App Store app preview specs
Published 28 September 2026. Every figure checked against Apple's App Store Connect help, its App Previews page and the App Review Guidelines on 28 September 2026; Apple updates device sizes often, so follow the links in Sources before you rely on one.
Short answer: an App Store app preview is 15 to 30 seconds long, up to 500 MB, at no more than 30 frames per second, in .mov, .m4v or .mp4. Current iPhones (6.9, 6.5, 6.3 and 6.1 inch) take 886 × 1920 in portrait, and most iPads 1200 × 1600. You can upload up to three per device size and language, they autoplay with the sound muted, and they may only show screen captures of the app itself, though you can add text overlays and narration.
| Spec | App preview |
|---|---|
| Length | 15 to 30 seconds |
| How many | Optional; up to 3 per device size and language |
| iPhone 6.9", 6.5", 6.3", 6.1" | 886 × 1920 portrait, 1920 × 886 landscape |
| iPhone 5.5" and 4" | 1080 × 1920 portrait, 1920 × 1080 landscape |
| iPhone 4.7" | 750 × 1334 portrait, 1334 × 750 landscape |
| iPad 13", 11", 10.5" | 1200 × 1600 portrait, 1600 × 1200 landscape |
| Mac, Apple TV | 1920 × 1080, landscape only |
| File | Up to 500 MB. H.264 in .mov, .m4v or .mp4 (10 to 12 Mbps, progressive, up to High Profile 4.0), or ProRes 422 (HQ only) in .mov |
| Frame rate | 30 fps maximum |
| Audio | Stereo; 256 kbps AAC at 44.1 or 48 kHz (ProRes may use PCM); all tracks enabled |
| Poster frame | Defaults to 5 seconds in |
| Safe zone | Not published |
How long can an app preview be?
Apple's app preview specifications set a minimum of 15 seconds and a maximum of 30. Its App Previews page says each preview can be up to 30 seconds and that you can have up to three for each language your app supports. Upload help adds that previews are optional, up to three per supported device size and language, and that processing can take up to 24 hours.
Sizes and files
The table above covers the device sizes most apps need; Apple's page also lists 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPads, the Apple Vision Pro (3840 × 2160, landscape) and notes that 3.5-inch iPhones don't support previews. If you don't upload previews at the 6.5-inch size, Apple uses scaled previews from the 6.9-inch size. H.264 files should target 10 to 12 Mbps, progressive, at up to High Profile level 4.0; ProRes 422 files must be HQ, around 220 Mbps. Both are capped at 30 frames per second.
What an app preview is allowed to show
This is the part that catches people out. Apple's App Previews page says previews must show only content within the app, and not to film people interacting with a device. The App Review Guidelines (section 2.3.4) say previews may only use video screen captures of the app itself, though you can add narration and video or text overlays. Apple also asks that previews are appropriate for all ages, don't include specific prices, and disclose in-app purchases, subscriptions or a required login. Previews autoplay on your product page and in search results, muted by default, and if someone has turned off autoplay they see the poster frame instead.
Where the official pages are vague
- Safe zones aren't published on any of the pages we checked.
- The top iPhone size differs between pages: the upload help mentions a 6.5-inch display, while the specifications treat 6.9 inches as the top size.
- Landscape-only platforms differ too: the specification's note names macOS and tvOS, and the upload page also includes visionOS.
Can a Launch Video Maker reel be an app preview?
Honestly, no, not as it comes. Our reels are motion graphics: your words, facts, logo and screenshots animated in a designed look, with music. Apple wants app previews built from screen captures of the app itself, and our 9:16 file is 1080 × 1920, not the 886 × 1920 that current iPhones take. Record your app preview on the device, following Apple's rules, and use our reel for everything around the launch: your website, YouTube, Reels, TikTok and ads, where a motion reel belongs.
A 15-second vertical reel for social is the Short, £9; the Bundle (£49) adds 16:9 and 4:5 cuts. See launch videos for mobile apps for what an app's launch reel should show.
Questions
- How long can an App Store app preview be?
- Between 15 and 30 seconds, according to Apple's App Store Connect app preview specifications.
- What resolution is an iPhone app preview?
- 886 × 1920 in portrait (1920 × 886 landscape) for 6.9, 6.5, 6.3 and 6.1 inch iPhones. The 5.5-inch size takes 1080 × 1920.
- How many app previews can I upload?
- Up to three per device size and language. Previews are optional, and they play before your screenshots.
- Can an app preview include footage that isn't from the app?
- No. Apple's guidelines say previews may only use screen captures of the app itself, though you can add narration and text or video overlays, and shouldn't show people holding a device.
Sources
All checked on 28 September 2026.
- App Store Connect Help: App preview specifications (length, size, resolutions, codecs, frame rate, audio, poster frame)
- App Store Connect Help: Upload app previews and screenshots (optional, up to three, processing time)
- Apple Developer: App previews (content rules, autoplay, muted, poster frame)
- Apple Developer: App Review Guidelines (section 2.3.4)