App Screenshot, Icon, Video Size Guidelines for iOS & Android

On both the App Store and Google Play, visual assets are a critical part of App Store Optimization (ASO). Given that the average user spends a maximum of 7 seconds on a single app store listing, it is essential to immediately attract your target market’s attention. Doing so (and doing it better than your competition) could be a game-changer in driving downloads for your app.

Learn how to optimize your app store product page with our practical ASO guide

Many of our customers raise questions such as:

• What size and format should my screenshot and icons be on the App Store and/or Google Play?
• How should I alter my screenshots, icons, or videos for different Apple/Google devices?
• What guidelines should I follow to optimize my app icon, screenshots, videos, and feature graphic?

In this blog, we will answer these questions and more. Read on to discover size and format guidelines for visuals on both the App Store and Google Play, as well as handy tips to optimize your app’s visual assets.

App Store screenshots: Tips & best practices

Your app screenshots are one of the most essential elements of ASO – they are often the first contact a potential user will have with your application. Screenshots should:

• Reflect the essence of your app
• Display its most interesting features
• Demonstrate your app’s core functionality

If your screenshots are not visually optimized, you are creating an opportunity for your competition! If they are unattractive, your app may come across as unappealing. If your screenshots are over-detailed, your app may be seen as difficult to use. As a result, your target market is more likely to consider a competitor’s app with similar features but better visuals.

Screenshot image orientation

You will need to choose the best image orientation for your screenshots. On the one hand, portrait images will present your users with a wide range of content, without needing to scroll to see more. On the other hand, landscape screenshots will allow you to concentrate more intensely on one distinct message.

On the App Store and Google Play, screenshots must demonstrate real in-app or in-game experiences. You should highlight your app’s core features and content, so users get a realistic idea of the app experience. As such, you should not include captured footage – for example, a picture of a user holding a phone to play your game – in your screenshots.

As a general rule of thumb, your screenshots should be:

• Representative of actual app/game use
• Relevant to your brand
• Reflective of the value your app will bring to users
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Localized (to the market and language)
• Evergreen (universally and continually relevant)

Screenshots sizes & guidelines on the App Store

Keep these tips and App Store guidelines in mind while designing the best screenshots for your app/game:

• Apple allows a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 10 screenshots for each supported device. We recommend using all 10 screenshot spaces to fully optimize this opportunity to exhibit your app.
• Screenshots must be in either PNG or JPEG format, and Apple provides comprehensive pixel size specifications for screenshots on iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs and Apple Watches (see table below).
• It is important to specifically prepare images for each medium, so you can enhance your visibility across as many devices as possible. Not only will the sizes be correct on different gadgets, but you will also be able to demonstrate how your app looks on whichever device the customer is currently using.
• According to Apple guidelines, images taken directly from an app’s user interface (UI) must be the focus of your screenshots on the App Store. While every screenshot should serve a distinct purpose, most of your attention should be directed towards the first 1-3 images displayed (depending on the image orientation, only the first 1-3 will be presented in search results and the majority of users will not scroll to see the rest). If your app supports it, Apple also recommends including a screenshot in Dark Mode to demonstrate the in-app appearance of this feature.

Check out the table below for screenshot size requirements for each specific iOS device:

Screenshots sizes & guidelines on Google Play

According to Google, screenshots should convey your app’s capabilities, the look and feel, and the experience of your app to potential users for better app discovery.

• On the Play Store, Google allows a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 screenshots in JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha) for each supported device. Your screenshots must have a minimum dimension of 320 pixels and a maximum of 3840 pixels.
• Google allows up to 8 screenshots for each supported device type. Supported device types include phones, tablets (7-inch and 10-inch), Android TVs, and Wear OS watches.

• Google’s guidelines also require that your screenshots’ maximum dimension should be no longer than double the minimum dimension.
• Screenshots can be displayed throughout the Play Store – in search and on the homepage, in addition to your store listing on Google Play.
• Some sections of Google Play show groups of recommended apps and games in a large format using screenshots. To be eligible for recommendations in configurations that use screenshots, the following guidelines are a requirement.
• For apps, you must provide at least four screenshots with a minimum 1080px resolution. These should be 16:9 for landscape (minimum 1920x1080px) screenshots and 9:16 for portrait screenshots (minimum 1080x1920px).
• For games, you must provide at least three 16:9 landscape screenshots (minimum 1920x1080px) or three 9:16 portrait screenshots (minimum 1080x1920px).

