Create App Store screenshots that convert
Upload a screen from your app, add a headline and export a correctly sized App Store screenshot for any iPhone or iPad display, then learn how to write captions that turn browsers into installs.
How to use the screenshot generator
Choose the display size you need, write a headline and subheadline, upload a screen from your app and pick background colours. The preview shows the final composition. Press Download to save a PNG at the exact pixel size you selected, with no transparency.
Repeat for each screenshot in your set. For a consistent look, keep the same colours and headline style across all of them, or use a gradual colour shift that tells a story as people swipe.
Turn this into a real app
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Apple's screenshot sizes
Apple's screenshot specifications define which sizes you must provide. In most cases you only need one iPhone set and, if your app supports iPad, one iPad set; App Store Connect scales them for other devices.
| Device | Display | Size in pixels (portrait) | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone | 6.9″ | 1320 × 2868 or 1290 × 2796 | Accepted |
| iPhone | Dynamic Island, medium | 1179 × 2556 or 1206 × 2622 | Yes |
| iPad | 13″ | 2064 × 2752 or 2048 × 2732 | Yes, if the app runs on iPad |
You can upload one to ten screenshots per size, as JPEG or PNG without transparency. Landscape versions use the same dimensions rotated.
Why screenshots matter so much
On the App Store, most people decide whether to install from your icon, name, rating and the first few screenshots, often without reading the description. Screenshots are your billboard. They need to answer three questions in seconds: what does this app do, why is it better and is it for me?
That is why the best screenshots are not raw captures of the interface. They combine a real screen with a short, benefit-led caption and a clean background that makes the screen easy to read at thumbnail size.
Writing captions that convert
Lead with the outcome. "Track every habit in one tap" beats "Habit tracking feature". People buy results.
One idea per screenshot. Each screenshot should communicate a single benefit, in order of importance.
Short and large. Captions are read at thumbnail size in search results. Aim for five to seven words in a large, bold font.
Use your customers' words. Read reviews of your app and competitors and borrow the language people use to describe the value.
Match the screen. The caption should describe what the screen shows. Mismatches confuse people and can conflict with Apple's accurate metadata rules.
A proven screenshot sequence
- The promise. Your main value in one line, on your best screen.
- The proof. The core feature in action.
- The differentiator. What you do that competitors do not.
- The habit. Widgets, reminders, streaks or anything that brings people back.
- The trust. Ratings, awards, security or privacy, shown honestly.
- The offer. What the free and paid experiences include, if you have a subscription.
Free: Screenshot Caption Swipe File
60 proven caption formulas for App Store screenshots, grouped by category and goal.
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Design tips for the canvas
- Keep the device large. The interface should fill most of the frame so it is legible on small screens.
- High contrast captions. White text on a strong colour, or dark text on a light background.
- Consistent margins. Align captions and devices identically across the set.
- Brand colours. Use your app's primary colour so the set feels like the icon and the app.
- Show real content. Use realistic data in your screens, not "Lorem ipsum" or empty states.
- Avoid clutter. Stickers, badges and arrows rarely help. Let the screen speak.
Localising screenshots
If your app supports several languages, localised screenshots can lift conversion in each market. Translate captions with native speakers, adjust examples to local context and capture screens in the local language. App Store Connect lets you upload different screenshots for each localisation.
Testing screenshots
Apple's product page optimisation lets you test alternative screenshots, icons and preview videos against your original page. Test one big idea at a time, such as a different first screenshot or a new caption style, and wait for a clear result before changing again. Small cosmetic changes rarely produce measurable differences.
Screenshots by category
Productivity. Show the result: a clean, organised list or calendar, with a caption about time saved.
Health and fitness. Show progress, such as rings, streaks or charts, with a caption about the goal.
Finance. Show clarity and control: balances, budgets and insights, with trust signals.
Shopping. Show beautiful products and the speed of checkout with Apple Pay.
Games. Show the most exciting moment of gameplay, with characters and action at full size.
Social and creator apps. Show people and content, the community you are inviting someone into.
Common screenshot mistakes
Too much text. Paragraphs in screenshots are not read.
