The ScreenForge Manual

ScreenForge is a studio for App Store screenshots, 3D device mockups, and app preview videos that runs entirely in your browser. This manual walks through every panel and control, what it does and how it changes your design, so you can go from a blank canvas to a store-ready set with confidence.

Updated June 2026 · by the ScreenForge team

What ScreenForge is

ScreenForge composes 3D device mockups, multi-screen screenshot sets, and short videos, then exports them at the exact sizes the App Store and Google Play expect. Everything happens locally: your screenshots and media are rendered by your browser and never uploaded, so the tool is fast and private. There is nothing to install, and you can do most of your work without an account.

You typically use it to make: App Store screenshots (single or panoramic sets), app preview videos (the short autoplaying clips on a product page), and marketing mockups for landing pages, ads, and social.

The interface at a glance

The studio has five regions:

Quick start in 5 steps

1. Add a device. Click iPhone (or iPad, MacBook, Watch) in the left panel.
2. Add your screenshot. With the device selected, click Add image / video in the right panel, or just drag a file onto the canvas, to place it on the screen.
3. Pick your output. For a still, choose the PNG scale; for a video, choose a size and duration next to MP4 / WebM. The canvas matches the export.
4. Style it. Add a headline in the Text section and a background in the Background section.
5. Export. Click PNG, MP4, or WebM. Done.

Moving around the canvas

Two drag modes control what happens when you click and drag. You switch them with the Drag toggle in the Device section:

Move mode

Dragging a device moves it. Dragging empty space orbits the camera around the whole scene.

Turn mode

Dragging rotates the selected device only. The camera stays put, so you can pose one device without disturbing the rest.

• Scroll or pinch to zoom.
• Fit view (header) reframes everything neatly in the canvas.
• Click a device to select it; its controls appear in the right panel.

Adding devices

Pick any device from Add a device to drop it into the scene. The free library includes iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Apple Watch. Android, Windows laptop, and Pixel Watch are available on Pro.

Each device you add appears in the Scene list on the left, where you can select or remove it. Add as many as you like, then arrange them with the position and rotation controls.

Importing 3D models Pro

Pro users can bring in their own 3D models with Import 3D model. A single-file .glb works best (.gltf is also supported). The model is read and rendered entirely in your browser, it is never uploaded.

After importing, use the Screen dropdown in the Device section to choose which mesh of the model displays your screenshot, so a custom laptop, console, or kiosk can show your app just like the built-in devices.

Your screenshot on the screen

To place your app on a device's display, select the device and click Add image / video, or drag a file straight onto the canvas. You can use an image (PNG, JPEG) or a video (MP4, MOV, WebM), a screen recording plays right on the device.

• Reset returns the screen to the default wallpaper.
• The drop target is the whole canvas, ScreenForge maps your file onto the selected device's screen.

Device properties

With a device selected, the Device section controls how it looks and sits in the scene:

Multi-screen sets & panoramas

The screens menu in the header sets how many screens sit side by side, from 1 up to 8 (Pro is required for larger sets). This is how you build an App Store set: each screen exports as its own file, and the background can flow across all of them.

• Set the number of screens, then design each one.
• In the Background section, set Span to Panorama to stretch one continuous background across the whole set, or Per screen to repeat it on each.
• A device can lean across the boundary between two screens for the classic panoramic look.

PNG export produces one image per screen, sized for the slot you chose.

Backgrounds & Magic Theme

The Background section sets what sits behind your devices.

Magic Theme

Click ✨ Magic Theme and ScreenForge samples the colours in your screenshot, then repaints the background and text to match. It is the quickest way to a cohesive, on-brand look.

Background styles

• Color A / Color B and Angle shape gradients and mesh.
• Span chooses per-screen or panorama (see above).
• On a multi-screen set you can give a single screen its own background, then Use default background to revert it.

Text & headlines

Captions are what sell the screenshot, most people never read your description, so the headline on each screen does the talking. Click + Add text to create a text block. You can edit it two ways: type in the right-panel box, or double-click the text on the canvas and type directly.

