Guide
How to make App Store & Google Play screenshots that convert
Your store screenshots are the single biggest lever on your install rate — most people decide from the first two images, before they ever read a word. Here’s how to make them work.
Store screenshots are not decoration. On both the App Store and Google Play, the first one or two images carry most of the conversion weight — they appear in search results, and a large share of visitors decide from them alone. This guide walks through what actually moves the needle, then shows the fastest way to produce a full, store-ready set.
Lead with value, not chrome
The most common mistake is a first screenshot that’s just a raw app shot. Instead, your first frame should answer “what is this and why do I care?” in one glance:
- A short benefit caption above the device — five words, not a sentence.
- One clear focal point in the screen content. Crop to the moment that matters.
- Your strongest feature first. Don’t save it for screenshot four — most people never scroll that far.
Design for the search-results crop
In search results, stores show your first screenshots small and often partially cropped. Big type, high contrast, and generous margins survive that crop; dense UI and thin captions disappear. Preview your set at thumbnail size before you ship.
Use a consistent system across frames
A set reads as professional when the caption position, type scale, background, and device treatment are identical from frame to frame. Pick one layout system and repeat it. Variety belongs in the screen content, not the frame design.
Real 3D and panoramas, used sparingly
A subtle device tilt or a panorama that spans two or three frames can make a listing feel modern and considered. The keyword is subtle — a slight angle reads as craft, an extreme one reads as a stock template. Keep the screen content legible at every tilt.
Export the exact sizes each store wants
Both stores reject the wrong dimensions, the wrong aspect ratio, or transparency (alpha) in your images. The reliable approach is to design once and export every required size from that single design. See the exact pixel specs for App Store sizes and Google Play sizes.
Make them free with Storeshot
Storeshot is a browser-based studio for exactly this: drag-and-drop layout, real 3D device mockups, every template free, and pixel-exact export to every App Store and Google Play size. Swap the device frame and your layout stays put — so next year’s phone doesn’t mean a rebuild.