Tiny interfaces. Devices shrunk to make room for decoration become unreadable.
Feature lists. "Sync, export, share, backup" in one screenshot communicates nothing.
Out-of-date screens. After a redesign, screenshots must be updated, or users feel misled.
Fake interfaces. Mock screens that do not exist in the app can lead to rejection.
Let Muaz.io create the full set
When you build with Muaz.io, the Publishing Agent captures screens from your real app, places them on brand backgrounds and writes captions from your research and keyword plan, in every required size. You can reorder, edit captions and regenerate in seconds. See every asset Apple needs on the App Store Studio page, and pair your screenshots with an icon from the app icon maker.
App preview videos
In addition to screenshots, you can add up to three app preview videos per size and language. Previews autoplay without sound in many places on the store, so the first seconds must show the app's value visually, with captions rather than narration. Keep previews short, show real footage of the app in use and end on a clear moment, such as a completed task or a result. Apple's product page guidance describes the formats and lengths accepted. A good preview often lifts conversion more than another screenshot, especially for games and apps with motion or interaction at their core.
Using screenshots in search results
In App Store search results, the first screenshots, or the preview video, appear directly beneath your app's name. That means your first frame competes side by side with competitors for the same query. Look at the search results for your main keyword and make sure your first screenshot is instantly distinguishable: a different colour, a bolder caption or a more striking screen. Portrait screenshots show up to three in a row in search, so think of the first three as a single panorama.
Keeping screenshots up to date
Screenshots age quickly. Each time you ship a meaningful update, check whether the screens still match the app. Update captions when you add a headline feature, refresh seasonal content and remove anything that no longer exists. Many teams review their screenshots every quarter alongside their keyword strategy, using the ASO keyword tool to keep captions aligned with the terms they target.
Accessibility in screenshots
Screenshots should be easy to read for everyone browsing the store. Use large caption sizes, strong contrast and plain language. Avoid placing captions over busy images. If your app has strong accessibility features, such as large text support or VoiceOver optimisation, consider showing them; they are a genuine differentiator for many users and a sign of a carefully built product.
Checklist before upload
Before uploading, check every image against a few rules. Each file is exactly the required size for its display and has no transparency. Captions are short, large and readable at thumbnail size. Every screen shows the real app with realistic content. The first three screenshots tell the core story on their own. Colours and fonts match your icon and brand. And localised sets use translated captions and screens for each language you support.
Screenshot workflow for teams
For teams, screenshots are a shared asset between product, design and marketing. A simple workflow keeps them accurate: product owns the list of features to highlight, design owns the template and visual style, and marketing owns the captions and testing plan. Store the template and caption copy alongside the app, so the next update starts from the current version rather than from scratch. When you build with Muaz.io, this workflow is built in: screenshots are regenerated from the latest build, captions live with your metadata and every change is versioned.
Caption formulas you can borrow
Strong captions often follow a few simple formulas. Use them as starting points and fill them with your own benefits and customer language.
| Formula | Example |
|---|---|
| Verb + outcome | Track every habit in one tap |
| Outcome + time | Fall asleep in 10 minutes |
| Problem + solution | Never miss a bill again |
| Social proof | Loved by 50,000 runners |
| Comparison | Twice as fast as paper forms |
| Personal | Your budget, finally under control |
| Feature as benefit | Face ID keeps your notes private |
| Habit | A 5-minute lesson every morning |
Keep captions to five to seven words, and read them aloud: if they sound like an advert, simplify them until they sound like a friend explaining the app.
Choosing which screens to show
Start from the jobs your users care about, not the order of your app's tabs. For each of your top three benefits, find the screen that shows the result most clearly: a completed list rather than an empty one, a progress chart with data rather than a blank state, a booking confirmation rather than a form. Populate screens with realistic, diverse sample data. If a benefit has no strong visual, such as privacy or speed, show the moment users feel it, such as a Face ID prompt or a list that loads instantly, and let the caption do the explaining.
