Apple Creative Studio is a mighty good value for an impressive suite of pro apps. It also makes up a rather polarizing set of app icons, based on the internet’s reaction to yesterday’s news. However, it turns out those app icons won’t be forced upon all users of apps that are included in the suite.
In an official support document, Apple says that it will be possible for users to install both the standalone purchase version of apps like Final Cut and Logic as well as the Apple Creative Studio versions. Apple is saving some AI features for the subscription versions of its professional and productivity apps, but standalone app versions will still be supported.
In fact, that new icon set revealed this week will be a signal that those apps Apple Creative Studio versions and not standalone purchase versions. Here’s what Apple says in the support document:
Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor, Logic Pro, MainStage, and Pixelmator Pro are also available as one-time purchases for Mac on the App Store. If you previously purchased one of these apps and you also have an Apple Creator Studio subscription, you can use either version of the apps. You can have both versions of these apps installed on your Mac. To make it easier to distinguish versions, the apps in Apple Creator Studio have unique icons.
That’s a new and interesting way of doing things for Apple’s Mac apps. You can learn more about Apple Creative Studio, which launches on January 28, from our coverage here.
Apple Creator Studio
Icon History pic.twitter.com/U29mb5kouy — Basic Apple Guy (@BasicAppleGuy) January 13, 2026