App Store preview videos are short, device-specific product videos that show real app footage before someone downloads an app. A good preview helps people understand the interface, workflow, and value of the app quickly, while staying within Apple's current App Store Connect requirements.
For app teams, the goal is not to make a generic promo video. A strong App Store preview should show the real product, lead with the clearest use case, work without sound, and be exported for the device sizes and localizations the launch needs. HiLo Media creates app demo videos and App Store preview videos that turn product screens into clear launch assets.
What Is an App Store Preview Video?
An App Store preview video is a short video asset that appears on an App Store or Mac App Store product page. Apple's app preview guidance explains that previews demonstrate an 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. App previews can appear on product pages, in search results, and in Apple Ads placements, so they should be planned as both a store asset and a broader launch asset.
App Store Preview Video Requirements to Plan Around
Apple's App Store Connect app preview specifications currently allow H.264 and ProRes 422 HQ previews. The main production constraints to plan around are a 500MB maximum file size, 15 to 30 seconds of runtime, up to 30 frames per second, accepted file extensions, stereo audio settings, and accepted resolutions for the target device family.
For exact export sizes and accepted resolutions by iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro display target, use our focused guide to App Store preview video dimensions and requirements. Keep the broad strategy here and the detailed export table there, so the production plan does not get buried in specs.
- Length: plan a concise 15-30 second story, not a full product tour.
- Format: confirm H.264 or ProRes 422 HQ before final export.
- Frame rate: keep exports within Apple's 30 fps maximum.
- Audio: include clean stereo audio even if the preview also works silently.
- Orientation: plan portrait or landscape for iOS, and landscape for Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro previews.
- Poster frame: choose a frame that still communicates the app when autoplay is unavailable.
How to Create an App Preview Video
To create an app preview video, start with the download decision. Decide what a new visitor needs to understand in the first few seconds: the problem solved, the core workflow, the before-and-after moment, or the feature that makes the app worth trying.
- Choose the target device and orientation: confirm whether the preview is for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or Vision Pro before recording.
- Write a short storyboard: plan one primary use case and, if needed, separate supporting previews for additional features.
- Capture clean app footage: use realistic demo data, current UI, stable device capture, and no distracting notifications.
- Edit for muted autoplay: use concise captions, readable labels, and pacing that still makes sense without narration.
- Export to Apple specs: check length, resolution, codec, frame rate, file size, audio, and extension before upload.
- Set the poster frame: pick a clear visual moment from the footage instead of leaving the default frame to chance.
Apple's upload guidance notes that app previews can be uploaded in App Store Connect while the app is in editable version states such as Prepare for Submission, Ready for Review, Invalid Binary, Rejected, Metadata Rejected, or Developer Rejected. Plan review time into the launch schedule rather than treating the preview as a last-minute export.
App Preview Video Examples by Launch Goal
The best app preview video examples are specific. They do not try to explain every screen. They show a product moment that helps a visitor decide whether the app is relevant.
Workflow Preview Example
Show a common task from start to finish: importing a file, booking a session, editing a photo, sending a report, or completing setup. This works well when the app's value is tied to speed, clarity, or ease of use.
Feature Highlight Example
Focus on one standout feature with captions and callouts. This is useful when a product has a differentiator that screenshots cannot explain on their own.
Before-and-After Example
Use the preview to show a visible transformation: messy data becomes a report, raw footage becomes an edit, or a manual process becomes automated. This can work especially well for productivity, creative, finance, and health apps.
Multi-Preview Launch Set Example
If the launch uses more than one preview, give each video a different job. One preview can introduce the app, another can show a deeper workflow, and a third can focus on a specific audience or feature set.
App Store Preview Production Checklist
- Confirm target platforms, display sizes, orientation, and localization needs.
- Review Apple's app preview specs before recording and again before export.
- Capture real app footage with clean demo data and current UI.
- Avoid footage that shows people using the device outside the app experience.
- Use captions or on-screen labels because previews often autoplay muted.
- Keep text evergreen and avoid prices, dated claims, or seasonal language.
- Disclose subscriptions, login requirements, or in-app purchases when shown.
- Prepare related website, launch, paid social, and sales versions from the same edit plan.
Where App Preview Videos Fit in App Marketing
App preview videos are one piece of a larger launch package. The same planning can support your website, paid social ads, investor decks, onboarding emails, product demo pages, and sales follow-up. HiLo Media often approaches app previews as part of a broader app video system: one precise App Store asset, then related edits for the channels where prospects keep evaluating the product.
If you are building a launch package, start with the App Store constraints, then adapt the story for less restricted channels. The App Store file needs to follow Apple's requirements. The website or sales version can often use a little more context, narration, device framing, or supporting motion graphics.
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. In practice, the strongest previews usually feel shorter than they are because they start with the clearest product moment.
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 multiple previews, make each one show something different instead of repeating the same product tour.
What are good app preview video examples?
Good examples include a focused workflow preview, a feature highlight, a before-and-after transformation, or a coordinated launch set where each preview explains a different part of the app.
Where do I find App preview video sizes?
Use Apple's App Store Connect specifications for the official 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 with muted audio, so captions, text callouts, 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, and version App Store preview videos from real app footage, then adapt related edits for websites, launch campaigns, ads, sales, and onboarding.