Apple reviews app preview videos as part of the app binary review. A rejected video delays the entire submission — not just the video. The good news: nearly every rejection comes from one of a small set of mistakes, and every one of them is catchable with a 10-minute pre-flight check. This is that check, organized into four groups: technical, content, metadata, and upload.
Run through this list in order before you hit submit. If any item is uncertain, fix it before uploading — the cost of a fix now is minutes, the cost of a rejection is days.
The 28-item pre-submission checklist
Quick overview — each item is detailed below:
- H.264 or HEVC codec with AAC audio
- Duration between 15.00 and 30.00 seconds
- Correct pixel dimensions for target device class
- File size under 500 MB
- Frame rate exactly 30fps (or 60fps)
- No letterbox or pillarbox bars
- Poster frame pre-selected
- Every frame is real in-app footage
- No simulator-only visuals
- First 3 seconds work silently
- First frame is in-app (not a logo card)
- No features that are not in the submitted binary
- Text overlays describe product functionality only
- No misleading claims or unverifiable superlatives
- No third-party IP (logos, music, characters)
- Music properly licensed for commercial use
- App title in video matches listing exactly
- Pricing claims match current App Store listing
- Screenshots consistent with preview
- Age rating appropriate for preview content
- Category metadata correct
- Localization uploaded for target regions
- Uploaded to correct device slot
- Preview plays all the way through in preview-mode
- No upload errors or warnings
- Preview in position 1 (before screenshots)
- All target device sizes have a preview
- Binary submitted alongside the preview
Technical requirements
Format and codec
Your preview must be encoded in H.264 or HEVC (H.265) with AAC audio. Apple does not accept other codecs. Export settings in Final Cut Pro, Premiere, or DaVinci Resolve should target H.264 with a high-quality bitrate — 15–20 Mbps is a safe target for 1080p content.
Duration
App previews must be between 15.00 and 30.00 seconds. Videos shorter than 15 seconds or longer than 30 seconds will be rejected at upload. Aim for 25–28 seconds to give yourself editing room without hitting the cap. Double-check duration to hundredths of a second in your editor — 30.2 will fail.
Resolution and aspect ratio
The required resolution depends on the device slot:
- 6.9" / 6.5" iPhones — 886 × 1920 px or 1080 × 1920 px (portrait) / 1920 × 886 px or 1920 × 1080 px (landscape)
- 5.5" iPhones — 1080 × 1920 px or 1920 × 1080 px
- iPad 13" / 12.9" — 1200 × 1600 px or 1600 × 1200 px
- iPad 11" / 10.5" / 9.7" — 1200 × 1600 px or 1600 × 1200 px
Do not add letterbox bars or pillarbox bars. The video must fill the frame exactly. Any black bars added during export will show as permanent black bars on the App Store listing.
Format and codec
Your preview must be encoded in H.264 (video) with AAC audio. Apple does not accept other codecs. Export settings in Final Cut Pro, Premiere, or DaVinci Resolve should target H.264 with a high-quality bitrate — 15–20 Mbps is a safe target for 1080p content.
Duration
App previews must be between 15 and 30 seconds. Videos shorter than 15 seconds or longer than 30 seconds will be rejected at upload. Aim for 25–28 seconds to give yourself editing room without hitting the cap.
Resolution and aspect ratio
The required resolution depends on the device slot:
- 6.9" / 6.5" iPhones — 886 × 1920 px (portrait) or 1920 × 886 px (landscape)
- 5.5" iPhones — 1080 × 1920 px
- iPad — separate resolution per iPad class
Do not add letterbox bars or pillarbox bars. The video must fill the frame exactly. Any black bars added during export will show as permanent black bars on the App Store listing.
File size
Maximum file size is 500 MB per video. A well-encoded 30-second preview at 886 × 1920 px should be well under 100 MB — if your file is approaching 500 MB, the export settings are likely wrong.
Frame rate
Apple accepts 30 fps and 60 fps. Record and export at a consistent frame rate — do not mix frame rates within the file.
