If you are obsessed with music at an exceptional level, Garageband is a boon to have. Garageband is a complete studio for recording and editing music inside your Mac. You can also access all kinds of instruments like keyboards, synths, etc. Music artists worldwide use this software as it allows you to play, mix and record your songs to create the perfect music tracks. Garageband is also used as an effective podcasting software. It has gained immense popularity among musicians due to its simplicity and functionality. But the official version is only available for Apple devices. Still, you don’t have to worry about using a Windows computer as you can also download GarageBand for PC.
In this article, we will be taking a look at the features and other fun stuff related to how to download Garageband for Windows PC. We’ve also mentioned a few alternatives to Garageband for Windows PC users.
As we said above, Garageband is not officially available for PC as It is only available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and Mac computers. However, our team has developed a step-by-step tutorial guide explaining how to get Garageband on windows. Here, we have created three methods, and all are working correctly.
Table of Contents
System Requirements
| Name | GarageBand For Windows |
| Compatibility | Windows 7/10/11 |
| Size | 1.7 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB or Above |
| Minimum Disk Space | 2 GB |
| Bug Test | Passed  (No issues detected) |
How To Download Garageband on Windows PC? (All 3 Popular Methods)
Installing Garage band on a windows PC isn’t easy as you think. It requires following a few procedures. As you know, Apple is not interested in making any revolutionary change in the developer program policy, so we can’t expect Garageband to officially be available on Windows PC or Android. But, we have come up with three different methods (more coming soon) to use this excellent music software on a PC. Let’s check it out.
Method 1: Download Garageband For PC Using Virtual macOS
Several processor manufacturers are available in the market, but Intel and AMD are the most widely used CPUs.
Intel-Based Processor:
For Intel users, the VMware method should be the priority.
AMD Based Processor:
If you are using an AMD-equipped system, you must know that all AMD processors do not support AMD virtualization. Before starting any installation, you need to run a compatibility test. And here is a detailed guide about AMD-V if you wish to know more.
Check virtualization support on Your PC (For AMD Processor Users)
Through this step-by-step procedure, you must know if your AMD processor supports Virtualization or not.
Step 1: First, you need to visit the official website of AMD to download the AMD-V compatibility checker.
Step 2: Find the Compressed folder once the download is finished successfully. After that, extract it using WinRAR.
Step 3: Open the folder, and Run as administrator “AMD Hyper-V.”
Step 4: Now, go to your BIOS and enable it. If the processor is too old, the AMD processor won’t support AMD-V.
The Android Emulators might work but won’t function properly.
How to Install macOS Sierra VMware on Windows 10?
macOS Sierra is the latest operating system version used in all Apple laptops and computers. Through VMware, you can install it on a Windows PC, and only then can you use the Garageband software on a PC.
Below are some simple steps to run macOS Sierra VMware.
Note: Make sure you have enabled Virtualization from BIOS.
Step 1: Download the Prerequisites
The first step is to download the necessary files through vmware.com. You must download the visualization software VMware Workstation 16 Pro. And then download the VMware unlocker program for macOS Sierra.
You can also download the macOS Sierra 10.12.6 ISO or the latest version.
Step 2: Install VMware on your Windows PC
Once the download is finished, run the VMware Workstation Pro/Player setup and follow the prompt leaving all the options as default.
Step 3: Install VMware Unlocker Program for macOS Sierra 10.12.6
Make sure the workstation app window is closed. Go to the win-install.cmd file and right-click on the Run As Administrator option.
Through the process, the patch file for VMware will be ready.
Step 4: Create a macOS Sierra virtual machine.
Open the VMware program, and you will get their three options. We recommend choosing ‘create a virtual machine.’
Step 5: Select the OS you will utilize.
Select the Apple Mac OS X option and then the macOS version. Give a name to your virtual machine and select the disk capacity of your V machine, which should be a minimum of 50 GB.
Step 6:
Through the slider, you can increase the memory from 2 GB to 4 GB and higher If required for better performance.
Step 7:
Now Select the Processor menu to increase the CPU cores upto 4. For better performance, you can increase it up.
Step 8:
Now select New CD/DVD (SATA) option from the menu and select the macOS Sierra ISO image file.
Step 9:
In the new virtual machine wizard, click finish.
First macOS Sierra Boot
1. Reload the VMware workstation 10 and choose ‘play virtual machine.’
2. Here, you need to do the basic setup that will ask you to choose the time zone, date zone, and location. You don’t require an Apple ID to make it work. The macOS will start setting up, usually taking one to ten minutes to complete. After this, you will get the interface of macOS Sierra 10.12.6.
Now you can download and install Garageband on the virtual machine. The entire process appears to be a little tricky. However, it works appropriately.
