How to make App Store screenshots that convert
To make high-converting App Store screenshots, you need to render your app at the exact device sizes the stores require (6.9" iPhone, 6.7", 5.5", 13" iPad for iOS; Phone, 7", 10" tablet for Android), overlay concise value-proposition text on the first two frames, localize the text into your target markets, and upload via App Store Connect or Google Play Console. First-frame design drives the majority of conversion lift, so invest more time there than on frames 5–10.
Step by step
Confirm the required sizes for 2026
iOS in 2026 requires the 6.9" (1320×2868) iPhone size at minimum; older 6.7", 6.5", 5.5" uploads are optional. iPad is required at 13" (2064×2752) if your app supports iPad. Google Play requires a phone size (minimum 1080×1920) and encourages 7" and 10" tablet sizes if the app is tablet-optimized.
Capture raw screenshots from your running app
Run the app in the iOS Simulator at the 6.9" preset (iPhone 17 Pro Max) and hit Command-S, or connect a physical device and take screenshots with Volume Up + Side button. For Android, use Android Studio's emulator at the Pixel 9 Pro size. Capture 3–5 raw screens of your key flows; you'll compose these onto marketing templates in the next step.
Design marketing-template overlays for frames 1–2
Frame 1 should answer 'what does the app do?' in 3–5 words over a single device mockup on a branded background. Frame 2 should highlight the single most important feature. Keep text ≤ 6 words per frame, use a readable sans-serif at 48pt minimum, and maintain high contrast (WCAG AA).
Export PNG for every required size
If you design once at 1320×2868, you can downscale to the other required iOS sizes losslessly — Apple accepts the largest size and generates derivatives. For Google Play, export both phone (1080×1920) and the tablet sizes separately; automated downscaling is not a substitute.
Localize frames for every target market
For each locale, translate the overlay text and swap the in-screen device content to that language. Do not 'just translate the overlay' — App Review now enforces consistency between screenshot language and the locale's app language; mismatches trigger guideline 2.3.3 (Accurate Metadata) rejections.
Upload via App Store Connect and Google Play Console
In App Store Connect, go to the app version → 'Previews and Screenshots', select the device size, drag and drop the PNGs in the order you want users to see them. In Google Play Console, go to 'Store presence' → 'Main store listing' → 'Phone screenshots' and upload 2–8 PNGs per language.
Set up an A/B test after launch
On iOS, use Custom Product Pages (up to 35 per app) to direct traffic from different sources to different screenshot sets. On Android, use Store Listing Experiments in Google Play Console to run a controlled test between a baseline and up to three variants, with Play Console reporting the winner on statistical significance.
How Forvibe does this
Forvibe's Screenshot Studio ships 150+ templates sized for every required device, renders your app's live UI on top, and one-click localizes the overlay text into 175+ languages while keeping each locale's in-screen content consistent. Export delivers all sizes as a single zip ready for Transporter or Play Console; the Store Listing Manager can also push screenshots directly to App Store Connect via API.
See Screenshot Studio →Frequently asked questions
What App Store screenshot sizes do I actually need for 2026?
At minimum, iOS requires 6.9" iPhone (1320×2868) in 2026, and iPad 13" (2064×2752) if the app supports iPad. Google Play requires at least one phone size (minimum 1080×1920). Older sizes are optional but can slightly improve conversion on legacy devices.
Do all screenshots need to be localized?
Technically no — stores accept English-only screenshots in every locale. But conversion data consistently shows 15–30% lift when screenshots are localized to the user's language, and App Review enforces that overlay text language matches the locale's in-screen content.
Can I include hands, backgrounds, or device frames in screenshots?
Yes, Apple and Google both allow lifestyle imagery and device frames as long as the actual app UI occupies the majority of the frame and accurately represents what users will see in the app. Misleading representations (features that don't exist, different UI than shipped) trigger guideline 2.3.3 rejections.
How many screenshots should I upload?
Upload the maximum allowed (10 for iOS, 8 for Android) if you have meaningful content for each. Frames 1–3 drive the bulk of conversion; frames 4–10 help users who scroll and contribute secondary signals. Don't upload filler frames.
What's the difference between an App Store screenshot and an App Preview video?
Screenshots are still images (PNG), up to 10 per device size. App Preview is a 15–30 second video (.mov, .mp4, .m4v) that plays automatically muted in the store. Both are optional but complementary — screenshots drive scan-ability, App Preview drives deeper understanding of the app's motion and interactions.