How to create App Store screenshots (2026)
What Apple requires for screenshots
App Store Connect asks for screenshots sized to particular display dimensions, not arbitrary images:
- You provide screenshots for the required iPhone display size, and, if your app supports iPad, the required iPad size. Apple can use a larger size to represent smaller devices, so you usually do not capture every model.
- You can upload up to 10 screenshots per device size and per localization.
- Images must be the exact pixel dimensions Apple lists for that display, in PNG or JPEG, with no transparency.
- Screenshots must reflect the actual app in use. Apple rejects listings where the screenshots misrepresent what the app does.
Apple updates the exact required sizes as new devices ship, so confirm the current dimensions in App Store Connect before you export. For the specific pixel sizes per device, see the screenshot sizes guide linked below.
How to make screenshots that convert
Treat the first three screenshots as your pitch, not a gallery:
- Lead with the single biggest benefit. The first screenshot should make the value obvious in one glance, often with a short caption over a real screen.
- Show the core flow next. The second and third screenshots should demonstrate the main thing the app does, in order.
- Use short, specific captions. A few words that name the benefit beat a description of the UI. Keep text large enough to read as a thumbnail.
- Keep the style consistent. A shared background, type, and framing across screenshots reads as polished and intentional.
- Show real content. Populate the screens with believable data, not "Lorem ipsum" or empty states.
You can present screens inside a device frame or full-bleed. Either works; consistency matters more than the choice.
Capturing and uploading your screenshots
The capture itself is straightforward:
- Run the app at the required device size, in the iOS Simulator or on a device, and navigate to the screens you want.
- Capture each screen at the exact pixel dimensions for that display.
- If you are adding captions or frames, composite them at the same dimensions so the final image still matches Apple's required size.
- In App Store Connect, open your app version, go to the media section for each device size, and upload the images in the order you want them shown.
- Repeat per localization if you ship in multiple languages, since each language can have its own set.
How AppFlight handles screenshots
AppFlight runs your app in a live iOS simulator as part of building it, so the screens you would capture are already in front of you. It can take screenshots straight from that simulator, and its marketing autopilot can generate framed, captioned versions sized for the store along with app icon, mockups, and ASO text. You stay responsible for making sure the final images honestly represent the app, since Apple requires screenshots to match the real experience. When you submit through AppFlight, those screenshots attach to the App Store Connect listing as part of the submission flow.
FAQ
How many screenshots does the App Store allow?
Up to 10 per device size and per localization. Most apps use the first two or three to tell the story, since those are what people see before they scroll. You do not have to fill all 10.
Do I need separate screenshots for every iPhone and iPad size?
You provide screenshots for the required iPhone display size and, if your app supports iPad, the required iPad size. Apple can scale a larger size down to represent smaller devices, so you do not have to capture every model individually. Check current required sizes in App Store Connect.
Can AppFlight make my screenshots?
AppFlight can capture frames from the live iOS simulator, and its marketing autopilot can produce framed, captioned screenshots for the store listing. You still review them for accuracy, since screenshots must reflect the actual app.