App Demos
App Store Preview Video Workflow for Indie Developers
How to plan, capture, and edit App Store preview videos without turning the export process into a week-long project.
Short answer
App previews should show the real app experience quickly. The winning workflow is script, capture, trim, format, and verify against Apple's requirements.
Key takeaways
- Apple allows up to three app previews per supported language.
- Each app preview can be up to 30 seconds.
- Capture real app footage and edit toward one clear user outcome.
Know the constraint before recording
Apple describes app previews as short videos that demonstrate app features, functionality, and UI using footage captured on device.
That means you should plan for a short, direct sequence. Do not record a ten-minute walkthrough and hope the edit finds itself.
Script the preview as an outcome
A good app preview is not a feature inventory. It is a user outcome in motion: open the app, do the valuable thing, show the result.
Write the on-screen sequence first. Then record only what the sequence needs.
Use your Mac as the production station
Even when the app runs on iPhone, editing is usually faster on Mac. Splonk helps when you want to record iPhone camera, Mac screen, voice, and supporting footage in one place.
For App Store previews specifically, verify final files against Apple's current App Store Connect requirements before uploading.
Make variants instead of one overloaded video
If you have three strong use cases, make three previews. One overloaded preview usually communicates less than three focused ones.
This also gives you more assets for the landing page, Product Hunt, and social launch posts.
FAQ
How long can an App Store app preview be?
Apple says each app preview can be up to 30 seconds long.
How many app previews can I use?
Apple says you can have up to three app previews for each language your app supports.