Backgrounds and brand
Backgrounds frame your screens and tie the set together. Solid brand colours are clean and reliable; gentle gradients add depth; subtle patterns or shapes can carry your brand personality. Avoid photographs behind the device unless they are very simple, because they compete with the interface. Many sets use a consistent background across all screenshots, or shift the colour slightly from one to the next to suggest progression as people swipe. The generator above lets you set two colours for a vertical gradient and position the device high or low to make room for captions.
Panoramic sets
Some apps design their screenshots as a single continuous image that flows across the set, with a device or illustration spanning two screenshots. Panoramas look impressive when people swipe, but they can look broken in search results, where only the first few screenshots appear and the joins may not line up. If you use a panorama, make sure each screenshot still works on its own, especially the first three.
Screenshots for iPad
If your app runs on iPad, iPad screenshots appear when people browse on an iPad, and at least one set is required. Do not simply stretch your iPhone layout. Show how your app uses the larger screen, such as split views, sidebars or more content at once. Captions can be slightly longer on iPad, but the same principles apply: one benefit per screenshot, large text and real interface. The generator supports the 13-inch iPad sizes Apple requires.
Dark mode screenshots
If your app supports dark mode, consider showing it in one screenshot, especially if your audience uses apps at night or values the feature. A dark screenshot can also stand out in a set of light ones. Keep the caption readable against the darker background, and make sure the dark screens are as polished as the light ones.
Legal and honesty considerations
Screenshots must accurately represent your app. Do not show features that are not available, prices that do not match your store listing or content you do not have the rights to use, such as another company's logo or copyrighted images. If you show ratings or awards, they must be real and current. Apple's guidelines on accurate metadata apply to captions as well as images, so claims like "#1 app" must be true and verifiable.
A screenshot workflow in seven steps
- List your top benefits. Rank them by how much they matter to your target user.
- Capture real screens. Use realistic sample data on a recent iPhone or in the simulator at the correct size.
- Write captions. One benefit per screenshot, five to seven words, in your customers' language.
- Compose. Place each screen on a brand background with the caption, using the generator above.
- Review at thumbnail size. Look at the set as it will appear in search results and fix anything unreadable.
- Localise. Translate captions and capture localised screens for each language you support.
- Upload and test. Upload to App Store Connect and, once you have traffic, test a new first screenshot.
How many screenshots should you use?
Apple allows up to ten per size, but more is not always better. Most visitors see only the first few, so make sure those are excellent before adding more. Five to eight screenshots is common for apps with several distinct benefits. Games and creative tools often use more, because the visuals themselves sell the product. Each screenshot should earn its place; if one repeats a benefit already shown, remove it.
Screenshots and keywords
Captions in screenshots are not indexed for App Store search the way your name, subtitle and keyword field are, but they reinforce the message of the keywords people searched for. If someone searched "budget planner", seeing "Plan your budget in minutes" in the first screenshot confirms they are in the right place, which improves conversion. Align captions with your top keywords using the ASO keyword tool.
Seasonal and campaign screenshots
You can update screenshots with any new version, and custom product pages let you create alternative sets for specific campaigns or audiences without changing your default page. Seasonal sets for New Year fitness goals, back-to-school learning or holiday shopping can lift conversion during peaks. Plan them ahead, because screenshot changes on the default page go live with an app update.
Glossary of screenshot terms
Display size. The device screen size a screenshot set is prepared for, such as the iPhone Dynamic Island medium display.
Custom product page. An alternative App Store page with its own screenshots and promotional text, linked from campaigns.
Product page optimisation. Apple's feature for testing alternative icons, screenshots and previews against your default page.
App preview. A short video shown alongside screenshots on your product page.
Examples by goal
To explain a new category. If people do not know what your type of app does, use the first screenshot to explain the concept in one line, such as "Your personal AI meal planner", with the clearest screen.
To beat a known competitor. If users compare you with a market leader, lead with your differentiator, such as "No ads, ever" or "Works offline".
To convert premium users. If your audience values quality, use a calm, spacious design with fewer words and larger screens.
To drive installs from ads. Match the first screenshot to the ad creative, so the click and the store page feel continuous, ideally on a custom product page for that campaign.
