The short answer is Here is the breakdown of how it works, the official methods, and the risks of unofficial workarounds. The Official Adobe Method (Requires an Account, Not the CC App) Adobe has changed its policy. You no longer need the Creative Cloud desktop application running in the background to use Bridge. However, you do need an Adobe account and an active license.

Adobe Bridge is a powerful media manager that allows photographers, designers, and creative professionals to organize, preview, and batch-rename assets without importing them into a library. A common question is whether you can install and run Bridge without also installing the heavy Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) desktop app.