Why Screenshot Specs Keep Changing
App Store screenshot requirements have evolved steadily alongside Apple's device lineup. New screen sizes, new aspect ratios, and Apple's own display policy updates mean that specs from even two years ago may be outdated — or worse, may silently lead to incorrect cropping and rejection.
This guide covers the current requirements as of 2026, organized by device category, along with practical guidance on workflow and what actually matters for conversion.
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The Current Device Landscape
Apple's screenshot requirements are organized around "display size" categories rather than specific device models. This means one set of screenshots covers multiple physical devices. Here's the current breakdown:
iPhone Screenshots
Apple currently requires screenshots for at least one of the following display sizes, and uses them to populate the listing on devices within that size group:
6.9-inch display (iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Plus) - Resolution: 1320 × 2868 px (portrait) or 2868 × 1320 px (landscape) - Required or used for the largest iPhone display tier - This size group is now the primary showcase tier — Apple uses these screenshots most prominently in search results
6.7-inch display (iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 14 Plus) - Resolution: 1290 × 2796 px (portrait) or 2796 × 1290 px (landscape)
6.5-inch display (iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS Max) - Resolution: 1242 × 2688 px (portrait) or 2688 × 1242 px (landscape)
6.3-inch display (iPhone 16 Pro) - Resolution: 1206 × 2622 px (portrait) or 2622 × 1206 px (landscape)
6.1-inch display (iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14) - Resolution: 1179 × 2556 px (portrait) or 2556 × 1179 px (landscape)
5.5-inch display (iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus) - Resolution: 1242 × 2208 px (portrait) or 2208 × 1242 px (landscape) - Still required if you want to support older devices explicitly
5.4-inch display (iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini) - Resolution: 1080 × 2340 px (portrait) or 2340 × 1080 px (landscape)
iPad Screenshots
13-inch display (iPad Pro M4, iPad Pro 12.9-inch) - Resolution: 2064 × 2752 px (portrait) or 2752 × 2064 px (landscape)
12.9-inch display (older iPad Pro models) - Resolution: 2048 × 2732 px (portrait) or 2732 × 2048 px (landscape)
11-inch display (iPad Pro M4, iPad Air M2) - Resolution: 1668 × 2388 px (portrait) or 2388 × 1668 px (landscape)
10.5-inch display (iPad Air 3rd gen, iPad Pro 10.5-inch) - Resolution: 1668 × 2224 px (portrait) or 2224 × 1668 px (landscape)
9.7-inch display (iPad, iPad Air 2) - Resolution: 1536 × 2048 px (portrait) or 2048 × 1536 px (landscape)
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What Apple Actually Requires
You don't need to provide screenshots for every device size. The current minimum requirements are:
- iPhone apps: At minimum, provide screenshots for one of the large iPhone sizes (6.9-inch or 6.5-inch). Apple will use these for all iPhone models.
- iPad apps (Universal): If your app supports iPad, you must also provide iPad screenshots — typically for at least the 12.9-inch or 13-inch Pro size.
- iPad-only apps: Same requirement, iPad screenshots mandatory.
The practical recommendation: provide screenshots for the 6.9-inch iPhone and the 13-inch iPad Pro (if applicable). These become your canonical assets, and App Store Connect will scale them appropriately for smaller devices.
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Format and Technical Requirements
Beyond dimensions, Apple enforces several technical constraints:
File format: JPEG or PNG only. No animated GIFs (use App Preview videos for motion).
Color space: sRGB or Display P3. P3 (wide color) is preferred for apps that use the full iPhone display gamut.
Maximum file size per screenshot: 500 MB (effectively unlimited for practical purposes — your screenshots will be far smaller).
Maximum screenshots per device size: 10 screenshots per localization.
Minimum screenshots per device size: 1 (but 3–5 is strongly recommended for conversion).
No alpha channel: Screenshots must be fully opaque.
