |
| Exports | SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, cmi5 and xAPI, unbranded. | SCORM, xAPI and HTML5. |
Captivate details are based on Adobe's Captivate 13.1 release notes and its 13.1 announcement of 16 April 2026. We have not run Adobe's importer ourselves, so the table states only what Adobe documents.
See your course rebuilt — free, no card: upload a published Captivate zip and play the rebuilt course.
Adobe's Classic importer, and when to use it
Captivate 13.1 added a betaimporter for Classic projects (Import > Captivate Classic). Adobe's import guidesays it creates a new, non-responsive project from a .cptx; it opens projects saved in 11.8.3 or later, and it cannot start from a published course. Adobe's announcement calls it a strong first step whose support is still evolving.
- Use Adobe's importer if you have recent .cptx files, want to keep authoring in Captivate, and a non-responsive result is acceptable.
- Use Scormbusters for projects older than 11.8.3, courses where only the published zip survives, and courses that need to reflow on a phone or at 400% zoom.
- Use both. They are not exclusive: bring recent projects into the all-new Captivate and send older or source-less ones here. The free scan shows what a published Captivate course contains before you decide.
There is no deadline forcing the choice: Adobe lifted its Classic end date on 17 March 2025 and says support continues until customers have transitioned.
Frequently asked questions
Is Captivate Classic going away?
Adobe has not set an end date. It announced one, then lifted it on 17 March 2025, saying Classic support continues until customers have transitioned. The reasons people move are practical: output that does not reflow, accessibility gaps, and projects only a few people can still open.
Why not just upgrade to the all-new Captivate?
It may be the right move if your projects are recent .cptx files saved in 11.8.3 or later and a non-responsive result is acceptable. Older projects, courses whose source is lost, and anyone who wants output that reflows on a phone need another route.
Should I use Adobe's importer instead?
If you have .cptx files from 11.8.3 or later, want to keep authoring in Captivate, and do not need responsive output, Adobe's importer is the natural first thing to try: it is part of the product you already pay for. Older projects, courses with only a published zip, and courses that must reflow on a phone are where Scormbusters fits.
Do quizzes come across?
Yes, with their answer keys: multiple choice, multiple answer, true/false, short answer, fill-in-the-blank, matching, sequence and hotspot, plus question pools. A publish also carries the pass mark and closed captions.
What about all-new Captivate 12 and 13 courses?
Their publishes import too. A course built on free-positioned slides lands on the slide canvas with its actions rebuilt as working triggers where they run the same way (9.7% of all-new actions in our test corpus); one built from responsive containers reflows into lessons, and its actions are listed in the import report.
Bring one stuck course. See what comes back.
Upload the published zip and play it rebuilt as an editable course, with the list of anything to rebuild by hand. No account, no card; the private link lasts seven days.
Sources (checked )
- Adobe: Captivate 13.1 release notes
- Adobe: Import Captivate Classic projects into Adobe Captivate (beta)
- Adobe eLearning blog: Announcing Adobe Captivate 13.1 (16 April 2026)
- Adobe eLearning blog: Captivate Classic support update (17 March 2025)
- Scormbusters import scorecard (Captivate figures)
We have not run Adobe's Classic importer ourselves; what this page says about it comes from Adobe's own documentation.
Adobe and Captivate are trademarks of Adobe. Scormbusters is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.