How to Make App Store Screenshots (2026 Guide)

App Store screenshots are the single biggest lever on your product page conversion rate, most people decide whether to download before they read a word. This guide covers the exact sizes, the app preview video specs, a step-by-step workflow, and the design choices that actually move installs.

Updated June 2026 · by the ScreenForge team

App Store screenshot sizes & requirements

Apple requires screenshots for at least one iPhone display size and, if your app supports iPad, one iPad size. The good news in recent App Store Connect: a single set of 6.9-inch iPhone screenshots can scale down to cover every smaller iPhone, so in practice you usually only need one iPhone size and one iPad size.

A few rules worth memorizing:

• You can upload up to 10 screenshots per device size, per localization.
• The first two or three screenshots are what most people see in search results, treat them as your headline.
• Screenshots must be flat PNG or JPEG at the exact pixel dimensions, with no rounded corners or transparency.
• Landscape apps swap the dimensions (e.g. 2868 × 1320).

For the authoritative, always-current numbers, see Apple's screenshot specifications in App Store Connect Help.

App preview video specifications

An app preview is a short video (an app preview, not a trailer) that autoplays on your product page. It's the most underused asset on the App Store, and one of the most persuasive.

• Length: 15 to 30 seconds. Apple rejects anything outside that window.
• Size: 886 × 1920 portrait for 6.9″/6.5″ iPhones (or the landscape equivalent).
• Format: H.264 (or Apple ProRes), commonly 30 fps, with an audio track even if it's silent.
• Limit: up to 3 app previews per localization.

See Apple's app preview specifications for the full matrix. ScreenForge exports app previews at exactly these specs, including the silent audio track Apple expects.

How to make App Store screenshots, step by step

You can do this in any design tool, but a purpose-built one removes the guesswork on sizes. Here's the workflow in ScreenForge, free and entirely in your browser:

1. Open the studio. Go to getscreenforge.com/studio, nothing to install, no account.
2. Add a device and your screenshot. Pick iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or Apple Watch, then drag your app screenshot or a screen recording onto the device's screen.
3. Choose the App Store size. Set the output to the 1320×2868 screenshot slot (or 886×1920 for an app preview). The canvas matches the export exactly, so what you see is what ships.
4. Add a headline and background. Write a short benefit-driven headline, then pick a background, a gradient, a solid color, or your own image, per screen or panoramic across the whole set.
5. Build the set. Add up to 8 screens side by side. Let a device lean across the gutter between two screens for the classic panoramic look.
6. Export. Download the screenshot set as a ZIP at the exact store size, or export an MP4 app preview or a transparent WebM for social.

Design tips that lift conversions

Sizes get you approved; design gets you installs. What consistently works on high-performing product pages:

• Lead with the benefit, not the feature. "Track every ride" beats "GPS dashboard." Your first screenshot should answer "what's in it for me?"
• Add a headline to every screenshot. Most users never tap to read the description, your captions are the description.
• Use a panoramic background. A background that flows across the set makes someone keep swiping, which Apple's algorithm notices.
• Show the app, big. A 3D device at a slight angle reads as more premium than a flat rectangle, but keep the actual screen legible.
• Keep a consistent palette. Two or three brand colors across all screens looks intentional and trustworthy.
• Localize the text. Translated captions measurably lift conversion in non-English markets.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wrong dimensions. Off-by-a-pixel uploads get rejected. Export at the exact size, don't scale in Photoshop afterward.
• Tiny, unreadable text. Captions are viewed at thumbnail size in search, make them big and high-contrast.
• Burying the value. If screenshots 1 and 2 don't sell it, screenshots 3 to 10 won't get seen.
• A trailer instead of a preview. App previews must show the actual app in use, not a marketing montage, or Apple rejects them.
• Ignoring the app preview entirely. A 15-second autoplaying video is the highest-converting asset most apps never make.

Frequently asked questions

What size should App Store screenshots be in 2026?

Use 1320 × 2868 for the 6.9-inch iPhone, which scales to all iPhone sizes, and 2064 × 2752 for the 13-inch iPad if your app supports iPad. App previews are 886 × 1920.

How many screenshots can I upload?

Up to 10 screenshots and up to 3 app previews per device size, per localization.

Do I need a separate set for every iPhone?

No. A 6.9-inch set scales down to cover every smaller iPhone, so one iPhone size plus one iPad size is usually enough.

Can I make App Store screenshots for free?

Yes. ScreenForge is free while in beta and runs entirely in your browser, your screenshots never upload anywhere.