App Preview & Promo Video Specs — App Store & Google Play (2026)
By Nomadic Jeikei · Updated August 5, 2026
Store videos work completely differently on the two platforms. Apple has you upload a video file at device-specific resolutions; Google has you register a YouTube link. Here are the exact specs for both, the common rejection reasons, and the 15–30-second rule they share.
Shared rule — 15–30 seconds, real screens
Both stores center on a 15–30-second length (Apple enforces it, Google recommends it). The video must show real in-app footage — no features that don't exist, no mockup screens. Pricing/discount text and superlatives like '#1 app' are also off-limits.
Apple App Preview
- Length: 15–30 seconds (min 15, max 30).
- Count: up to 3 per device size, per localization.
- Orientation: portrait or landscape on iOS/iPadOS.
- Format: .mov / .m4v / .mp4, codec H.264 or ProRes 422 HQ, max 30 fps, max 500 MB, stereo audio.
- Content: must be actual footage captured from within the app. No device bezels/frames.
| Device | Portrait (px) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 6.9" | 886 × 1920 | Shares slot with 6.5/6.3/6.1" |
| iPhone 5.5" | 1080 × 1920 | Legacy Plus |
| iPad 13" | 1200 × 1600 | If you support iPad |
Modern iPhones (6.1"–6.9") share the 886×1920 preview resolution, so a single 6.9" slot covers most of the current lineup. Note that the resolution a phone renders (e.g. 2796×1290) differs from the accepted upload resolution (886×1920).
To capture, connect a physical device by cable and use QuickTime Player → New Movie Recording, or record exact pixels from the iOS Simulator with xcrun simctl io booted recordVideo. On-device recording is usually 60 fps and must be transcoded to 30 fps. The poster frame defaults to the 5-second mark, so edit so that moment is an attractive screen.
Google Play promo video
Google Play does not take a video file. Instead you register the URL of a YouTube video. It surfaces as a play button over your feature graphic — so to use a promo video, you must have a feature graphic.
- Use the full YouTube watch URL. Playlist, channel, or shortened (youtu.be) URLs won't work.
- Don't append extra parameters (like timecodes) to the URL.
- It must be public or unlisted, not age-restricted, and embeddable.
- Recommended length is 15–30 seconds (the store-listing field itself has no strict second-limit stated).
The store-listing 'Video' field and the separate 'YouTube Videos' growth program have different rules. The latter requires public (not unlisted), monetization off, embeddable, no Shorts/live — so be clear which one you're using.
Common rejection / non-display reasons
- Apple: marketing footage/mockups shot outside the app, device bezels included, wrong resolution for the slot, under 15 s or over 30 s, over 500 MB.
- Google: a playlist/channel/shortened URL or one with extra parameters, video set to private, age-restricted, not embeddable, no feature graphic (nowhere for the video to attach).
- Both: UI that differs from reality, pricing/discount/superlative text.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need an app preview video?
- It's optional — screenshots are required, video isn't. But it helps conversion, so it's worth doing if you have the bandwidth.
- Do I have to make an Apple preview per device?
- Modern iPhones (6.1"–6.9") share the 886×1920 resolution, so one 6.9" slot covers most of them. Add a 13" version if you support iPad.
- Does Google Play take a video file?
- No. You register the full URL of a YouTube video. Playlist/channel/shortened URLs won't work, and it must be public or unlisted.
- How long should the video be?
- 15–30 seconds. Apple enforces that range and Google recommends a similar length.