Why Apple Rejects App Preview Videos

Why rejections happen

Apple's app preview review is not subjective. Reviewers are checking against a specific set of technical and content requirements. Most rejections are not close calls — they are clear violations of rules that, once you know them, are easy to avoid.

The challenge is that many founders only learn these rules the hard way: by submitting, waiting, and receiving a rejection that delays the launch timeline.

Here are the most common causes.

Non-app footage in the first frame

The opening frame of your preview doubles as the poster image — the still that users see before they tap play. Apple requires this to be in-app footage.

Common mistakes: opening with a logo card, a black title screen, a lifestyle photo, or a blank frame before the app loads. All of these can trigger a rejection.

The fix is simple: make sure your first visible frame shows actual app UI.

Wrong file format or dimensions

Apple only accepts .mov files encoded in H.264 or HEVC. MP4, AVI, MOV with wrong codecs — all rejected at upload.

Dimensions must match exactly the device class you are targeting. The most current required sizes are:

• 6.9": 886 × 1920 px (portrait) or 1920 × 886 px (landscape)
• 6.5": 886 × 1920 px or 1920 × 886 px
• 5.5": 1080 × 1920 px or 1920 × 1080 px

Any other dimensions — even close approximations — will fail the upload check.

Duration outside 15–30 seconds

Under 15 seconds: rejected. Over 30 seconds: rejected. App Store Connect enforces this at upload — it will not accept files outside the range.

This sounds obvious, but it catches teams who edit to "about 30 seconds" and end up at 31 or 32. Export your file, check the exact duration, then upload.

Misleading feature representations

This is the trickiest rejection category because it involves judgment, not just specs. Apple's reviewers will flag previews that:

• Show features the app does not have
• Imply pricing or terms not reflected in the listing
• Demonstrate outcomes users cannot actually achieve in the app
• Include text claims that cannot be verified in the app itself

The fix: only show what your app actually does. If you are proud of your product, that should be easy. If you are trying to show something the app does not quite do yet, wait until it does.

Simulator footage

Apple wants footage captured from a real device, not from Xcode Simulator. Simulator footage often has subtle visual differences (shadow rendering, font anti-aliasing, status bar appearance) that reviewers can identify.

Always record your preview footage from a physical iPhone running the production build of your app.

What happens after rejection

Apple typically gives a brief reason for rejection in App Store Connect. Read it carefully — the reason is usually specific enough to act on. Fix the identified issue, re-export, and resubmit. Most rejections are resolved on the next submission.

If you have maintained clean footage from the start — real device, correct format, in-app first frame, honest claims — most of these issues never arise.