Working with designers on screenshots
If a designer creates your screenshots, give them the ranked benefits, the captions, your brand guidelines, the required sizes and a few examples of screenshot sets you admire, along with the reason you admire them. Ask for a template rather than one-off images, so future updates are fast. Review drafts at thumbnail size on a phone, not only on a large monitor.
How Muaz.io keeps screenshots current
When you build with Muaz.io, screenshots are regenerated from the latest build whenever you ask, using your template and captions. Because they come from the real app, they always match what users will see. Captions live alongside your metadata, so changing a headline is a quick edit, and every version of your screenshot set is saved.
Final thought
Your screenshots are often the only part of your product page that people look at closely. Treat them as your most important marketing asset: give them the same care as the app itself, refresh them as the product evolves and test the first one regularly. Start with the generator above, and when you are ready, let Muaz.io produce the full localised set from your real app.
Good screenshots turn browsers into users. Make yours count.
Try the generator above now; your first screenshot takes less than a minute.
Design once, then reuse your template for every update.
Happy designing.
See you on the App Store.
Still have questions about app store screenshot generator? Ask the assistant inside the Muaz.io builder. It knows your project, your competitors and every source cited in this guide, and it answers in plain language.
Questions about screenshot generator
Short, direct answers. Still curious? Ask in the builder; the assistant knows your project.
What screenshot sizes does Apple require in 2026?
For iPhone, at least one screenshot for the Dynamic Island medium display is required, at 1179 by 2556 or 1206 by 2622 pixels. If your app runs on iPad, at least one 13-inch iPad screenshot is required, at 2064 by 2752 or 2048 by 2732 pixels. Larger iPhone sizes such as 1320 by 2868 are also accepted.
How many screenshots can I upload?
Between one and ten screenshots per display size and language.
Can screenshots have transparency?
No. Screenshots must be JPEG or PNG files without an alpha channel. This tool exports PNG files with a solid background.
Do screenshots have to show the real app?
Yes. Apple's guidelines require screenshots to show the app in use and accurately reflect its functionality. You can add captions, backgrounds and device frames, but the interface shown must be real.
How many screenshots do people actually look at?
Many visitors only see the first two or three, especially in search results, so the first screenshots should communicate your main value. The rest support people who scroll.
Does my image leave my device?
No. The screenshot is composed in your browser and downloaded directly. Nothing is uploaded.
Related guides and tools
Design an Apple-style app icon and download a 1024×1024 PNG with no transparency, ready for App Store Connect. Free, in your browser, with an icon design guide.
Use the free tool Free tools · 13 min readMake every character of your App Store metadata countCheck your App Store name, subtitle and 100-character keyword field. Find duplicates, wasted characters and brand names, then copy a cleaned keyword field.
Use the free tool Product · 13 min readPublish to the App Store without the busyworkEverything you need to publish an iPhone app: signing, TestFlight, screenshot sizes, metadata, privacy labels and an App Review readiness checklist.
Read the guide Free tools · 13 min readFind an app name people rememberGenerate short, brandable app names that fit Apple's 30-character limit, with subtitle ideas. Free, no sign-up, plus a complete guide to naming an app.
Use the free tool Free tools · 13 min readFind out why your paywall is not convertingScore your subscription paywall against conversion patterns from top-grossing apps and Apple's subscription rules. Get priority fixes in seconds, free.
Use the free tool Product · 13 min readResearch the apps already winning your categoryResearch the iOS apps winning your category before you design. Screenshots, onboarding, paywalls, pricing and ASO, with licensed estimates clearly labelled.
Read the guideWhere our numbers come from
Third-party figures are estimates published by the sources below. Prices and rules change; check the source before you decide.
- App Store Connect: screenshot specificationsdeveloper.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/screenshot-specifications
- Apple: Product page best practicesdeveloper.apple.com/app-store/product-page
- Apple: Product page optimizationdeveloper.apple.com/app-store/product-page-optimization
- Apple App Store Review Guidelines: accurate metadatadeveloper.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#accurate-metadata
- Apple Design Resourcesdeveloper.apple.com/design/resources
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