App Store Preview Video: Specs, Sizes and Rules That Pass Review

An App Store preview video (Apple calls it an "app preview") is a 15 to 30 second clip of screen-captured footage from your app. It autoplays muted on your product page. You can upload up to three per device size and language, and each file has to match an exact accepted resolution, such as 886 x 1920 px for current iPhones. It also has to use H.264 or ProRes 422 HQ, run at no more than 30 fps and stay under 500 MB.

The specs are strict, and Apple's content rules are stricter than most people expect. This guide covers both, then walks through a structure for a preview that still works with the sound off.

What is an App Store preview video?

An App Store preview video is a short, optional video on your App Store product page that shows your app's features, functionality and UI, using only footage captured from the app itself. Apple's product page guidelines say previews "autoplay with muted audio when users view your product page, so make sure the first few seconds of your video are visually compelling."

The video also controls your layout. According to Apple's App Store Connect app preview specifications, previews always appear before screenshots on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV, even if you reorder them in your app record. If a preview has a different aspect ratio than your screenshots, it moves to the "A Closer Look" section. That means your app preview is often the first thing people see, and your screenshots come after it.

What are the App Store preview video specifications?

An App Store preview video must be 15 to 30 seconds long, 500 MB or smaller, at most 30 fps, and encoded as H.264 (.mov, .m4v, .mp4) or ProRes 422 HQ (.mov). These are the full app preview specifications from App Store Connect Help:

Two details trip people up. First, 60 fps screen recordings have to be converted down to 30 fps. Second, App Store Connect can take up to a day to process an upload, so don't leave the app preview until the morning of your release.

Which resolution should an app preview use?

Use Apple's accepted app preview resolution, not your device's native screen resolution. For every modern iPhone with Face ID or Dynamic Island, that's 886 x 1920 px in portrait or 1920 x 886 px in landscape. Apple's spec page states it directly: "Use the accepted resolution, not the device resolution, when preparing your file."

A raw iPhone screen recording doesn't match 886 x 1920 exactly, so you'll need to scale and crop it (see the export steps below). If your UI is the same across device sizes and languages, Apple says you only need the highest required resolution, and App Store Connect scales it down for the others. If a localized preview is missing, the store uses the next best available language.

What can you show in an App Store preview video?

An App Store preview video may only contain screen captures of the app itself. You can't use live-action footage of people, hands or devices. App Review Guideline 2.3.4 says previews "may only use video screen captures of the app itself," and lets you "add narration and video or textual overlays to help explain anything that isn't clear from the video alone."

Apple's app preview guidance adds more specific rules:

• No people on camera. "Don't film people interacting with a device, such as an over-the-shoulder angle or fingers tapping the screen."
• Touch hotspots are fine. You may add graphic elements such as touch hotspots to show how navigation works.
• Disclose paywalls. If you show features that need an in-app purchase, a subscription or a login, you must disclose it in the footage or the end frame.
• No prices or dates. Avoid seasonal references like "new for spring" and specific prices, because pricing and currencies vary by region.
• Honest transitions. Transitions shouldn't imply functionality your app doesn't have. Apple suggests simple dissolves and fades.
• Native resolution. Apple recommends capturing the native UI rather than zooming in on the view.
• All-ages content. No violence, adult themes or profanity. Games should show more gameplay than cutscenes.
• Licensed material only. Music, brands and characters need licensing rights for marketing use in every territory where you sell.

The practical takeaway: put device frames, lifestyle shots and 3D hero renders in your screenshots and marketing materials, not in the app preview itself.

How do you structure a 30-second preview that works on mute?

Plan your App Store preview video as a silent film with captions. Apple notes that previews play muted by default, so text overlays carry the message, and that text should stay on screen long enough to read. Here's a structure that fits the 30-second limit (it's our recommendation, not an Apple rule):

1. 0–3 s: the hook. Open on the single most impressive screen in your app, already in motion. Don't use a logo intro or splash screen. Viewers decide in these seconds whether to keep watching.
2. 3–20 s: three core moments. Show three key features, roughly five seconds each, each with a short overlay headline (three to six words).
3. 20–27 s: the payoff. Show the result the user gets, such as a finished edit, a booked trip or a completed workout.
4. 27–30 s: the end frame. A clean final screen, plus any required subscription or login disclosure.

