Guide · Requirements App Store screenshot requirements, in plain language.
TL;DR. PNG-24 or JPEG, sRGB, max 8 MB, max 10 per device class per locale, no
transparency in the visible image, no in-app-purchase prompts, no Apple-branded UI elements outside
your app's actual screen, no placeholder/lorem-ipsum text. Apple reviewers reject for any of these.
File format and technical specs
- Format: PNG (preferred) or JPEG. PNG-24 with optional alpha; if alpha is present, no transparency in the visible image area.
- Color profile: sRGB or Display P3. sRGB is the safer default; P3 gets converted on older devices.
- Bit depth: 24-bit or 32-bit.
- Max file size: 8 MB per screenshot. Typical PNG at iPhone 6.9" is 500–900 KB; well under the limit.
- Resolution: Must match the device class exactly. Uploads of wrong dimensions are rejected at upload time, not in review.
Content rules (the rejection gotchas)
Apple's review team rejects screenshots for these reasons more often than format issues:
- Apple-branded UI that isn't from your app. Don't show Maps, Mail, or Settings unless your app actually opens those.
- Status bar must match your actual app state. No fake "9:41 / full battery / full signal" Photoshop edits unless they're real. Apple checks.
- No in-app purchase popups or "Buy Now" overlays. Apple wants the App Store page to handle pricing display.
- No "Coming soon" / "Beta" / placeholder copy. Screenshots must reflect the live app at submission time.
- No competitor branding — and no "as featured in TechCrunch" unless you have written permission.
- No misleading device frames. If your screenshot shows iPhone 16 Pro Max chrome, your app must support that device. Showing a non-existent or unreleased device is grounds for rejection.
- Captions must be in the locale's language. English captions in a Japanese localization upload get flagged.
What's allowed (but trips people up)
- Stylized "marketing" screenshots with text overlays, gradients, and decorative elements are fine — most top-100 App Store apps use them.
- Tilted device frames are allowed.
- Multiple screenshots stitched into one image (carousel-as-banner) is allowed if it reads as one design.
- Translations via AI are fine as long as the result is grammatically correct and not misleading. Review high-stakes locales by hand.
Where Apple writes the official rules
Apple's canonical screenshot rules live in two places:
The technical specs update silently — Apple doesn't email when they change. Cross-check before each major submission; we update our size guide every January and September.
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