Google Play preview video specs
Published 28 September 2026. Every requirement checked against Google's Play Console Help on 28 September 2026; Google changes these, so follow the links in Sources before you rely on one.
Short answer: a Google Play store listing takes one preview video, added as a YouTube link rather than an uploaded file, so Google publishes no resolution, codec or file-size spec for it. The video must have ads turned off, be public or unlisted, not be age-restricted and be embeddable. Only the first 30 seconds autoplay, muted, so Google recommends keeping it short and showing the core features in the first 10 seconds.
| Spec | Store listing preview video |
|---|---|
| How it's added | One YouTube video URL per listing; not a playlist or channel; no timecodes or extra parameters |
| Required | Ads turned off (no monetisation); public or unlisted, not private; not age-restricted; embeddable |
| Length | No maximum published; only the first 30 seconds autoplay |
| Orientation | Landscape or portrait; no black bars beside a portrait video |
| Resolution, codec, file size, frame rate | Not published (it's a YouTube video) |
| Playback | May autoplay inline, muted, for up to 30 seconds; shown before the screenshots |
| Content (recommended) | Core features in the first 10 seconds; at least 80% representative of the real app; no people using the device; no "Best", "#1", "Top", "New", "Discount", "Sale" or "Download now"; captions and localisation |
The requirements
Google's Play Console Help says you can add one preview video to your store listing by entering a YouTube URL, not a playlist or channel URL, and without extra parameters like timecodes. It lists four requirements as mandatory: turn off ads for the video (turning off monetisation, or uploading a version without monetisation claims; with copyrighted content, turning off monetisation may not be enough), set it to public or unlisted, don't use an age-restricted video, and make sure it's embeddable.
What Google recommends
Under "highly recommended", Google asks you to keep videos short, because only the first 30 seconds autoplay, and to show the core features within the first 10 seconds. At least 80% of the video should represent the real experience of the app. Either landscape or portrait is fine, but don't leave black bars either side of a portrait video. It asks you not to show people interacting with the device, and to keep promotional words such as "Best", "#1", "Top", "New", "Discount" and "Sale", and calls to action like "Download now", out of the overlays. It also recommends captions and a localised video for each language.
Where the official pages are vague
- No file specs. Because the video is hosted on YouTube, Google publishes no resolution, frame rate, codec or size for it.
- No maximum length is given for the preview video, only that 30 seconds autoplay.
- A different YouTube feature, "Showcase your app with YouTube videos", is for eligible apps only, accepts playlists and channels, requires videos to be public (not unlisted) and under 30 minutes. Don't mix its rules up with the preview video's.
Can a Launch Video Maker reel be a Play preview video?
Not a good fit, and we'd rather say so. Google wants at least 80% of the preview to show the real app experience, with no "Download now" style call to action, while our reels are motion graphics built around your approved facts and end on a call to action. Record your preview from the app itself. Use our reel on your website, YouTube channel, social feeds and ads, where it's allowed to sell. If you do upload one of our reels to YouTube for your channel, our music is generated for each video, so there's no licensed track in it for you to clear.
A 16:9 cut for YouTube and your site comes with the Bundle (£49), alongside 9:16 and 4:5; a single format is the Reel (£29) or the 15-second Short (£9). See launch videos for mobile apps for what an app's reel should show.
Questions
- How do I add a preview video to Google Play?
- Enter a YouTube video URL in your store listing in Play Console. It must be a single video, not a playlist or channel, with no timecodes in the URL.
- What are the requirements for a Google Play preview video?
- Ads must be turned off, the video must be public or unlisted, it can't be age-restricted, and it must be embeddable, according to Play Console Help.
- How long should a Google Play preview video be?
- Google doesn't set a maximum, but only the first 30 seconds autoplay, so it recommends keeping it short and showing the core features in the first 10 seconds.
- Can a Google Play preview video be portrait?
- Yes. Google supports landscape or portrait, and asks you not to leave black bars on either side of a portrait video.
Sources
All checked on 28 September 2026.
- Play Console Help: Add preview assets to showcase your app (preview video: URL, requirements, recommendations, playback)
- Play Console Help: Showcase your app with YouTube videos on Google Play (the separate YouTube videos feature)