If you upload more than one preview, Apple suggests that the first gives an overview and later ones highlight other features, so that "each video shows people something new." For music, Apple recommends a single score throughout for continuity. UI sound effects can reinforce what's happening on screen.

Choosing the app preview poster frame

The app preview poster frame is the still image shown when the video doesn't autoplay, for example when someone has turned off autoplay in their App Store settings. It defaults to the 5-second mark. Pick a frame that "conveys the essence of your app," ideally one with a readable overlay headline. Be aware that changing the poster frame on an already-approved preview means submitting a new version of the preview.

How do you record and export an app preview?

Record on a real device, then convert the file to the exact accepted resolution and frame rate before you upload it to App Store Connect.

1. Capture the footage

Apple suggests capturing footage with QuickTime Player on macOS by connecting your iPhone or iPad to a Mac. Before recording, clean up the device: use realistic demo data, a full battery indicator and no personal notifications.

2. Edit to 15–30 seconds

Cut in any video editor (Final Cut Pro, iMovie, DaVinci Resolve and so on), add overlays, then export at 30 fps or lower. Keep the final length between 15 and 30 seconds. Anything outside that range will be rejected on upload.

3. Scale and crop to the accepted size

If App Store Connect says "The dimensions of one or more of your files don't match the requirements for this device," your file isn't at an accepted size. iOS developer Sarun Wongpatcharapakorn documents an ffmpeg fix that scales to fill the frame, then crops the overflow:

ffmpeg -i input.mov -vf "scale=886:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=increase,crop=886:1920" -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 18 -r 30 -c:a aac -ar 48000 output.mp4

For other device slots, swap 886:1920 for the accepted size, for example 1200:1600 for iPad.

4. Upload and set the poster frame

Upload the file in the matching device size and language slot in App Store Connect, set the poster frame and allow up to 24 hours for processing before you submit.

How do the preview video and screenshots work together?

The preview video opens your product page, and your screenshots finish the pitch. Plan them as one sequence. Apple's product page guidelines allow up to 10 screenshots. When no app preview is available, the first one to three screenshots appear in search results, so those screenshots carry extra weight for apps without a video.

Screenshots also have more creative freedom than previews. Guideline 2.3.3 allows text and image overlays, which is where device frames and polished compositions belong. To keep the two assets consistent:

• Reuse the same headline wording in your video overlays and screenshot captions.
• Keep the preview and screenshots in the same orientation and aspect ratio if you want the video at the start of your screenshot row rather than in "A Closer Look."
• Don't repeat the video's first feature in screenshot one. Use the screenshots to show what the video couldn't fit.

This is where mockiso fits in. Upload the same app screens you recorded, put them on a 3D iPhone 17 Pro or iPad Pro from the device library, pick an angle preset like hero left or float, and add an App Store-style headline and subline. Duo and trio layouts let consecutive screenshots flow across devices. Canvas size presets cover store and social formats, and you can export PNG, JPEG or WebP. The same renders work well for the places where an app preview can't go, like your landing page, launch posts and press kit. If you're not sure where a frame helps, read when to use device mockups.

Key takeaways

• An App Store preview video must be 15–30 seconds, at most 30 fps, 500 MB or smaller, in H.264 or ProRes 422 HQ.
• Use Apple's accepted resolution, not the device resolution: 886 x 1920 px for modern iPhones and 1200 x 1600 px for current iPads.
• Previews may only show screen captures of the app. No hands, people or filmed devices. Overlays, touch hotspots and narration are allowed.
• Previews autoplay muted and always appear before screenshots, so open on your strongest screen and use readable text overlays.
• Allow up to 24 hours for processing, and remember that changing an approved poster frame means submitting the preview again.

Ready to finish your product page?

A strong App Store preview video gets people's attention, and good screenshots help turn that attention into installs. Create a free mockiso account to turn your app screens into 3D device mockups in the browser, with a 24-hour Pro trial and no card required. When you need 2× exports, batch ZIPs or no watermark, see the plans.