App Launch Videos: The 2026 Guide
By the Maybe Labs teamAn app launch video is a short promo — usually 15 to 60 seconds — that shows your app solving a problem, built to run on your site, social feeds, and the app stores. Mobile launches need more cuts than most: every placement has its own length and aspect ratio. Here's the full guide.
Every placement and its specs
| Placement | Length | Format |
|---|---|---|
| App Store preview (iOS) | 15–30 sec | Portrait, in-app footage first |
| Google Play promo | 30 sec–2 min | Landscape 16:9, YouTube-hosted |
| Landing page hero | 30–60 sec | 16:9, autoplay loop |
| Social teasers | 10–30 sec | 9:16 vertical, captioned |
| Product Hunt gallery | 30–60 sec | 16:9 — see the PH guide |
The structure that drives installs
- Open inside the app — stores require it, and it's what users want to see.
- One core flow, start to finish: the job your app does best.
- UI in a device frame so it reads as a phone experience at feed size.
- Big captions — assume sound-off everywhere.
- End on the app icon + store badge, nothing else.
App Store previews are their own genre
Apple's App Previews have hard rules: 15–30 seconds, captured-from-device footage as the core content, up to three per listing, and autoplay muted in search results. That first muted second decides the tap — lead with your most visual moment, not a logo. Write the beats with the script template.
Produce every cut from one project
The mistake is treating each placement as a separate production. Make one master launch video, then export the vertical, square, and store-spec variants from the same project — the workflow from one video, ten clips. With AI handling the animation, the whole set is an afternoon, not a sprint — see how to make a launch video with AI.
App launch video FAQ
How long should an app launch video be?
15–30 seconds for App Store previews, 10–30 for social teasers, and 30–60 for your landing page or Product Hunt.
What should an app launch video show?
The app itself, solving one real problem in one flow — in a device frame, with captions, ending on the icon and store badge.
Do I need different videos for the App Store and Google Play?
Different cuts, not different videos. iOS previews are portrait and 15–30 seconds; Play promos are landscape and can run longer. Export both from one master.
Describe your app and its one killer flow, and Maybe Labs generates the launch video — then the store, social, and landing-page cuts from the same project.
Make your next launch in motion
Maybe Labs turns prompts into product launch and update videos — story, assets, and final cut, start to end.
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