App Store preview videos are short product videos that show real app footage before someone downloads an app. The strongest previews answer one question quickly: why should this person try the app now?
If you are planning an app preview video, start with the download decision before the export settings. Apple has specific technical requirements, but the creative job is just as important: show the product in action, keep the interface readable, make the story work without sound, and prepare the right versions for each device and language. HiLo Media creates app demo videos and App Store preview videos for launches, product pages, paid campaigns, and sales channels.
What Is an App Store Preview Video?
An App Store preview video is a short, device-specific video asset used on an App Store or Mac App Store product page. Apple's app preview guidance says previews should demonstrate the app's features, functionality, and user interface using footage captured on device.
Apple currently allows up to three previews for each supported language, and each preview can be up to 30 seconds long. Previews can appear on product pages, in search results, and in Apple Ads placements, so they should be planned as both an App Store asset and a reusable launch asset.
App Store Preview Video Requirements
Apple's App Store Connect app preview specifications currently allow H.264 and ProRes 422 HQ formats. The main requirements to plan around are 15 to 30 seconds of runtime, a 500MB maximum file size, up to 30 frames per second, accepted file extensions, stereo audio settings, poster-frame behavior, and accepted resolutions for the target display size.
For the export table by iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro target, use the focused guide to App Store preview video dimensions and requirements. Keep this article for strategy, examples, and production planning; use the dimensions guide when you are ready to export files.
| Requirement area | What to plan before editing |
|---|---|
| Length | Build a tight 15-30 second story around one clear product moment. |
| Device target | Confirm iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or Vision Pro targets before capture. |
| Orientation | Plan portrait or landscape for iOS/iPadOS; Mac and Apple TV previews are landscape. |
| Sound | Use clean stereo audio, but make sure the preview still works muted. |
| Poster frame | Choose a frame that still explains the app when autoplay is unavailable. |
| Localization | Decide whether each language needs captions, text-only changes, or a separate voiceover. |
How to Create an App Preview Video
To create an app preview video, choose the one thing a new visitor must understand before they download. Avoid turning the preview into a general brand video or a full product tour. The best structure is usually a short promise, a clean workflow, and a clear result.
- Pick the launch goal: first-use clarity, feature adoption, conversion lift, app update support, or paid acquisition.
- Choose the target device: confirm display size, orientation, and localization needs before screen capture.
- Storyboard the first five seconds: lead with the product moment most likely to matter to a new user.
- Capture current app footage: use clean demo data, stable recording, and screens that match the shipping app.
- Edit for silent viewing: use concise captions, readable labels, and pacing that works without voiceover.
- Export and upload carefully: check length, codec, file size, resolution, audio, file extension, and poster frame before submission.
Apple's upload guidance lists the app-version states where previews can be uploaded in App Store Connect. Plan this into the launch schedule so the preview is not a last-minute export after the app is otherwise ready.
App Preview Video Template
A useful app preview video template is simple. It should not force every app into the same visual style, but it should keep the story disciplined.
| Time | Purpose | What to show |
|---|---|---|
| 0-5 seconds | Hook | The strongest app outcome, workflow start, or before-and-after contrast. |
| 5-18 seconds | Proof | Real app footage showing the main interaction, result, or differentiating feature. |
| 18-25 seconds | Support | A second use case, saved time, simplified task, or deeper feature moment. |
| 25-30 seconds | Finish | A clear end state, poster-friendly frame, or final product result. |
Use the template as a planning tool, not a script. Some apps need a calm workflow. Others need a faster feature montage. The common thread is that every second should help a visitor understand the app.
App Preview Video Examples by Launch Goal
Good app preview video examples are specific. They show a product moment that helps a visitor decide whether the app is relevant, instead of trying to explain every screen.
- Workflow preview: show a common task from start to finish, such as booking, editing, sending, tracking, or completing setup.
- Feature highlight: focus on one differentiating feature with captions and simple callouts.
- Before-and-after preview: show a visible transformation, such as raw footage becoming an edit or messy data becoming a report.
- Update preview: show what changed in a major release and why current users should care.
- Multi-preview launch set: give each of the three possible previews a different job: overview, deeper workflow, and feature or audience-specific proof.
What to Prepare Before Production
A smoother app preview project starts before screen recording. Gather the current app build, login access, approved demo data, target devices, brand rules, captions or localization needs, and the App Store product-page plan.
It also helps to decide what the App Store version should not do. Pricing, seasonal claims, dated language, unsupported UI behavior, and footage outside the app can all create review or longevity problems. Apple also notes that app previews should stay within the app experience, and that copy should be legible, easy to understand, and not tied to dates or temporary promotions.
Where App Preview Videos Fit in App Marketing
An App Store preview is usually part of a wider app video system. The store version has strict rules and short runtime. The website, sales, social, and onboarding versions can often use more context, narration, device framing, or motion graphics.
If you are planning the full launch package, pair this article with the guide to optimizing App Store videos, the app demo video cost guide, and the overview of content creation for app developers.
App Store Preview Video FAQ
How long can an App Store preview video be?
Apple currently lists a 15-second minimum and a 30-second maximum for app preview uploads.
How many app preview videos can I add to an App Store product page?
Apple currently allows up to three app previews for each language your app supports. If you use more than one preview, make each one show something different.
What is a good app preview video template?
A good template usually opens with the clearest product moment, proves it with real app footage, adds one supporting workflow or feature, and ends on a poster-friendly frame.
Where do I find app preview video sizes?
Use Apple's App Store Connect specifications for accepted resolutions, and use HiLo Media's App Store preview video dimensions guide for planning notes by device family and orientation.
Should an app preview video have captions?
Yes. App previews can autoplay muted, so captions, concise text, and clear visual sequencing help viewers understand the app without sound.
Can HiLo Media create App Store preview videos from our app screens?
Yes. HiLo Media can plan, capture, edit, animate, caption, localize, and version App Store preview videos from real app footage, then adapt related edits for websites, launch campaigns, ads, sales, and onboarding.