App Store Preview Video Best Practices That Boost Installs

Your App Store preview video is a conversion tool, not a trailer. Done well, it turns browsers into installs. These App Store preview video best practices cover the choices that actually move that number — length, the opening frame, framing, and captions — with the how-to at the end.

1. Lead with the core value in the first 2 seconds

Most viewers watch only the opening. Don't spend it on your logo or an onboarding screen. Open on the single most useful thing your app does, in motion. If someone stops watching after two seconds, they should already understand the point.

2. Keep it 15–30 seconds

Apple caps preview length, and shorter converts. Show one clear story — the core flow — and stop. A tight 20-second preview beats a meandering 30 every time.

3. Use 9:16 portrait for iPhone

Most people browse the App Store on a phone, so a portrait 9:16 preview fills their screen. Frame the app in a realistic iPhone shell so it reads as a real device, not a flat capture.

4. Design for silent playback

Previews often autoplay muted. Add on-screen text or captions that carry the message without sound. Never rely on a voiceover the viewer won't hear.

5. Keep UI text large and legible

What's readable in your desktop editor can be illegible as a small video on a phone inside a frame. Zoom to the parts that matter and keep labels big.

6. Export clean — no watermark

A watermark on a store listing looks unfinished and undercuts trust. Export a clean file. Framy exports without a watermark on the free tier, which is exactly what a public listing needs.

7. Match the device frame to your audience

Pick the iPhone model your users actually carry, from the 35 available. A frame the audience recognizes feels more relatable than always defaulting to the newest Pro.

Common mistakes

• Opening on a splash screen instead of the value.
• Trying to show every feature in one preview.
• Tiny UI text that disappears on a phone.
• A watermarked export on a store listing.
• Wrong ratio forcing letterboxing.

How to make one

1. Record your best 15–30 second flow (device or simulator)
2. Trim to the core action
3. Open the App Store preview video maker
4. Drop in the clip, pick the iPhone model, set 9:16
5. Export MP4 up to 4K, no watermark
6. Upload in App Store Connect and preview on a device

Confirm current App Store Connect specs before submitting — Apple updates requirements periodically.

Bottom line

A preview that opens on value, stays short, plays clean without sound, and shows a real device in 9:16 does the conversion work. Nail those and the framing step is quick and free.

Next steps

Make your preview in the App Store preview video maker, get the exact specs in the iPhone Frame and App Store Video Size Guide, or read How Long Should an App Demo Video Be?. More on the Framy blog.