Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Apple has some ideas on how to spend your time in lockdown

In an apparent nod to the growing number of people around the world currently stuck at home due to the coronavirus outbreak, Apple has started offering free 90-day trials of its Final Cut Pro X video editing software, and also its Logic Pro X audio production suite.

Recommended Videos

So if you’re a Mac user twiddling your thumbs and wondering how you’re going to fill the umpteenth day, or even week, in home isolation, how about learning a new skill by shooting some video or creating some audio and running it through these powerful pieces of software?

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Apple previously offered a 30-day free trial for its $299 Final Cut Pro X software, but that’s now been extended to 90 days for a limited period. And let’s be frank, the software is so full of features that you’ll probably need those extras days to get your head around all that it has to offer.

As for Logic Pro X, this is the first time for Apple to offer a free trial of the $199 software, so it’s a good opportunity for audio producers and other creatives to take it for a spin.

For sure, Final Cut Pro X and Logic Pro X require a decent chunk of time to properly learn, but immersing yourself during the lockdown is a good chance for some self-learning and should help you to momentarily forget that there’s a global pandemic going on out there.

To start your Final Cut Pro X free trial, head over to Apple’s product page for the software and you’ll find the “free trial” button at the top right of the page. At the time of writing, the button isn’t showing on the product page for Logic Pro X, but Apple is promising to launch the offer in the coming days — so it may already be showing.

Oh, and if you’re using a previous version of the Final Cut Pro trial, you’ll be able to use this version free for a further 90 days.

If you’re on the lookout for some alternatives to Final Cut Pro X that also work on other platforms, Digital Trends has some great suggestions for you. And here are some free alternatives to Logic Pro X, too.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The M3 is the most important chip Apple has ever made
Apple's M3 chip family.

Macs with Apple silicon were a revelation when they launched three years ago, but we haven't seen Apple demonstrate how it will carry that idea forward since then. We saw the M2 release and the middling performance improvements that came with it, but the M3, announced during Apple's "Scary Fast" event, is the most important chip Apple has ever designed for Macs.

Although it carries the branding of the third generation of Apple silicon, it's really the second true generation. There's a lot riding on this release for Apple to prove that it can sustain its own silicon in Macs, and M3 is arriving at a time when there's fierce competition on all sides.
Second-gen Apple silicon

Read more
Exclusive: How Apple inspired creators to take a risk on its $3,500 Vision Pro
A person wearing Apple's Vision Pro headset.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset hasn’t launched yet, but already it’s become one of the most hotly debated devices on the planet. Whether you think it’s the most exciting gadget in years or a potential waste of time and money, chances are Apple has got you talking about it.

The company has a lot riding on its first new product category since the Apple Watch, but it clearly can’t succeed if developers aren’t interested in building apps for it. After all, opening the Vision Pro’s app store to the sound of crickets chirping wouldn’t leave a good impression.

Read more
Here’s how Apple could drastically cut the Vision Pro’s price
A person sits down wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset made a massive splash when it was announced in June 2023, and one of the biggest talking points was its $3,499 price. Despite reports that Apple is charging buyers at or near the cost of making the device, it’s still a massive amount for most people to shell out on a headset.

There could be some future relief though, as Apple is reportedly searching for ways to bring the price down, whether that’s a “Vision Pro 2” headset or a lower-cost version that omits a few of the more expensive features.

Read more