Lighting & premium render

The Lighting section adds depth and realism:

Studio

A soft contact shadow under each device, so it sits on a surface instead of floating. This is the base of the premium look.

Reflection

A glossy mirror reflection below the devices. It needs Studio switched on. Turn it off to keep just the shadow for a cleaner, flatter scene.

Ambience

Overall scene brightness from the environment light.

Key light

The strength of the main directional light, which shapes highlights and edges on the device.

Animation & the timeline

For video exports, the Animation section and the timeline at the bottom bring your scene to life.

• Click + Add animation and pick a preset. Camera and background animations act on the whole scene; the rest animate the selected device. Animations stack, so you can combine a camera move with a device float.
• Each animation has a Start, a Length, an Amount (how strong the effect is), and an Easing curve.
• On the timeline, drag a block to move when it happens, and drag its edges to change how long it lasts.
• Press play to preview. The timeline length follows your chosen export duration.

Localized export Pro

Build your screenshots once, then ship them in every language. Click 🌐 Languages to open localized export:

1. Pick your source language (the text you already wrote).
2. Tick the languages to export.
3. Type or paste each translation. Any blank falls back to the original text.
4. Export the whole set as a ZIP, with a full screenshot set per language.

Use the Preview dropdown in the Text section to see any language on the canvas before exporting.

Exporting your work

All exports render at the size you choose and download straight to your device.

Still images (PNG)

Click PNG. The scale selector (1x / 2x) controls resolution; on a multi-screen set you get one PNG per screen. PNG is what you upload as App Store and Google Play screenshots.

Video (MP4 & WebM)

Choose a size and duration, then click MP4 or WebM. Video renders at 30 fps.

• MP4 is the standard video format for app previews and social.
• WebM (VP9) keeps transparency when the background is set to Transparent, great for overlays.
• Durations are 5, 10, 15, or 30 seconds. App Store app previews must be 15 to 30 seconds.

For the exact store requirements, see our App Store screenshots guide.

Saving & projects

The Project section keeps your work safe:

• Save writes your layout, animations, colours, and effects to a JSON file. Load reads one back.
• Screen and background images and videos are not included in the JSON, keep those files alongside it.
• Your scene also autosaves in this browser, so a refresh won't lose your work.
• New starts a fresh scene.

Accounts & Pro

Sign in with your email, ScreenForge sends a one-time link, no password to remember. Signing in lets you save and load projects and upgrade to Pro.

Pro unlocks:

• No watermark on exports
• Up to 8 screens per set
• Save and load projects
• Extra devices: Android, Windows, Pixel Watch
• Import your own 3D models
• Text motion animations
• Localized (multi-language) export

Pro is €3 / month or €18 / year (two months free on annual). You can cancel anytime from Manage subscription; access continues to the end of the period you paid for. See Pricing for details.

Privacy

Your screenshots, videos, and imported models never leave your browser, ScreenForge renders and exports everything locally. The only data we hold is your sign-in email and, for Pro, your subscription status. Full details are in the Privacy Policy.

FAQ

Do I need an account to use ScreenForge?

No. You can design and export with a watermark for free. An account (free) is needed to save and load projects, and to upgrade to Pro.

Are my screenshots uploaded anywhere?

No. All rendering and exporting happen in your browser. Your media is never uploaded to us.

What size should App Store screenshots be?

Use the Screenshot 1320 preset (1320 × 2868) for the 6.9-inch iPhone, which scales to all iPhones. Our screenshots guide has the full size matrix.

How do I make a transparent video?

Set the Background style to Transparent and export as WebM, which preserves the alpha channel.

Can I use what I export commercially?

Yes. Everything you export is yours to use, including commercially, with no attribution. See the License.

Which browsers work best?

A recent version of Chrome, Edge, or Safari. ScreenForge uses modern graphics and video features that need an up-to-date browser.