Apple Explains How to Identify Creator Studio Versions of Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and More

Apple has published a new support document that helps Mac users identify the Apple Creator Studio versions of its professional creative apps, after confusion started growing around the company’s new dual-app setup. The issue comes from Apple offering two versions of the same apps, with both carrying identical names while using slightly different app icons.



The company now ships Creator Studio editions of Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, MainStage, Motion, Compressor, and Pixelmator Pro alongside the traditional standalone versions sold through one-time purchases. Since users can install both versions on the same Mac, many people struggled to tell which app they were opening or troubleshooting.



Apple Uses New Liquid Glass Icons







Apple’s solution is surprisingly simple. The Creator Studio versions now use redesigned Liquid Glass style icons that look different from the standard app icons already familiar to Mac users.



In the support document, Apple placed both icons side by side for every supported app so users can quickly check which version appears in the Dock, Launchpad, or Applications folder.



Apple rarely publishes guides explaining how to identify two versions of its own apps, which makes this support document notable. It also shows that the Creator Studio rollout created enough real-world confusion for Apple to address publicly.



Apple Creator Studio launched in January with a subscription price of $12.99 per month or $129 per year. The service bundles Apple’s professional creative tools into one package, while some upcoming features remain exclusive to subscribers. Pixelmator Pro also joined the subscription after Apple acquired the Pixelmator team in late 2024.