What are the App Store app preview specs?
| Spec | App Store app preview |
|---|---|
| Length | 15 seconds minimum, 30 seconds maximum |
| Max file size | 500 MB |
| Max frame rate | 30 fps |
| Formats | H.264 in .mov, .m4v or .mp4; ProRes 422 (HQ only) in .mov |
| Target bit rate | H.264: 10 to 12 Mbps. ProRes 422 HQ: VBR about 220 Mbps |
| Video | Progressive; H.264 up to High Profile Level 4.0 |
| Audio | Stereo, 256 kbps AAC (ProRes can also use PCM at 16, 24 or 32-bit), 44.1 or 48 kHz, all tracks enabled |
| Orientation | Portrait or landscape for iOS apps; landscape only for macOS, tvOS and visionOS apps |
| How many | Up to three per supported device size and language (optional) |
| Poster frame | You choose it; defaults to the frame at 5 seconds |
| Processing | Up to 24 hours after upload |
Source: App preview specifications, App Store Connect Help, checked November 4, 2026. App previews aren't available for apps on the App Store for iMessage.
What resolution should an App Store preview be?
Apple lists a device resolution (the screen) and an accepted resolution (what App Store Connect takes for the video file) for each display class, and says to use the accepted one. For most iPhones they're different.
| Display class | Example devices | Accepted resolution (portrait / landscape) |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone Duo; iPhone 6.9", 6.5", 6.1" and 5.8" classes | iPhone Air, 18 Pro Max, 17 Pro Max, 17, 16 Plus, 16e, 14, 13 mini, 11, XR, X | 886×1920 / 1920×886 |
| iPhone 5.5" (Home button, large) | iPhone 8 Plus, 7 Plus, 6S Plus, 6 Plus | 1080×1920 / 1920×1080 |
| iPhone 4.7" (Home button, medium) | iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd gen), 8, 7, 6S, 6 | 750×1334 / 1334×750 |
| iPhone 4" (Home button) | iPhone SE (1st gen), 5S, 5C, 5 | 1080×1920 / 1920×1080 |
| iPhone 3.5" | App previews not supported | |
| iPad 13", 11" and 10.5" | iPad Pro (M5, M4), iPad Air (M4, M3, M2), iPad (A16), iPad mini (A17 Pro) | 1200×1600 / 1600×1200 (12.9" iPad Pro 2nd gen also takes 900×1200) |
| iPad 9.7" | iPad Air 2, iPad (6th gen and earlier), iPad mini (5th gen), mini 4, 3, 2 | 900×1200 / 1200×900 |
| Mac | 1920×1080 (landscape) | |
| Apple TV | 1920×1080 (landscape) | |
| Apple Vision Pro | 3840×2160 (landscape) |
Source: Section "App Preview resolutions" of App preview specifications, App Store Connect Help, checked November 4, 2026. Device lists shortened; the page names every model.
Three things follow from that table:
- 1080×1920 is not the current iPhone size. Every iPhone class from the X onward takes 886×1920, which is about 9:19.5 (1920 ÷ 886 = 2.17, our arithmetic). A standard 1080×1920 (9:16) vertical export is accepted only for the older 5.5" and 4" Home-button classes.
- Upload the largest size and let it scale. If your app looks the same across sizes, Apple says to provide only the highest resolution required; it scales down to smaller devices. Missing classes fall back to a neighbouring class's preview.
- Match your screenshots' shape. A preview in a different aspect ratio from your screenshots appears in the "A Closer Look" section of the product page instead.
What can an App Store preview show?
Only the app. App Review Guideline 2.3.4 says previews "may only use video screen captures of the app itself"; you can add narration and video or text overlays to explain what isn't clear from the footage (App Review Guidelines). Apple's app previews guidance adds:
- Stay inside the app. No footage of people using a device, such as over-the-shoulder shots or fingers tapping the screen.
- Write for silence. Previews play muted by default, so use on-screen copy that stays up long enough to read.
- No prices or dates. Don't show specific prices (they vary by region) or seasonal references that will age the video.
- Disclose purchases. If a feature shown needs an in-app purchase, a subscription or a login, say so in the footage or the end frame.
- All ages. Previews must suit a 4+ rating even if the app is rated higher.
Where do app previews appear on the App Store?
On iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV, previews always appear before your screenshots, even if you reorder them in App Store Connect (App Store Connect Help). They autoplay with muted audio on the product page and in search results; when someone has turned autoplay off, your poster frame shows instead (Apple product page guidance). If a localization has no preview of its own, the preview in the next best available language is used.
Can I put a brand video on the App Store?
Not in the preview slot, but Apple now has a separate one. Creative assets are images or videos for the product page header and search results that can highlight your brand or new content, "distinct from the in-use functionality requirement" of previews (Manage your App Store assets). They're for iOS and iPadOS apps on iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 and later, and must still pertain to your app or brand and avoid unverifiable claims and pricing (Guideline 2.3.14).
| Creative asset video | Product page header | Search results |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 21:9 | 3:2 |
| Resolution | 3840×1646 | 1920×1280 to 3840×2560 |
| Frame rate | 30 or 60 fps | 30 or 60 fps |
| Length | 5 to 30 seconds | 5 to 30 seconds |
| Formats | .mov, .m4v, .mp4 | .mov, .m4v, .mp4 |
| Sound | Muted by default; people can unmute. Loops | Muted and can't be unmuted. Loops |
Source: Creative assets specifications, App Store Connect Help, checked November 4, 2026.
Exporting a launch video for App Store
| Setting | Recommended export |
|---|---|
| Size | 886×1920 portrait (all current iPhones), plus 1200×1600 if you support iPad |
| File | H.264 in .mp4 or .mov, 10 to 12 Mbps |
| Frame rate | 30 fps (Apple's maximum) |
| Audio | Stereo AAC, 256 kbps, 48 kHz |
| Length | 20 to 30 seconds (15 minimum, 30 maximum) |
| Footage | Screen captures of the app only, with text overlays |
| Poster frame | Pick a strong frame; the default is 5 seconds in |
Our recommendation, chosen to sit inside the App Store limits above. The full guide: how to make a launch video.
The median launch video in our study of 150 top Product Hunt launches ran 78 seconds, well over the 30-second cap, and launch films usually mix product UI with designed scenes, which Guideline 2.3.4 doesn't allow in a preview. Treat the preview as its own cut: record the app on device (Apple suggests QuickTime Player on a Mac), lead with the single most useful screen, and caption every step because it plays muted. Where the full film goes instead: app promo video vs App Store preview.