App Store Preview Video Specs & How to Make One (2026)
App previews autoplay before a visitor reads a single word of your listing. Here is every size and format rule App Store Connect enforces in 2026 — and the fastest way to turn the screenshots you already have into a compliant preview video.
What counts as an app preview
An app preview is a 15–30 second video that autoplays muted in App Store search results and at the top of your product page. You can upload up to three per device size per locale, and Apple expects the footage to consist primarily of the app itself — real screens and real features, with captions allowed on top. Successful previews read like a quick tour: screen, feature caption, next screen. Study how top apps do it by opening any listing on AppScreens Explore — the preview videos play right in the archive.
Accepted video sizes
Dimensions must match exactly — App Store Connect rejects anything else. These are the same sizes the AppScreens Video Studio exports:
| Resolution (px) | Device slot | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 886 × 1920 | iPhone portrait | Current devices |
| 1920 × 886 | iPhone landscape | Current devices |
| 1200 × 1600 | iPad portrait | Current devices |
| 1600 × 1200 | iPad landscape | Current devices |
| 1080 × 1920 | iPhone portrait | Legacy 5.5″ slot only |
Format rules that reject uploads
- Duration: 15–30 seconds, no exceptions in either direction.
- Codec & container: H.264 in an .mp4, .m4v, or .mov container at up to 30 fps.
- Audio track required: the file must contain an audio stream even though previews autoplay muted — a silent stereo AAC track passes. This is the single most surprising rejection reason.
- Exact dimensions: the frame size must match one of the accepted resolutions above, pixel for pixel.
- App content: footage should be captured from the app experience itself. Text overlays are fine; footage of people using the device generally is not.
Turn your screenshots into a preview video
You don't need screen recordings or an editor. The Video Studio has an App Story mode built exactly like real App Store previews: each keyframe on the timeline is one of your screenshots, filling the frame edge-to-edge with your feature caption overlaid — slides without a screenshot become full-frame brand text cards, the interstitial style previews use between scenes.
- Chain keyframes: pick a slide per clip and set its duration; the timeline warns if you leave the 15–30 second window.
- Add motion: subtle zoom or pan keeps each screen alive without stealing focus from the content.
- Pick transitions: fade, slide, rise, or hard cut between scenes.
- Export ASC-ready: one click renders an exact-size H.264 MP4 with the required silent audio track already muxed in.
Prefer a device-centric look instead? The same studio includes a 3D Showcase mode that orbits a camera around a real device model showing your screenshots.
Open the Video StudioFrequently asked questions
How long can an App Store preview video be?
Between 15 and 30 seconds. App Store Connect rejects previews outside that range, so plan roughly 3–6 scenes of 4–6 seconds each. You can upload up to three previews per device size per locale.
What size should an iPhone app preview video be?
886×1920 pixels for portrait and 1920×886 for landscape on modern iPhones. iPad previews use 1200×1600 portrait or 1600×1200 landscape. 1080×1920 is only accepted for the legacy 5.5-inch device slot.
Does an app preview video need audio?
Yes — App Store Connect requires the file to contain an audio track and rejects videos without one, even though previews autoplay muted on the store. A silent stereo AAC track satisfies the requirement; the AppScreens Video Studio adds one automatically.
Why was my app preview video rejected?
The usual causes: the resolution doesn't exactly match an accepted size, the duration is outside 15–30 seconds, the file has no audio track, or the footage isn't primarily captured from the app itself. Apple expects previews to show real app UI — not lifestyle footage or pure motion graphics.
Do preview videos autoplay in the App Store?
Yes. The first preview autoplays muted in search results and on your product page, so the opening seconds and your poster frame carry most of the weight — lead with your strongest screen, not a logo animation.