What screenshot sizes does Google Play require?
Published
Short answer
Google Play does not require a fixed pixel size. Each side must be between 320 and 3840 pixels, and the long side may be at most twice the short side1 (source 1). Files must be JPEG or 24-bit PNG with no transparency. You may upload up to eight screenshots per device type and need at least two to publish. 1080 × 1920 portrait is the practical default: it satisfies every rule and meets the resolution Play asks for in its larger recommendation formats.
Key points
- Play sets a shape rule, not a size list. Anything from 320 px to 3840 px per side is accepted as long as the long side is no more than twice the short side1 (source 1).
- 9:16 is a recommendation tied to promotion eligibility, not a hard requirement. Plenty of accepted ratios are not 9:16.
- App Store phone screenshots do not work here. 1290 × 2796 is about 1:2.17, which exceeds the 2:1 limit2 (source 2).
- A 1024 × 500 feature graphic is a separate asset from your screenshots1 (source 1).
- Meeting the minimum gets you listed, not promoted. Play documents a higher bar — at least four screenshots at 1080 px or more — for its large-format recommendation sections.
The rules that decide acceptance
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | JPEG or 24-bit PNG, no alpha channel |
| Minimum per side | 320 px |
| Maximum per side | 3840 px |
| Shape limit | Long side at most twice the short side |
| Count | Up to 8 per device type; at least 2 across device types to publish |
| Feature graphic | 1024 × 500, JPEG or 24-bit PNG |
Notice what is missing: there is no list of blessed pixel dimensions. Play checks the shape of your image, not whether it matches a device Google shipped. That is the opposite of how the App Store works, and it is why a single number answers the Apple question but not this one.
Why 9:16 is a recommendation, not a requirement
Most guides state 1080 × 1920 as the Google Play screenshot size. It is a good default, but it is not the rule, and treating it as one leads people to reject perfectly valid assets.
Play’s own documentation frames 16:9 landscape and 9:16 portrait as what you need to be eligible for certain recommendation formats, alongside a minimum of four screenshots at 1080 px or above1 (source 1). That is a promotion threshold, not an acceptance threshold. A 1200 × 1600 screenshot is accepted; it simply will not qualify for those formats.
Why an App Store set fails on Play
This catches people who ship to both stores and assume one export covers it. It does not, and the arithmetic is short enough to check yourself.
| App Store size | Long ÷ short | Accepted by Play? |
|---|---|---|
| 1290 × 2796 | 2.167 | No |
| 1320 × 2868 | 2.173 | No |
| 1260 × 2736 | 2.171 | No |
| 1242 × 2688 | 2.164 | No |
| 1080 × 1920 (Play default) | 1.778 | Yes |
Modern iPhone displays are simply taller than 2:1, so every current App Store phone size sits outside Play’s limit2 (source 2). Shipping to both stores means two exports from one editable source, not one export uploaded twice.
For the same reason, cropping is not a fix you can apply blindly: taking 1290 × 2796 down to 1290 × 2580 satisfies the ratio but cuts roughly 8 per cent off the height, which is usually where your headline or your call to action lives.
What Play wants beyond phone screenshots
- Feature graphic, 1024 × 500 — a separate banner asset, not a screenshot. Play uses it in places your screenshots never appear.
- Tablet and Chromebook screenshots — Play asks for at least four and documents a wider dimension range for them, from 1080 px up to 7680 px1 (source 1).
- Per device type — the eight-screenshot limit applies to each device type separately, so phone and tablet sets are counted independently.
Which size to design at
Use 1080 × 1920 portrait unless you have a reason not to. It clears the shape limit comfortably, hits the resolution Play wants for large-format placements, and matches the aspect ratio of a very large share of Android hardware, so your layout is not letterboxed on the devices most people hold.
- Design the Play set on 1080 × 1920 artboards.
- Export JPEG or 24-bit PNG with no alpha channel.
- Upload at least four so the listing qualifies for the larger recommendation formats.
- Produce the 1024 × 500 feature graphic separately; it is not a cropped screenshot.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reuse my App Store screenshots on Google Play?
No. Every current App Store phone size has a long-to-short ratio above 2.16, and Play rejects anything above 21 (source 1). You need a separate export.
How many screenshots do I actually need?
Two across device types is the publishing minimum, and eight per device type is the ceiling1 (source 1). Four at 1080 px or more is the threshold Play documents for its larger recommendation formats.
Is the feature graphic required?
It is a distinct asset at 1024 × 500 that Play uses in placements your screenshots do not reach, so treat it as part of the deliverable rather than an optional extra.
Does a landscape screenshot need to be 1920 × 1080 exactly?
No. That is the minimum resolution Play names for landscape in the context of recommendation eligibility, not a fixed size. The shape limit and the 320–3840 px range are what decide acceptance.
Can I upload a PNG with a transparent background?
No. Play specifies 24-bit PNG, which excludes an alpha channel1 (source 1). The App Store refuses transparency as well, so this is one rule you can apply to both stores.
Sources
- 1Add preview assets to showcase your app — Google Play Console Help, screenshots and feature graphic requirements. Read .
- 2Screenshot specifications — App Store Connect Help — Apple Developer, iPhone display size tables. Read .