The Complete Guide to the Google Play Feature Graphic (2026)
By Nomadic Jeikei · Updated August 5, 2026
The feature graphic is the 1024×500 banner you must have to publish on Google Play. Unlike screenshots it has its own spec, doubles as the cover for your promo video, and gets a play button laid over its center. Here are the exact size and format, the elements Google explicitly forbids, and how to lay it out so nothing gets cropped.
What it is — and why it's required
The feature graphic is the landscape banner image in your Google Play store listing. In the current Play Console you cannot publish an app without one. It used to be required only if you added a promo video; today it's always required, video or not.
Two placements matter most: (1) if you add a promotional video, the feature graphic becomes that video's cover/thumbnail, and (2) it represents your app in Play's large-format recommended collections and featured placements. Unlike the tiny icon in search results, this is where your app is shown big.
The Apple App Store has no feature-graphic equivalent. Apple relies on screenshots (up to 10 per localization) and App Preview videos only. The feature graphic is a Google Play–specific asset.
The exact spec
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 1024 × 500 px (exactly) |
| Aspect ratio | ≈ 2.05 : 1 (landscape) |
| Format | JPEG or 24-bit PNG |
| Transparency | No alpha channel |
| Required? | Yes, to publish |
- The size is exact, not a range — 1024×500. Anything else is rejected.
- A 24-bit PNG is a PNG without alpha. Exporting 32-bit (with alpha) can be rejected, so fill the background opaque.
- Google does not publish a maximum file size for this asset. Don't trust a specific number — just keep it sharp but reasonably optimized.
- Accessibility alt text is capped at 140 characters and shouldn't start with 'photo of' or 'image of'.
Safe area — dodge the play button and the edges
If you add a promo video, a play button sits over the exact center of the feature graphic — so a logo or headline placed dead-center gets covered. At the same time, Google warns that edges may be cropped and UI overlays applied depending on the placement.
- Move key elements (logo, short headline) off dead-center, slightly left/right or up/down.
- Keep important content away from all four edges; put only background there.
- Google provides safe-area diagrams but does not publish exact pixel coordinates. Community numbers like a '~96px center play button' are approximate references only.
What Google bans and recommends (official)
Play's listing policy is explicit about what a feature graphic may not contain. Below are the restrictions and recommendations from Play Console Help.
- Banned words: superlative, ranking, price, or urgency terms — 'Best', '#1', 'Top', 'New', 'Free', 'Discount', 'Sale', 'Million Downloads'.
- Banned: awards, testimonials, performance metrics, time-sensitive text (sale countdowns), third-party trademarked characters without permission.
- Banned: device frames/mockups, Google Play badges, 'as seen on'-style claims.
- Avoid: pure white or dark-gray backgrounds (blend into the store), branding that duplicates your app icon, fine detail that vanishes on small phones.
- Recommended: vibrant colors that convey your core value, a design that reads as an extension of your icon (not a copy), minimal text, and localization per locale.
The most common mistake is reusing a screenshot as the feature graphic. Treat it as a single brand banner, not a screenshot.
In practice — building 1024×500 with tools
The workflow is simple. (1) Prepare your app's key visual (mascot, hero screen, symbol); if the background is messy, cut out just the subject with STUDIO's background removal, then (2) place it on a 1024×500 canvas with an opaque background, moving the logo and short headline off dead-center. (3) Export as JPEG or 24-bit PNG with no alpha.
Before uploading, double-check that the size is exactly 1024×500 and that there's no alpha channel. Those two issues account for most feature-graphic rejections.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I really need a feature graphic?
- Yes. Google Play won't let you publish an app without one, even if you have no promo video.
- Can the size be slightly different?
- No. It must be exactly 1024×500; any other size is rejected on upload.
- Can I use a PNG?
- Yes — a 24-bit PNG (no alpha) or a JPEG. Avoid 32-bit PNGs that include an alpha channel.
- Does the App Store need a feature graphic too?
- No. The Apple App Store has no feature graphic — it uses screenshots and App Preview videos only.