Virtuoso Studio Refreshed for Modern Outlook

Our new AI-powered custom design solution, Virtuoso Studio, leverages our 30 years of industry knowledge and leadership, providing innovative features, reimagined infrastructure for unrivaled productivity, and new levels of integration that stretch beyond classic design boundaries. In this blog series, learn how the best analog design tools just got better to help you keep pace with your challenging design issues.

The familiar user interface of this trusted tool—used for over three decades—is what keeps the Virtuoso Studio user base happy. While it has evolved gradually over time, we felt it was time for a more noticeable refresh—one that keeps pace with modern design trends without losing the simplicity our users expect. The result? A cleaner, modern look that makes you feel at home.

With Virtuoso Studio IC 25.1, we've gone beyond a simple facelift. Think of it as a thoughtful evolution that makes your design environment more modern, more intuitive, and more comfortable without taking away what you already love about Virtuoso Studio. These enhancements aren't just cosmetic; they're about helping you work smarter, view designs more clearly, and stay in control.

Here's what this refresh brings to you:

• Dark Gray theme for comfort – Reduce eye strain with a modern, eye-friendly workspace
• Sharper readability – TrueType fonts make schematics and layouts easier to read
• Clearer visualization – LPP transparency brings clarity to complex, layered designs
• Smarter notifications – Stay on top of key updates that come without unnecessary noise
• Dashboard for easy navigation – move smoothly across windows and active sessions

At the heart of it, each of these improvements has one goal—to make your experience with Virtuoso Studio more productive and enjoyable.

Keep It Light or Dark – Now You Have a Choice!

The first thing you'll notice in the refreshed Virtuoso Studio is the new Dark Gray theme. The new Dark Gray theme is now the default look—modern, sleek, and easy on the eyes. Limiting screen brightness and blue light exposure, the Dark Gray theme can be especially helpful for low-light environments, making it a good companion for long screen hours.

Prefer a brighter workspace? No problem. You can switch back to Light Mode anytime from the User Preferences form.

Although the chic and modern look and feel of the Dark Gray theme may highlight it as an aesthetic upgrade, the change isn't only about style—the new theme brings along some very cool features that are appreciated by user's today.

• Lower power usage on OLED screens
• Better visibility in dim settings
• Sharper readability with high-contrast text
• Polished UI effects like hover highlights, flat design elements, and a compact sidebar

With Dark Mode as the new default, Virtuoso Studio is right in step with today's modern applications—giving you a workspace that's both stylish and practical.

TrueType Fonts for Sharper Readability

Whether you're working on a large monitor in the office or reviewing designs on a laptop while traveling, your text should look crisp and consistent. With the new TrueType font support, Virtuoso Studio now delivers smoother, sharper readability across your design environment. What this means for you:

• Smooth, anti-aliased text that looks sharp at any zoom level
• Brighter, clearer visuals
• Custom font mapping that adapts to your desktop preferences

With TrueType fonts, your workspace feels more modern, responsive, and in tune with the display requirements of the users today.

Layer Transparency with LPP

When working on dense designs, it's easy to feel like you're looking at a tangle of overlapping details. With reduced design real estate and growing complexity, even experienced designers can struggle to get the clarity they need.

The new LPP Transparency feature in Virtuoso Studio gives you better visual control of your layouts—helping you focus on what matters most, without altering the underlying display resource file. Here's how you can use the feature to your advantage:

• Adjust transparency by layer or purpose for clearer visualization
• See real-time updates as you tweak visibility settings
• Preserve your DRF setup while improving on-screen clarity
• Navigate complex layouts faster with reduced visual clutter

With LPP transparency, you'll spend less time fighting the view and more time refining the design.

Smarter Notifications

In a busy design environment, staying updated without getting distracted by constant interruptions is critical to maintain focus, productivity, and quality. Instead of hunting through notification logs or reacting only after issues arise, wouldn't it be easier if important updates simply got sent over to you?

That's exactly what the new Notifications system in Virtuoso Studio delivers. It keeps you informed of what matters, when it matters—so you can act proactively while staying focused on your work.

Here's what you get:

• Pop-up alerts for errors, warnings, and key information
• Customizable settings through the Notifications Options form or the bell icon

With smarter notifications, you'll never miss critical updates—maintaining focus on your design.

Virtuoso Dashboard: Your Session Command Center

When you're deep into design work, it's easy to lose track of all the windows and sessions you have open. That's where the new Virtuoso Dashboard comes in—it's your central hub for managing sessions and keeping everything at your fingertips. Whether you're juggling multiple designs or just want a cleaner way to switch between tasks, the Dashboard makes navigation effortless.

With the Dashboard, you get:

• A unified view of all active Virtuoso Studio windows, irrespective of the session the windows got launched from?
• Quick navigation and control through right-click menus
• Organized layouts using the Arrange feature for multitasking efficiency

All your sessions, organized in one central view

We've reimagined Virtuoso Studio with you in mind—making it easier, clearer, and more comfortable to do what you do best. Whether you're a longtime Virtuoso Studio user or someone just getting started, the refreshed UI is designed to surprise you with its clarity, style, and efficiency.

Related Resources

• Virtuoso Studio Design Environment User Guide

Contact Us

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the upgrade. Share your feedback with us at custom_ic_blogs—your input helps shape the future of Virtuoso Studio.

For more information on Cadence circuit design products and services, visit www.cadence.com.