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The One Size You Should Prioritize
If you're creating device frame mockups or styled marketing screenshots (as opposed to raw Simulator output), focus on the 6.9-inch iPhone size first. This is:
- The display size Apple shows most prominently in search results and featured placements
- The largest canvas, giving your content room to breathe
- The basis for all scaling to smaller sizes
Tools like AppFrame use the App Store's own assets when generating your showcase images, meaning you start from the correct resolution automatically. This removes a common source of errors — uploading screenshots that are close-but-wrong on dimensions and getting silently rejected during submission.
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Portrait vs. Landscape: Which to Use?
For most iPhone apps, portrait orientation is the right choice. Users browse the App Store in portrait mode, and landscape screenshots appear rotated and smaller in the standard grid view.
The exceptions: - Games — especially those that only support landscape — should use landscape screenshots - Productivity apps with wide-format interfaces (spreadsheets, DAWs, video editors) sometimes benefit from landscape to show the full UI
For iPad apps, the situation is more nuanced. The iPad App Store shows screenshots in landscape more often, and many iPad apps are designed for landscape-first use. Check how your competitors are presenting their apps and match the dominant orientation in your category.
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Screenshot vs. App Preview Video
Apple allows up to 3 App Preview videos (15–30 second videos) per device size, in addition to screenshots. Videos appear before screenshots in the listing carousel and autoplay silently.
Key requirements for App Preview videos: - Format: H.264 or HEVC - Resolution: Must match the screenshot dimensions for the target device size - Duration: 15–30 seconds - Audio: Optional, but audio plays only if the user taps the video
For most indie apps, investing in 1 good App Preview video plus 4–5 strong screenshots outperforms 10 screenshots alone. Motion catches the eye in browse mode.
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Localization: Screenshots Per Market
If you localize your App Store listing, you can (and should) provide localized screenshots for each language/region. This means translating any text overlays on your screenshots, not just the metadata.
App Store Connect manages this under Prepare for Submission → Select a version → [Localization]. Each localization can have its own full set of screenshots and App Preview videos.
Localizing screenshots for top markets (UK English, German, French, Japanese, Simplified Chinese) typically yields a meaningful conversion improvement compared to serving English screenshots globally.
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Common Rejection Reasons Related to Screenshots
Wrong dimensions: Off-by-one-pixel screenshots are rejected. Always verify exact pixel dimensions before uploading.
Showing non-final UI: Screenshots cannot show placeholder content, "lorem ipsum" text, or development-mode UI elements.
Including physical device imagery incorrectly: If you show a photo of a real phone, it must accurately represent the current device form factor and must not imply Apple endorsement.
Showing competitor app names or icons: Screenshots that reference competing apps (even as a comparison) can trigger rejection.
Misleading content: Screenshots must accurately represent the app's actual functionality. If your hero screenshot shows a feature that requires an in-app purchase, it must not appear to be the default experience.
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Quick Reference Table
| Device | Portrait Resolution | |--------|-------------------| | iPhone 16 Pro Max / 16 Plus | 1320 × 2868 | | iPhone 15 Plus / 14 Plus | 1290 × 2796 | | iPhone 16 Pro | 1206 × 2622 | | iPhone 16 / 15 / 14 | 1179 × 2556 | | iPhone 11 Pro Max / XS Max | 1242 × 2688 | | iPhone 8 Plus | 1242 × 2208 | | iPhone 12 mini / 13 mini | 1080 × 2340 | | iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) | 2064 × 2752 | | iPad Pro 12.9-inch | 2048 × 2732 | | iPad Pro / Air 11-inch | 1668 × 2388 |
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The Bottom Line
Screenshot requirements in 2026 are more complex than they used to be, but the practical workflow is simple: create your best visuals at the 6.9-inch iPhone size and the 13-inch iPad size (if relevant), meet the technical specs, and let App Store Connect handle the rest.
Don't let the spec complexity become a reason to deprioritize screenshot quality. Your screenshots are the single highest-leverage element of your App Store listing — they're visible before anyone reads your description, before they check your ratings, before they scroll anywhere. Invest in them accordingly.