Apple has quietly refreshed GarageBand for iPhone and iPad, marking the app’s first update in a year. While the iWork suite remains untouched ahead of iOS 26, this small but notable change gives music creators something new to notice.
GarageBand’s update, released on November 3, brings the app to version 2.3.18. The official release notes list only the usual “stability improvements and bug fixes,” a familiar refrain across the past several updates. But there’s more here than the brief changelog suggests.
Fans of the app will immediately spot a visual refresh. The long-standing icon—featuring a white guitar silhouette against an orange burst—has been replaced with a bolder, darker design. The new logo depicts a realistic-looking Gibson ES-style guitar, complete with a dark fretboard, pickups, and strings, set against a black background with orange highlights.
The redesign gives GarageBand a sleeker and more contemporary look, possibly hinting at a broader visual overhaul across Apple’s first-party apps. The company has largely kept its app icons consistent since moving to the Liquid Glass aesthetic, so this shift may be a preview of larger changes to come.
