How to design App Store screenshots
Start with your app’s real screen. Follow a short lesson on captions, cropping and a consistent screenshot set.
English captions are available in the player. The full transcript is below.
Made by AppDrift with actual editor captures and AI narration. Wayfarer is a fictional app. Recorded September 10, 2026; some controls may look different in the current editor.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Put it into practice
Make one clear first screenshot.
Choose a Free template or a blank canvas, add your own app screen, and write a benefit it can demonstrate.
Open screenshot editorFinish on desktop. You can start designing without an account; a free account is required to save or export. Manual edits and exports cost no tokens and have no watermark. Pro collections, AI translation and store publishing have separate access requirements.
Before you export
- Use a real screen from your own app.
- Write one specific benefit the screen supports.
- Check the crop, contrast and caption size.
- Give each following screenshot a different job.
- Inspect every target device size before export.
Read along
Full transcript
The narration from the published lesson.
0:00A clear first screenshot
Your first App Store screenshot should make the app's value easy to understand. Let's build a clear first screen, then use the same idea to plan a stronger set.
0:10Choose your app screen
We're using AppDrift's browser editor and a fictional travel app called Wayfarer. For your listing, use your own app screens. Pick a screen that demonstrates the benefit, with readable content and no private customer information.
0:26Upload into the device frame
Select the device frame, then upload your screenshot. Here, the discovery screen shows a mountain destination and places to explore. Check the crop carefully. The part that explains your app should remain visible inside the frame.
0:41Write a benefit headline
Replace the template headline with one concrete benefit. For this example: find your next mountain escape. The screen underneath supports that promise. Keep the caption short enough to read at a glance, and avoid claims the app cannot support.
0:58Match the design to your app
Match the background to the app, then check the contrast and spacing. Here, deep green connects the frame to the travel interface. Keep one main headline, a shorter supporting line, and enough room for the product itself.
1:13Plan a useful sequence
For the rest of the set, give each screenshot a different job. A travel app might move from discovering a destination, to exploring the details, to planning the trip. Choose the sequence that reflects your own app's real workflow.
1:30Check sizes and export requirements
Preview the device sizes your listing needs, then inspect every caption and crop again. You can start designing without an account. AppDrift requires a free account to save or export. Screenshot exports have no watermark. Translation and direct store publishing have separate requirements.
1:49Create your first screenshot
Start with your strongest app screen and write one honest benefit above it. When that works, build the rest of the set around the same visual style. Open AppDrift's screenshot generator using the link below. You'll also find the checklist and transcript.