What Assets Do You Need for an App Preview Project?

Why assets matter before production starts

A production that starts without the right raw materials stalls. The most common delay in app preview projects is not editing — it is waiting for recordings, clarifications, or missing files that should have been prepared in advance.

This guide covers everything you need to have ready before you hand a project to a production team (or start it yourself).

Required: Screen recordings

Screen recordings are the primary raw material for an Apple App Preview. Apple requires that all footage be captured from a real device — not Simulator, not screen capture software on a Mac, not mockup animations.

What to record:

• Record from a physical iPhone running the production build of your app
• Use iOS's built-in screen recording (Control Center → Screen Recording)
• Record the main user flows you want to feature — more is better at this stage, since the editor will select the best moments
• Record on the largest device size you are targeting — typically iPhone 16 Pro Max (6.9") for current productions
• Make sure the status bar shows clean time and full signal/battery — iOS screen recording handles this automatically on modern iOS

Record more than you think you need. Aim for 3–5 minutes of raw footage across your key user journeys. The final video will use 20–25 seconds of the best material.

Required: App icon

The app icon may appear in text overlays, end cards, or animated elements in the preview. Provide the icon as a high-resolution PNG (1024 × 1024 px minimum) without rounded corners — export tools add the rounding automatically.

Required: Key features and messaging brief

A brief list (5–8 bullet points) of the features and outcomes you most want to highlight. Do not write a script — just note the user outcomes that matter most. The production team builds the narrative structure around this input.

Also useful: who is your target user, what problem are they solving, and what is the single strongest benefit of your app?

Optional: Figma or design files

If you have Figma files for your app's UI, sharing them allows the production team to create animated UI elements that supplement the screen recordings. This is particularly useful for highlighting specific UI elements with motion, creating smooth onboarding sequences, or ensuring text overlays use your exact brand fonts.

Optional: Brand guidelines

If your app has defined brand colors, typography, or an existing visual identity, share it. The motion design in the preview can match your brand rather than default to a generic style.

Optional: Music preferences

Preview videos typically include background music. If you have strong preferences (upbeat vs calm, electronic vs acoustic), note them. If not, the production team will select from licensed music libraries based on the app's tone and category.

What you do not need to provide

You do not need to write a script, plan the video structure, or produce any edited footage. The production team handles structure, pacing, text overlays, motion design, music, export, and compliance. Your job is to provide the raw materials — and the clearer those are, the faster the project moves.