Logic Pro for Windows: the honest answer and your real options

By the Logic Pro Files TeamLast checked 3 November 20266 min read

Quick answer

Logic Pro is a macOS and iPadOS app only; Apple's requirements page lists Macs with Apple silicon and iPads with an A12 Bionic or later, and there is no Windows build. If you want Logic Pro itself, your choices are a Mac or Logic Pro for iPad through Apple Creator Studio. If you want to stay on Windows, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase, REAPER, Studio One and Cakewalk all run natively, and you can exchange work with Logic users by swapping audio stems and MIDI files.

Platform and version

Mac: Yes

iPad: Yes, via creator studio for new customers

Checked with Logic Pro 12 on macOS 15.6 / Logic Pro for iPad on iPadOS 26 (Apple documentation) · Last checked 3 November 2026

Choose a route in five decisions

We do not cover running macOS on non-Apple hardware, virtual machines or unofficial copies. None of those are supported by Apple, they break Apple's licence terms, and audio drivers in a VM are not usable for real-time recording. The options below are the ones that work.

Decide whether you need Logic Pro specifically. If a collaborator, course or job requires Logic Pro project files, only a Mac or iPad will do. If you just want a capable DAW, a Windows DAW is cheaper than changing computers.
Price the Mac route honestly. A Mac mini is the lowest-cost Apple silicon desktop and runs Logic Pro 12 on macOS 15.6 or later; a MacBook Air adds portability. Add US$199.99 for Logic Pro for Mac or US$12.99 a month for Creator Studio. Check the requirements before buying a used Mac so you avoid Intel models.
Consider Logic Pro for iPad. An iPad with an A12 Bionic or later on iPadOS 26 runs Logic Pro for iPad as part of Creator Studio. It is a full DAW with a touch-first layout, and its projects open on the Mac version. See the iPad guide for what it lacks compared with Mac.
Shortlist Windows DAWs by workflow. Loop- and clip-based electronic production suits Ableton Live or FL Studio; linear recording and scoring suits Cubase or Studio One; tight budgets suit REAPER's long evaluation and Cakewalk's free tier. The table below links the vendor pages.
Agree an exchange format with collaborators. No DAW opens another's native project. Swap consolidated audio stems, MIDI files and a tempo note, and the project moves cleanly in either direction. Logic users can follow our stem export guide.

Decision tree: need Logic Pro itself? Yes leads to Mac or iPad; no leads to a Windows DAW shortlist.

Options compared

Prices change often and vary by region, so we link each vendor's page rather than quoting figures we have not confirmed today.

Option	Runs Logic Pro?	Platform	Editions or tiers (vendor-stated)	Where to check price
Mac mini or MacBook with Apple silicon	Yes, Logic Pro 12	macOS 15.6 or later	Logic Pro US$199.99 once, or Creator Studio US$12.99/month	apple.com/logic-pro
iPad with A12 Bionic or later	Yes, Logic Pro for iPad	iPadOS 26 or later	Included in Creator Studio for new customers	apple.com/logic-pro/trial
Ableton Live 12	No	Windows and macOS	Intro, Standard, Suite	ableton.com compare editions; check vendor page
FL Studio	No	Windows and macOS	Fruity, Producer, Signature Bundle, All Plugins; vendor promises lifetime free updates	image-line.com compare editions; check vendor page
Cubase 14	No	Windows and macOS	Elements, Artist, Pro (names from Steinberg's range; confirm on the vendor site)	steinberg.net/cubase; check vendor page
REAPER	No	Windows, macOS, Linux	Single product; fully functional 60-day evaluation with no registration	reaper.fm download; check vendor page
Studio One Pro 7	No	Windows 10 20H1 or 11, macOS 10.14 or later, Linux beta	Pro; earlier Artist and Prime editions listed in PreSonus specs	presonus.com tech specs; check vendor page
Cakewalk Sonar / Cakewalk Next	No	Windows 10 or later (Sonar); Next also on macOS 10.15 or later	Activation tied to BandLab Membership; see site for free versus paid	cakewalk.com; check vendor page

Moving a project between Logic Pro and a Windows DAW

Work from stems, not project files. In Logic Pro, choose File > Export > All Tracks as Audio Files, tick Include Audio Tail, keep the same sample rate as the session, and start every file at bar 1 so they line up when dropped into a new project. Export MIDI with File > Export > Selection as MIDI File. Write the tempo and key in a text note alongside. In the other direction, ask your Windows collaborator for the same: one audio file per track from the project start, plus any MIDI, and import them into Logic with File > Import > Audio File on a blank project set to the same tempo.

Why there is no workaround we recommend

macOS is licensed by Apple for Apple hardware, so installing it on a PC is not something we will walk you through. Virtual machines cannot deliver the low-latency audio drivers a DAW needs. Unofficial copies of Logic Pro are both illegal and unsafe. Pick one of the supported routes above.

Stem exchange schematic: Logic Pro exports one audio file per track from bar 1 plus a MIDI file, which import into a Windows DAW at the same tempo.

Next steps

Leaning toward a Mac? Confirm the requirements and try the 30-day trial before committing.
Comparing DAWs feature by feature? Read Logic Pro vs Ableton Live and Logic Pro vs FL Studio.
Need to hand a Logic session to a PC user today? Follow export stems from Logic Pro.

FAQ

Will Apple ever release Logic Pro for Windows?

Apple has never announced one, and its current requirements page lists only Mac and iPad. Plan around what exists today.

Can I run Logic Pro in a virtual machine on my PC?

We do not recommend or explain it. Apple does not support macOS on non-Apple hardware, and VM audio is unsuitable for real-time recording.

What is the cheapest way to get Logic Pro?

A Mac mini with Apple silicon plus the US$199.99 one-time purchase, or an eligible iPad with Creator Studio at US$12.99 a month.

Which Windows DAW is most like Logic Pro?

Cubase and Studio One share Logic's linear, track-based layout; Ableton Live and FL Studio lean toward clip and pattern workflows.

Can a Windows DAW open a Logic Pro project file?

No. Exchange consolidated audio stems and MIDI files instead; both directions work reliably.

Is there a free Windows DAW?

Cakewalk offers products under a BandLab Membership model and REAPER has a fully functional 60-day evaluation; check each vendor page for current terms.

Does GarageBand run on Windows?

No. GarageBand is also Mac, iPad and iPhone only.