Content Rules
Real app footage only
Every frame of the preview must be actual in-app footage, captured from a live device or simulator. Mockups, 3D renders of app interfaces, and animated recreations of app screens are not permitted. Motion graphics and text overlays are allowed as long as they are layered over real footage.
No hidden or unfinished features
If a feature is shown in the preview, it must be available in the submitted app binary. Showing functionality that was removed or is still in development is a common cause of rejection.
The first three seconds work without sound
Previews autoplay silently in search results. Your first three seconds must communicate value through visuals and text alone. Play the video muted and ask whether a new viewer understands what the app does — if not, revise the opening.
No misleading claims
Text overlays claiming "#1 rated," "Best in category," or specific pricing must be verifiable from the App Store listing. Claims that cannot be substantiated within the listing are grounds for rejection.
No third-party intellectual property
Music, graphics, logos, and brand assets require licensing. Do not use commercial music unless you hold a sync license. Use royalty-free music with a clear commercial license.
Metadata Checks
App title consistency
The app name shown in your preview (if shown at all) must match the App Store listing exactly, including capitalization and punctuation.
Price and subscription terms
If your overlay or voiceover mentions a price or free trial, it must match the current App Store listing. Pricing discrepancies trigger rejection.
Screenshots are updated
Apple reviews screenshots and preview videos together. If your screenshots show an older version of the app that contradicts the preview, reviewers may flag the inconsistency.
Upload Process
Select the correct device slot
In App Store Connect, navigate to your app's version, then App Previews and Screenshots. Make sure you are uploading to the correct device slot — uploading a 886 × 1920 px file to the 5.5" slot will fail.
Set the poster frame
After upload, App Store Connect asks you to choose a poster frame — the still image shown before the preview begins playing. Choose a frame that communicates value clearly and looks good at small size. The first frame is almost never the best choice.
Place the preview first
The preview plays before screenshots in the App Store listing. App Store Connect lets you reorder assets — drag the preview to position 1 so it auto-plays when a user visits your listing.
Submit with the binary
Preview videos are reviewed as part of the app binary, not independently. You must submit your app binary for review after uploading the preview — previews uploaded to a draft version are not reviewed until the binary is submitted.
Post-submission: what to watch for
After you hit submit, the preview enters review with the binary. Timing:
- First 0–24 hours: "Waiting for Review" status. Nothing to do.
- 24–48 hours: "In Review" status. The preview is now being actively checked.
- 48–72 hours: Decision. Either approved, or rejected with a reason.
If rejected, read the reason carefully, fix the identified issue, and resubmit. Resubmissions typically review faster — often same-day.
If approved but you notice something wrong afterwards (a typo, an off-brand frame), you can replace the preview at any time without resubmitting the binary. The new preview goes through a short review of its own.
The 10-minute preflight routine
Rather than running the full 28-item list item by item, most seasoned teams use a condensed routine that catches the same issues:
- Play the final export once, muted, in QuickTime. Could a cold viewer tell what this app does in the first 3 seconds? Every frame real? Duration within 15–30s?
- Check the file Info panel. Codec H.264 or HEVC? Dimensions correct for target? Frame rate 30? Duration clean?
- Open the App Store listing and cross-check. Pricing claims match? Title/subtitle match? Features shown all shipping?
- Upload to a draft version. Watch the preview in-slot. Choose poster frame. Drag to position 1.
- Submit the binary.
If all five steps pass cleanly, rejection risk drops dramatically. The teams we know who ship previews weekly all converge on a similar routine — because catching issues at step 1 is free, and catching them at step 5 is a week.
FAQ
Can I submit the preview without the binary?
No. Preview reviews happen with binary reviews.
How quickly can I replace a preview after approval?
New preview submissions review independently in 24–48 hours, typically same-day for established apps.
Will Apple tell me which checklist item failed?
The rejection message usually identifies the category (misleading content, wrong format, etc.) but not the exact frame or timestamp. You need to figure out the specific issue yourself.
Can I use the same master for iPhone and iPad?
No. Different dimensions mean separate masters. We explain the tradeoffs in do you need separate recordings for different Apple screen sizes.
What is a realistic first-time approval rate?
For teams following a full checklist, 90%+ first-time approval. Without a checklist, closer to 50–60%.
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