Method 2: Download GarageBand on Windows Using the iPadian Emulator
The method, as mentioned above, is fully functional and being followed by millions to download Garageband on PC. However, If you’d like to set it up directly through an IOS emulator, you can follow these instructions. iPadian ios emulator is also a fast, reliable, and well-known emulator on the market, so that you can trust it.
- To Download the iPadian ios emulator, you must visit the official website.
- Once you complete the installation procedure, you must log in to the app using your Gmail account.
- Now open the app on your system, go to the app store section on the iPadian ios emulator, and look for the Garageband app in the search bar.
- Once you find the app, click on download, and it will start the installation within a few seconds.
- After the installation is finished, you can run the Garageband app.
Method 3: Download GarageBand on Windows Using BlueStacks
Bluestacks is also a popular and free-to-use Android Emulator. This allows you to use and download Android and iOS apps on any Windows computer. Downloading Garageband for windows 11/10 with Bluestacks is very easy; all you have to do is follow these steps:
- Go to the official website of Bluestacks (https://www.bluestacks.com/) and download the Emulator.
- Once the installation procedure is done, log in to the Emulator through your Gmail account.
- Now open the emulator application on your PC, and in its search bar, write the program’s name “Garageband.”
- Once you find Garageband App, open it and select install. This will automatically install the Garageband application in the Bluestacks emulator.
- Once the Installation of the Garageband is completed, you can run the program to use.
Core Features of Garageband
Let’s look at the comprehensive explanation of some major features.
1. Record Multiple Tracks
One of the most prominent features of Garageband is recording multiple audio tracks at a time. Many apps available on the IOS store give similar features, but here we found Garageband better than others in the crowd while reviewing the multiple tracks feature. Most apps that record various instruments in a single track result in muddy and unbalanced audio, but Garageband becomes flexible as it records multiple devices in individual tracks.
Thus, you’ll better match the right equipment with the right instrument, and your ability to produce audio will increase naturally.
2. Ability to make music with and without an instrument
You’ll need to plug your mic or guitar in and choose your favorite from the ocean of different realistic effects. You are also open to experimenting with extremely human-sounding drum sounds. Just plug your mic or guitar in and sing to your heart will.
3. The session drummer
Garageband gives you access to the drummer feature, which is a virtual session player. The drummer uses top-notch session drummers and recording engineers in the industry. Not only for beginners, but this session drummer feature is also helpful for a guitarist who doesn’t play the drums or a band without a drummer. In Garageband, you can control every aspect, from the groove to the visual controls of the drummer. To play the drums, you need to touch them with two fingers while the distance between the fingers slows down or speeds up the frequency of the beats.
4. Sampler
Sampler plays a vital role in the Software for creating your audio projects. The Sampler is a very unusual instrument. Its essence is as follows – you record sound using a microphone and then play them back on the keyboard. You must click the big red “start” button to start recording. Once the audio has been recorded, the recording can be cut, looped, or tweaked by changing the volume.
With GarageBand for Windows PC, you can quickly unleash your creativity to fine-tune it and come up with the final song. A few more features you get as to with the help of Garageband for windows are given below:
- Power Guitar
- Analog Synths
- SpacePad
- Urban Drums
- Orchestral Ensemble and Cinematic Synths
- String Ensemble
- Choir
- Drum Engine (MPC style pads)
- Rock Drums
- Bass Machine
- Concert Guitar
Why should you choose Garageband for Windows 10 PC?
For the people who love music but don’t have the time and money to record it in a fancy studio, GarageBand helps a lot. It is a fantastic platform to do all the music-related stuff on your MAC without worrying about having to pay a hell ton of money. It’s not only about the recording; the editing features are just as important.
The proper editing on a music track can turn it into something you could have never imagined. Making music without spending money is a challenging task because you’ll also need a range of different instruments. But guess what? Garageband comes with many other editing options where you can add any instrumental music to your song.
Garageband windows allow you to have professional quality music, even though all the work has been done on a MAC. Now that we have looked into a few reasons why you should choose Garageband on Windows PC let’s take a look at the different ways of downloading Garageband for PC.
Pros
- Garageband has been hailed as the iconic musical instrument for all PC users.
- The program is a complete package for professional studios and all music lovers.
- It comprises over 100 software instruments.
- Having more than 1000 tracks.
- It comes with an excellent level of sound capture and editing.
- Garageband is the perfect app for all beginners to play the instrument in a virtual environment.
- Friendly interface, simplicity, and high speed of work
Cons
We didn’t find any cons; the Software is declared fully functional.
Garageband Alternatives for Windows PC
Garageband is a top-notch music app, but here’s the catch, it is only available for iOS. As iOS devices are not a piece of cake to purchase for many people, let’s look at the 5 Garageband alternatives for windows that work just as well.
