App Store Screenshot Requirements and Specs

Apple requires screenshots for every device size your app supports. You cannot submit an app to the App Store without screenshots, and the screenshots must meet specific technical standards. Apple reviews screenshots as part of the app review process and will reject apps with misleading, incomplete, or non-compliant images.

As of 2026, App Store Connect requires screenshots for at minimum the 6.7-inch iPhone display (iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro Max) and the 5.5-inch iPhone display (iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus). If your app runs on iPad, you also need iPad Pro 12.9-inch screenshots (6th generation or later). Apple Watch apps need 45mm screenshots, and Apple TV apps need 1920 x 1080 screenshots. You can provide up to 10 screenshots per device size per localization.

Screenshots are displayed in App Store search results, on your product page, and in editorial features. They are the first visual impression users have of your app, so they serve both a compliance function and a marketing function. Apple allows both portrait and landscape orientations, and you can mix orientations within a single set. However, the first screenshot determines the orientation of the entire gallery view, so choose the orientation for your first screenshot carefully.

Apple supports App Previews (short video clips) in addition to screenshots. You can include up to three App Previews per device size, and they appear before your screenshots in the gallery. If you use App Previews, the poster frame (the still image shown before the video plays) should be as compelling as a standalone screenshot, since many users browse with autoplay disabled.

Here are the exact pixel dimensions required for each Apple device type in 2026. Using incorrect dimensions will cause upload failures in App Store Connect.

For iPhones, the required sizes are: 6.7-inch display at 1320 x 2868 pixels (portrait) or 2868 x 1320 pixels (landscape); 6.5-inch display at 1284 x 2778 pixels (portrait) or 2778 x 1284 pixels (landscape); 5.5-inch display at 1242 x 2208 pixels (portrait) or 2208 x 1242 pixels (landscape). The 6.7-inch size applies to iPhone 16 Pro Max and similar devices. The 5.5-inch size is still required for compatibility with older devices in the store. If you provide only the 6.7-inch screenshots, App Store Connect will scale them down for other display sizes, but the scaling may produce suboptimal results, so providing both sizes is recommended.

For iPads, the required sizes are: 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th generation) at 2048 x 2732 pixels (portrait) or 2732 x 2048 pixels (landscape); 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation) at 2048 x 2732 pixels (same dimensions, different device); 11-inch iPad Pro at 1668 x 2388 pixels; and 10.5-inch iPad at 1668 x 2224 pixels. If you only provide the 12.9-inch size, Apple will use it for all iPad sizes. Apps that declare iPad support but do not provide iPad screenshots may face review delays.

For Apple Watch, the required size is: 45mm Apple Watch at 396 x 484 pixels. For Apple TV, use 1920 x 1080 pixels or 3840 x 2160 pixels. For Mac apps distributed through the Mac App Store, use 1280 x 800 pixels, 1440 x 900 pixels, or 2560 x 1600 pixels or 2880 x 1800 pixels depending on the display configuration.

A common mistake is creating screenshots at the wrong pixel dimensions but the right aspect ratio. Apple validates exact pixel counts, not aspect ratios. A screenshot at 1080 x 2340 will be rejected even though it has approximately the right proportions for an iPhone. Always double-check your export dimensions before uploading.

Beyond dimensions, Apple enforces several technical specifications for screenshot files. These requirements are straightforward but missing any of them will block your upload.

Accepted file formats are JPEG and PNG. Apple does not accept GIF, TIFF, WebP, HEIC, or any other format for screenshots. PNG is recommended because it provides lossless quality. JPEG is acceptable but compression artifacts may be visible, especially on text overlays and sharp edges. If you use JPEG, set the quality to 95% or higher to minimize visible compression.

Alpha transparency is not allowed. If your PNG has an alpha channel (transparent background), App Store Connect will reject it. Make sure your screenshots have a fully opaque background. Most design tools export with a solid background by default, but if you use background removal or compositing workflows, verify that the final export has no transparency. You can check this by opening the image in Preview (macOS) and looking for a checkerboard pattern behind any transparent areas.

Maximum file size is 10 MB per screenshot. In practice, most screenshots are well under this limit. A 1320 x 2868 PNG with a solid background typically weighs 2-4 MB. If your screenshots exceed 10 MB, optimize them using TinyPNG or ImageOptim without reducing dimensions. Do not downscale the image to reduce file size, because Apple requires exact pixel dimensions.

Color space must be sRGB. Do not upload screenshots in Display P3, Adobe RGB, or CMYK color spaces. While Apple devices support wide color, App Store Connect expects sRGB screenshots. Uploading in the wrong color space can cause color shifts where your carefully chosen brand colors look different in the store listing than in your design tool. Most design tools default to sRGB, but verify this in your export settings if your colors look different after upload.

Apple's App Review team evaluates screenshots for compliance with both technical specifications and content guidelines. Here are the most common rejection reasons and how to prevent them.

Misleading screenshots are the most frequent rejection cause. Your screenshots must accurately represent the current version of your app. If your screenshots show features that are not yet available, show a premium UI that requires a purchase without disclosing that, or display content that does not exist in the app, Apple will reject the submission. This includes mockup data that could be mistaken for real content. If your screenshot shows a finance app with a $50,000 portfolio balance, make sure the app can actually display that screen.

Including device status bars with incorrect information triggers rejections. If your screenshot shows a device frame with a battery level, signal strength, or time in the status bar, these must match what a real device would display. The safest approach is to either crop out the status bar entirely or use a clean status bar with full signal, full battery, and a generic time like 9:41 (which Apple uses in its own marketing materials).

Screenshots with pricing information can cause issues. If your screenshot mentions a specific price ("Only $4.99/month"), Apple may reject it because pricing varies by region and can change. Use generic pricing language like "Start for free" or avoid mentioning prices in screenshots entirely. Any price shown in screenshots must match the actual current pricing in all territories, which is impractical to maintain.

Apple also rejects screenshots that contain excessive third-party branding, adult content, violence, or content that could be considered offensive. Screenshots must not include other app store logos, competitor names used in a disparaging way, or content that violates Apple's Human Interface Guidelines. When in doubt, keep your screenshots focused on your own app and its genuine features.

Finally, resolution and quality issues cause rejections. Blurry screenshots, upscaled images, screenshots with visible compression artifacts, or images that look like they were captured from a low-resolution screen recording will be rejected. Always use high-resolution source material and export at the exact required pixel dimensions. If you are using ScreenMagic or a similar tool, the correct dimensions are handled automatically, eliminating this category of rejections entirely.