Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Apple has removed the older free versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote from the Mac App Store, replacing them with Creator Studio-compatible versions.
- According to Macworld, these new versions remain free but will prompt users to subscribe for additional AI capabilities and advanced features.
- Previously downloaded older versions can still be re-downloaded from purchase history but won’t receive future updates, signaling Apple’s shift toward subscription-based productivity software.
Apple has simplified their Mac productivity software lineup by removing its old free productivity apps, leaving only the versions that are compatible with the new Creator Studio subscription.
When Apple introduced Creator Studio, it updated the iOS and iPadOS apps to be compatible with the new subscription. On the Mac, however, new versions of all the apps were introduced, with new icons, while the old versions still remained. You could download the old Final Cut Pro, Pages, Keynote, Numbers, etc. or you could download new versions that work with Creator Studio.
Now, for the free apps Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, Apple has removed the versions, leaving only those that are compatible with Creator Studio.
To be clear: the Creator Studio compatible versions are still totally free, and you can still do everything you used to do with the older free apps. But they will nag you to subscribe to Creator Studio to get access to additional features like more templates and AI-powered capabilities.
If you have previously downloaded Pages, Numbers, or Keynote on your Mac you will be able to find them in your Mac apps history (click your profile picture in the lower left) if you want to download them again, but you can expect they won’t be updated any longer.
The paid Mac apps Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Motion, Compressor, and Pixelmator Pro are still listed on the App Store–both in their current paid forms and in the subscription-required Creator Studio versions.