MPC Beats by Akai
AKAI MPC Beats is an excellent DAW offering a wide range of features like AU and VST support, multi-track recording, etc. If you are already using a fully licensed version of any DAW, you can use AKAI MPC as a plugin to take advantage of the different features. As a free DAW, the number of features and the ability to control groves and make beats is lovely. As mentioned earlier, you can use this as a stand-alone DAW or a plugin for other Software.
Key Features
- Load Third-Party VST Plugins
- Free
- Sample Editing
- Virtual Mixer
Bottom line
Overall, it is a pretty good app with everything you’ll need to create great music. In our opinion, using it as a plugin is the best part.
Magix Music Maker
The concept of free DAW was started by a company named Magix. The MusicMaker bundle we are talking about now results from this concept. It was released in 1994 when free DAW was genuinely a big thing. Magix Music Maker is a free platform where you can create and edit wonderful music. It is a bundle of everything you could ask for in a DAW as a beginner.
Key Features
- Sound pool
- Sound import
- Unlimited Audio Tracks
- VST Virtual instruments
Bottom line
In the end, it is one of the first free DAW, and as competition grew, MusicMaker has gone throw many levels of improvement to be here providing excellent services.
Reaper
This is among the plenty of companies that try to make the creation of music accessible for all. It is not free Software, but in comparison with other paid music software, Reaper is amazing. While most of the other music software costs hundreds of dollars, Reaper offers excellent services at a fraction of the price.
Key Features
- Embedded FX plugins
- Efficient
- 64-bit Internal Audio Processing
- Multi-Language
Bottom line
In conclusion, Reaper is a fantastic software you can get. But, compared to the others on the list, you should have some advanced skills to use the Software properly.
OHM Studio
OHM studio is an underrated DAW; it provides peer-to-peer linking so that a group of people can work on the same project together in real-time. In current times, OHM studio is an excellent way to work remotely while taking each other’s suggestions and working together in real-time. Apps like Skype and Zoom have been handy these days, but they don’t allow collaboration with sound sources, but OHM studio does.
Key Features
- Unlimited Tracks
- Full Audio Routing
- Automation
- VST Support
Bottom line
Overall, it’s a perfect alternative for Garageband and is also excellent for use in the present time.
LMMS
In comparison to other options, LMMS has a slight twist from average. It is an open-source and cross-platform music suite that combines all the solutions to all your needs. It is the best alternative to Garageband. LMMS is fast, powerful, and will be up and running before you notice it. All of these features are available free of cost.
Key Features
- Track Automation support
- Separate editor for instruments
- MIDI Editor
- Bundled free plugins to use
Bottom line
For an open-source music production suite, LMMS does an outstanding job. It is rich with features and gets the work done perfectly.
FAQs
Q. Is Garageband available for free?
A. Yes, this is available for free with limited features. $4.99 in-app purchase is available to access all the features.
Q. Are there some file formats that cannot work on GarageBand?
A. Yes, Garageband doesn’t support Mp3, Wave, AAC, and AIFF File formats. You can convert through external Software to use these formats.
Q. What are the minimum requirements for using GarageBand for Windows 10/8/7?
A. Your system should have at least Windows 7 or higher. We recommend Windows 10.
You should have a minimum of 4 GB RAM. We would recommend you to have 8 GB. You should have a minimum Intel i5 processor or Ryzen 7, and higher would be great.
Q. Can you revert any sound files you edit?
A. You can revert your sound files by turning off any effects or modifying those effects as you desire.
Q. Can I edit movies in Garageband?
A. You can add or edit the audiotrack of any movie in the Garageband program but can’t edit videos.
Check out more FAQs on GarageBand music software here.
Want to run garageband on your Android phone as well? Check out this guide to know more.
Is Garageband free of cost or required to buy subscription?
Yes, You can download Garageband for free using one of any methods we explained. You don’t require any subscription.
I am still curious to know when Apple is bringing Garageband on play store? I’m an Android phone user and not interested switching to Apple. Please guide me best method I can follow. I have AMD chipset computer and not capable to run heavy applications.
Apple has denied bringing Garageband to the Play store and you don’t need to switch to Apple. Our all methods are working properly so you can try anyone of them. If your system seems to be slow then go for SSD or RAM expansion.
I am thinking of switching from Audacity to Garageband. The audacity interface is confusing and someone told me that the Garageband interface is pretty simpler and smooth. Is it true? and Do I get access to all the features that are offered by the Garageband mac version?
Yes, You’re absolutely right about the user interface and you get a better and smoother interface in Garageband. The software is the same so you get all the same features on all OS whether it’s mac or windows.