Finally, Google recommends avoiding:

• Content that reflects or suggests Google Play performance, ranking, promotional information, testimonials, or prices such as “best”, “discount”, “ top”, “#1”, “sale”
• Calls-to-action such as “download now”, “play now”
• Text in small font sizes or backgrounds that compete with the text, as they will not be visible on many phone screens
• Time-sensitive content that might quickly become outdated to reduce the need to frequently update

Taglines in screenshots on Google Play are only permitted if necessary to convey the key characteristics of the app or game and should not represent over 20% of the image.

Become an expert in screenshot optimization with our 8 handy tips

App icon: Tips & best practices

Your app icon is another vital ASO element. Sure, your icon is the smallest visual you need to consider, but it will consistently be associated with your app! The icon appears throughout the entire store, so you should dedicate enough thought to producing the best possible icon to represent your app.

To produce a great icon, you should first identify the root objective of your app – what is the fundamental purpose of its existence? Then determine the most straightforward way to communicate this to your specific target audience. We recommend:

• Having a singular focal point (no photos or screenshots) so as not to overwhelm your market
• Focus on a simple graphic, only including words if they are essential in communicating your message
• If your target audience is familiar with your brand, incorporate this in your icon to increase the recognition and credibility of your app
• A/B test your app icon to understand how your market responds to different visual combinations.

Keep these valuable tips in mind to make your app icon stand out from the competition

App icon sizes & guidelines on the App Store

Apple encourages developers to remove any unnecessary features in an icon to maintain visual consistency regardless of size. On Apple devices, following these guidelines is particularly important, as the sticky header feature implies that your icon remains visible on your App Store listing, even if users scroll down (so you’ll want to get this right).

• Regarding the content, Apple recommends not to add too many details, because they can be hard to discern and can make an icon appear muddy, especially at smaller sizes. Your icon should only include textual elements only when it’s an essential part of your experience or brand. Text in icons is often too small to read easily, which can make an icon appear cluttered.
• On the App Store, your icon should be a high-resolution image in PNG format. Apple provides a list of size specifications you should follow to produce a customized icon for the different devices your app will be available on:

App icon sizes & guidelines on Google Play

You need an app icon to publish your store listing. The app icon will be shown in various locations on the Play Store, including your store listing, search results, and top charts.

• On Google Play, your icon will also need to be a high-resolution image, in 32-bit PNG (with alpha). The dimensions must be 512px by 512px, with a maximum file size of 1024KB.

• For illustrated and/or minimalistic artwork, Google recommends using the whole asset space, so the piece occupies the entire icon. If you want to incorporate a more complicated logo or artwork, Google recommends restricting the principle image to a freeform design piece placed within a keyline grid in the center of the icon (instead of forcing the logo/artwork to full bleed).

• Your icon design should be a full square without shadow, as Google dynamically applies the rounded shape and shadow for consistency purposes (demonstrated in the image below). It is also important to consider that the resulting radius will equal 20% of your icon size.

Google recommends using the whole space for illustrations and to restrict more complicated images to a keyline grid. Source: developer.android.com

Google prohibits text or graphic elements that:

• Mislead users such as a message indicator when there are no new messages and download symbols when the app is not related to downloading content
• Suggest or indicate ranking
• Promote deals or incentivize installs
• Indicate participation in a Play program

App preview video: Tips & best practices

Videos can be valuable components of your app store listing, allowing you to provide an in-depth preview of what users can expect if they download your app. On both the App Store and the Play Store, video previews are particularly recommended for games.

Incorporating a video into your app listing can offer more “real” insight into your content and features than the icon or screenshots, and can support users’ decision-making processes. A user who has downloaded your app is less likely to be disappointed if they had been informed by a truly representative video. This means that, on the whole, people will be less likely to uninstall the app after downloading.

As a general rule of thumb, your app preview videos should be:

• Representative of real app/game use
• Timeless (no time-sensitive content)
• Localized (to the market and language)

Discover the average app conversion rates per category on the App Store and Google Play

App preview sizes & guidelines on the App Store

Videos on the App Store are referred to as app previews. They can be displayed both on the search results page and directly on your app listing. If your app preview orientation is portrait, it will be displayed first in the search results, before your screenshots.

