Exporting…
You have built a great app. You have a polished screen recording that shows it off perfectly. Then App Store Connect rejects your preview video — wrong resolution, wrong codec, wrong duration. Sound familiar?
Apple's App Store preview video requirements are strict, device-specific, and easy to get wrong. This guide covers every spec you need to know in 2026, laid out clearly so you can stop guessing and start publishing. The official specs are also available in Apple's App Store Connect reference.
Why App Store Preview Video Specs Matter
App Store previews are among the most powerful conversion tools in your product page arsenal. Studies consistently show that a well-made preview video can lift downloads by 20–35% compared to screenshots alone. But Apple's review system will outright reject videos that don't meet the technical requirements — meaning all that production effort counts for nothing if your screen recording file is misconfigured.
Apple enforces separate specifications for each device class. A screen recording that works perfectly for iPhone 6.9" will be rejected for iPad. Every device you want to target requires its own correctly sized and formatted video.
Getting the specs right the first time saves you days of back-and-forth with App Store review and frustrating re-encoding cycles.
App Store Preview Video Specs — Full Breakdown by Device (2026)
Below are Apple's official App Store preview video requirements for every supported device class, as of 2026.
| Device | Portrait Resolution | Landscape Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 6.9" / 6.5" | 886 × 1920 px | 1920 × 886 px |
| iPhone 5.5" | 1080 × 1920 px | 1920 × 1080 px |
| iPad 13" / 12.9" | 1200 × 1600 px | 1600 × 1200 px |
| Mac | N/A (landscape only) | 1920 × 1080 px |
| Apple Vision Pro | N/A | 3840 × 2160 px |
Note: iPhone 6.9" and 6.5" share the same App Store preview slot — a single video in the 886 × 1920 px format covers both.
Universal Specs (All Devices)
Duration
15 – 30 seconds
Apple enforces both the minimum and maximum. Under 15s or over 30s will be rejected.
Max File Size
500 MB
Keep your screen recording well below this by using H.264 at appropriate bitrate.
Accepted Formats
.mov · .m4v · .mp4
QuickTime MOV is the most reliable container. Avoid AVI, MKV, or WebM.
Frame Rate
30 fps maximum
30fps is the sweet spot. Higher frame rates are not accepted.
Codec and Audio Requirements
Apple accepts two video codecs for App Store previews:
- H.264 — the standard choice for most screen recordings. It delivers excellent quality at small file sizes and is universally supported. Use the High profile for best results.
- ProRes 422 HQ — Apple's professional format, often used for Vision Pro previews or when you need the absolute highest quality. Produces much larger files (easily 2–4 GB for 30 seconds), so plan accordingly.
For audio, Apple requires:
- Codec: AAC at 256 kbps
- Sample rate: 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz
- Channels: Stereo
Audio is optional in App Store previews — many developers mute their previews since the App Store plays them silently by default — but if you do include audio, it must conform to these specs exactly.
Common Mistakes That Get App Store Previews Rejected
Even experienced developers make these errors when exporting screen recordings for the App Store:
Wrong resolution for the device slot
Uploading a 1080 × 1920 video to the iPhone 6.9" slot (which requires 886 × 1920) is one of the most common rejections. Each device has its own required pixel dimensions — they are not interchangeable.
Duration outside the 15–30 second window
A screen recording that clocks in at 14 seconds or 31 seconds will be rejected outright, with no warning other than an error message in App Store Connect.
Wrong codec or container
Exporting with H.265/HEVC, VP9, or AV1 will cause a rejection. Stick to H.264 or ProRes 422 HQ inside a .mov, .mp4, or .m4v container.
Frame rate above 30fps
60fps screen recordings look great locally but will be rejected by Apple. Always cap your export at 30 fps.
Re-encoding artifacts from mismatched tools
Running a screen recording through multiple export steps — recording at one resolution, then scaling in a video editor, then re-exporting — introduces quality degradation and can introduce spec mismatches at each step.
How cursiq Handles App Store Preview Specs Automatically
Manually configuring your screen recorder, video editor, and export settings to hit Apple's exact requirements is tedious. One wrong number and you are back to square one after a rejection.
cursiq is a Mac screen recorder built specifically for App Store preview videos. Instead of recording at an arbitrary resolution and hoping your export settings are right, cursiq lets you choose your target device — iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Vision Pro — before you even start recording. The app locks your screen recording to the exact pixel dimensions Apple requires for that device.
When you export, cursiq's App Store-Ready Export feature outputs a file that is already encoded to Apple's specs: H.264, correct resolution, 30fps, AAC audio at 256 kbps. No re-encoding step. No manual export configuration. No guessing.
The result is a screen recording file you can upload to App Store Connect immediately — without worrying about rejections for spec violations.
Related articles
Stop wrestling with App Store video specs
cursiq records and exports your App Store preview video in the exact format Apple requires — right from your Mac, no re-encoding needed.
