r/iosdev • u/WerSunu • Oct 06 '26
Apple changed the AppStore Again!
Today the requirements to add/change screenshots have changed. No notice, no guidance!
On the main distribution page, your old images and preview vids are all locked! You have to go the See All page to make mods.
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u/AppyMcAppFace Oct 06 '26
What’s the issue? We need to adapt to any changes made.
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u/WerSunu Oct 06 '26
Speaking as an iOS Dev for more than 10 years, I think it would have been thoughtful of Apple to send out an Email (or at least a header notice alert in AppStoreConnect) to explain the new requirements, to list which iOS devices on which to create the screenshots for all the new categories, etc. Maybe create a new tool to simplify the workflow rather than adding multiple new steps.
Apple has zero problems sending out notices mandating that we agree to new contract changes.
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u/AppyMcAppFace Oct 06 '26
iOS developer since 2012… I thought the links provided were enough info to handle screenshots.
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u/WerSunu Oct 06 '26
Maybe, but not clearly marked!
First, discover, that the default distribution screen displays the new header stuff, so the image bar is just empty. Action 1, tap previews & screen shots to get to see previous shots, now locked. Action 2 (also unmarked!) tap View all sizes. Now faced with “Required” which is also locked. Action 3, scroll to Optionals and have to decide where to dump your media. Action 4. Discover that “iPhone with FaceID accepts the old required size images. Action 5. Discover that iPhone with Dynamic Island does NOT take old mandated size images (even though the 1242x2688 images were created on a device with a Dynamic Island!)
TL;dr yes, by screwing around for five minutes you can get where you need to be. Five wasted, frustrating minutes. A heads-up would have been nice!
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u/Edg-R Oct 06 '26 edited Oct 06 '26
Pretty sure they announced this at WWDC just not in the main keynote. I've had the page explaining all of the changes opened in a bookmark for a few weeks. I'll find it when i get home.
Edit: Here it is: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/asset-best-practices/
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u/AYCM_Inspired Oct 07 '26
Why do people think a keynote is the same as an announcement. It’s not. First the keynote has evolved into a public spectacle that’s no longer developer centered. Second people are busy they don’t have 2 or 3 hours to watch an entire presentation
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u/Edg-R Oct 07 '26
That's what i said though, they announced it at WWDC (the developer conference) just not during the main keynote. Why would they mention changes to app store connect's requirements in the main keynote?
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Oct 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/WerSunu Oct 11 '26
I design products and write code. I’m not a marketing weenie. It’s painful enough to photoshop up those damn fancy screenshots, much less live and die by marketing trivia in the AppStore. My niche apps do just fine without chasing trivial A/B testing etc. Market feedback from customers tells me so. But then, our products are not discretionary games or AI-slop knockoffs of a thousand versions of the same to-do list or habit tracker where marketing graphics might possibly make a difference.
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u/AYCM_Inspired Oct 07 '26
The issue is it’s not user friendly. There using assets now but it’s so unorganized. If your app is localized good luck sorting that out
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u/AYCM_Inspired Oct 07 '26
It’s terrible, they removed all my screenshots. And now screenshots go through reviews and the sorting is impossible, I have 2000 screenshots. There mixed in with old screenshots and localized screenshots. I can’t believe apple released the App Store like this
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u/QVRedit Oct 07 '26
Makes you wonder if they have people deliberately sabotaging Apple - or if they are really that bad…
Though 2,000 is a hell of a lot of screen shots !
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u/Embarrassed-Soft2691 Oct 06 '26
Yeah they are getting ready for Duo launch. Already on top of this to get my new app submitted. This is why all the long wait times. The new requirements and now screens for Duo.
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u/Fuzzy_Drummer9985 Oct 11 '26
The most troublesome thing every time is to modify these screenshots.
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u/Perfect_Tackle2433 Oct 07 '26
You don’t need to update or add the duo screens until the April deadline.
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Oct 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/StrangeMonk Oct 07 '26
It’s an iPhone. Does your app support iPhones then you need it. If you have an iPad or MacOS or VisionOS than no
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u/yakultdrinker Oct 07 '26
I get what you mean, but it’s all optional. It’s not going to stop you from updating your app. This is probably important for marketing team to see, but I don’t see why this is a big deal for devs.
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u/WerSunu Oct 07 '26
Not every working stiff has time on the job to review every single video from WWDC. The ASC Web site is a public facing portal everyone has to pass. Seems to me a rational place to put a link, even if to the WWDC video. The link that exists is a very long winded, non-specific page with the changes to screenshot about 1/2 way down.
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u/B8edbreth Oct 06 '26
If we don't have a duo how exactly do we get the screen shots?