• You can have up to 3 app previews for each language your app supports, and each preview can be up to 30 seconds long, with a maximum file size of 500MB. App previews autoplay, with the sound muted by default. Apple recommends using copy to give context to the footage.
• App previews must only present real footage made within your app – so it would be against guidelines to film someone using the app on a phone, for example. Promotional content is forbidden, alongside anything inappropriate or illegal (e.g. copyrighted music). ​​Footage in app previews should demonstrate the features, functionality, and user interface of your app.
• Apple recommends utilizing your first app preview to tell a cohesive story that guides users through the same experience the app provides. As the app previews autoplay, you should aim to spark your audience’s attention as soon as possible, and highlight exactly why your app is unique. For the second or third previews, it is recommended to demonstrate any special features or interesting content that have not already been mentioned.

Check out the table below for app preview size requirements for each specific device:

App preview sizes & guidelines on Google Play

On Google Play, videos are called preview videos. Their aim is to promote your app and compel potential users to download it. Your preview video is displayed before your screenshots on your app’s store listing but for branded terms, preview videos can be displayed on the search page, homepage and your store listing. On Google devices, preview videos always open full screen in landscape (so you will need to prepare your video in landscape!).

• Preview videos may or may not autoplay, depending on the user’s connection, settings, device and surface area. If they autoplay, videos play with muted sound and only show the first 30 seconds. Whenever your video doesn’t autoplay, a play button is overlaid on your feature graphic.

• There are no length restrictions on the Play Store, but we would still recommend keeping your preview video as short as possible and including only essential content (~30 seconds). Preview videos are displayed before screenshots, so you should ensure adding any core information features at the beginning.

• As preview videos on Google Play autoplay on mute, you can use copy to provide users with further context. When doing so, continue to respect the following guidelines (as enforced throughout Play Store policies):

– Do not include content that reflects or suggests store performance, ranking, accolades or awards, user testimonials, or price and promotional information”. For example, do not add words like “best,” “#1,” “top,” “new,” “discount,” “sale,” or “million downloads” in your video.

– Avoid adding calls-to-action to your preview video, such as “download now”, “install now”, “play now”, or “try now”.

• In terms of content, Google recommends including minimal branding or storytelling in your preview videos. As in your Android screenshots, you should focus on the real in-app or in-game experience, and demonstrate your app’s core features within the first 10 seconds of the video.

• Google also recommends aiming for at least 80% of your preview video to be representative of the user experience by limiting title screens, logos, cutscenes, or other pre-rendered/promotional content. You should also not include people interacting with their device – for example, a clip of a user’s fingers playing your game – in your video.

Feature graphic sizes & guidelines on Google Play

You need a feature graphic to publish an app, and to have it featured anywhere on the Play Store. Feature graphics can be a very powerful tool in engaging your target market, as they are shown alongside your icon and app name throughout the store. If you have a promo video, the feature graphic will also display as its cover image. Feature graphics will also appear if your app and game gets featured among collections of apps or recommended games. Feature graphics should be in JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha) format, with dimensions of 1024px by 500px.

• As a general rule of thumb, your feature graphic should be informative, localized (to the market and language), and timeless (no time-sensitive content).

• Google recommends focusing your feature graphic on the essence of your app/game and highlighting the core value proposition, relevant context, or story-telling elements.

• It is recommended to keep any focal points towards the center of the graphic and to try to keep any prominent visuals out of cutoff zones (15% away from all 4 edges).

• You should use vibrant colors to stand out from the Play Store background, and avoid the inclusion of taglines, pricing, or promotional content (you are more likely to be promoted if you follow these guidelines).

• In your feature graphic, you should continue to respect the aforementioned Play Store policies that forbid content reflecting store performance (e.g., “best,” “top,” or “new”) or calls-to-action (e.g. “download now”).

Conclusion

Deciding how exactly to optimize the visual assets on your app store listing can definitely be a complicated process. Hopefully, your ASO goals seem much more attainable, thanks to our tips and guidelines. To produce the most efficient screenshots, icons, videos, and feature graphics, it is fundamental to identify your app’s core value. Producing the optimal visuals for your listing will be much easier if you start by asking the following questions:

• What root purpose does my app serve? To entertain? To inspire? To inform?
• How can I represent my app’s purpose in a simple, straightforward way?
• Who is my target market? What are their needs and expectations?
• Visually, what is my competition doing? How can I divert my target market’s attention to my app?

Finally, be sure to use the correct sizes and resolutions for your images according to the devices your app supports. Specifically, considering each device as its own unique medium (and tailoring your visuals to each) could particularly resonate with your audience, increase your app’s clickthrough rate and drive your downloads, which is the ultimate goal.

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