Apple announced new creative assets for the App Store, along with two App Store Connect features that make them practical to manage: a preview tool and an Asset Library. Here is what actually changed and what you need to do to take advantage of it.
What changed
Three things shipped in this update:
1. New creative asset types. You can now add image and video assets that appear in your product page header and in search results. These sit alongside your existing app previews and screenshots — they don’t replace them. The intended uses are brand highlighting, seasonal promotions, and showcasing new content.
2. A preview tool in App Store Connect. Before you submit, you can see how your creative assets, screenshots, and other metadata will render on your product page and in search results. The preview supports Dark Mode, different devices, and different orientations, so you can catch layout problems before they go live.
3. An Asset Library in App Store Connect. All of your creative assets, screenshots, and app previews now live in one central place. Critically, you can upload assets ahead of when you need them and submit them for review early. Apple’s example: submit seasonal campaign assets today, then use them the moment the campaign starts instead of waiting on review.
Apple also published new App Review guidance covering common screenshot issues, plus design guidance and downloadable templates for building the new assets.
Who is affected
Anyone with an app or game on the App Store. If you only maintain your screenshots and never touch your product page otherwise, nothing breaks — the new assets are optional. But you’re leaving visibility on the table: search result assets in particular are a new surface where your app can stand out against competitors.
Teams running seasonal or content-driven marketing get the most immediate value, because the Asset Library removes the review-waiting bottleneck from time-sensitive campaigns.
What you need to do
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Review the new specifications. Read the creative assets specifications, plus the existing app preview and screenshot specifications, before designing anything. Assets that don’t meet spec will fail review or render poorly.
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Download the templates. Apple provides downloadable templates and best practices for the new assets. Starting from them avoids most sizing and layout mistakes.
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Audit your current screenshots. Read the new App Review guidance on common screenshot issues and check your existing screenshots against it. If your current set has problems, fix them before adding new asset types on top.
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Upload assets to the Asset Library. Move your creative assets, screenshots, and app previews into the new central library. Upload anything you might use later — including assets for future seasonal campaigns — and submit them for approval now so review time doesn’t delay a launch.
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Preview before submitting. Use the preview tool to check how everything looks on your product page and in search results, across Dark Mode, device sizes, and orientations. Dark Mode in particular is easy to forget and easy to get wrong.
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Plan your first campaign. Pick one thing to promote — a seasonal offer, a major content update, your brand — and design a header asset and search result asset for it. Submit early, enable when ready.
FAQ
Do I have to add the new creative assets?
No. They’re optional and complement your existing app previews and screenshots. Your current listing keeps working. But if your app competes in a crowded category, the new header and search result placements are additional visibility you’re currently not using.
Can I prepare assets for a future campaign?
Yes — that’s a headline feature of the new Asset Library. You can upload assets and submit them for review before you want them live. Once approved, you can use them immediately when your campaign starts, without waiting on App Review.
What does the preview tool actually show me?
It renders your creative assets, screenshots, and other metadata as they’ll appear on your product page and in search results, before you submit. It supports Dark Mode, different devices, and different orientations, so you can verify your assets look right everywhere they’ll be shown.