App Store screenshot examples, by tactic

95 things a screenshot can do, each counted across 12745 screenshots from the top 2295 apps in 23 categories. Pick one to see who does it, with real examples and their headlines.

US App Store, top free charts, last read on October 9, 2026. The number beside each tactic is the share of apps with at least one screenshot that does it.

Meaning

What the headline is doing: naming a problem, a feature, an outcome, and in what tone.

Plain toneSays the thing without flourish.90%
Leads with a featureThe headline names what the app has or does.87%
States a benefitSays what the reader gains, not only what the app does.79%
Subline explains the headlineThe second line says how.36%
Playful toneA joke, a wink, a pun.20%
Leads with an outcomeThe headline names how life is after: Sleep through the night.19%
Names its audienceThe words say who the app is for.17%
Subline adds a second benefitThe second line brings something new.17%
Asks for an actionDownload, start, try, join.16%
Premium toneElegant, exclusive, crafted.10%
Urgent toneNow, today, don’t miss.9%
Leads with trustPrivacy, security, offline, no ads, no account.9%
Compares with somethingBetter than, unlike, instead of.8%
Leads with priceFree, no subscription, one-time purchase.6%
Technical toneSpecifications, formats, precision.5%
Leads with what is newNew, now, just added, introducing.4%
Leads with who it is forThe headline names the person: For runners, Made for parents.4%
Leads with a problemThe headline names what is wrong before the app.2%

Words

What is written on the picture, and how: length, numbers, questions, who is spoken to.

Has a headlineMarketing words are drawn on the picture, outside the app’s own screen.92%
Tells you to do somethingThe headline is a command: Track your sleep, Start a session.80%
Headline under five wordsFour words or fewer.78%
Says “you” or “your”Speaks to the reader directly.69%
Has a sublineA second, smaller line under the headline.47%
Headline in Title CaseEvery main word capitalised.35%
Uses a numberA figure in the headline or subline: 10,000 sounds, 3 taps, 7 days.31%
Headline on one lineThe headline fits on a single line.28%
Headline in capitalsThe headline is set entirely in capital letters.20%
No words at allThe screenshot is the app’s screen and nothing else.20%
Names the appThe app’s own name appears in the words.19%
Headline over eight wordsNine words or more: a sentence, not a line.17%
Has a kickerA short label above the headline, such as NEW or TRUSTED BY.12%
Says “I” or “my”Speaks in the user’s own voice: “my day”, “I’m sleeping better”.12%
ExclaimsAn exclamation mark in the headline.7%
Uses an emojiAn emoji in the words.6%
Uses a percentageA percent sign in the words.3%
Names another appAnother product is named in the words.2%
Asks a questionThe headline ends in a question mark.1%

Layout

Where the words and the phone sit, and what else is in the picture.

Screen fills the pictureThe app’s screen takes most of the picture.99%
Phone drawnA device body is drawn round the screen: bezel, corners, shadow.94%
Whole phone shownThe device is shown in full, top to bottom.88%
Words at the topThe headline sits above the screen.88%
A photographA photograph as background or beside the screen.80%
Illustration or mascotDrawn art around the screen.69%
Headline readable at thumbnail sizeThe headline is at least a twelfth of the picture’s height.68%
A person in the pictureA photograph or drawing of a person.57%
Phone cut off at the footThe device runs off the bottom edge.45%
Headline too small to readThe headline is under a twentieth of the picture’s height.44%
App icon shownThe app’s icon appears in the picture.42%
Arrows or calloutsArrows, circles or notes drawn to point at something.42%
No phone, bare screenThe app’s screen edge to edge, with no device body.34%
Words aligned leftThe headline is set from the left edge, not centred.30%
A hand holds the phoneA hand or fingers in the picture.24%
Two or more screensMore than one device or screen in the picture.23%
Zoomed detail of the UIOne part of the screen is enlarged and shown on its own.22%
Phone cut off at the headThe device runs off the top edge.18%
No app screen at allA photo, a logo or a slogan: the app’s screen does not appear.18%
Words at the bottomThe headline sits below the screen.17%
Phone at an angleThe device is tilted or in perspective.17%
Screen is smallThe app’s screen takes under a third of the picture.15%
Watch, iPad or Mac beside itA second kind of device appears.11%
Words over the screenThe headline is laid over the app’s screen itself.9%
Continues into the next screenshotThe picture runs across two or more screenshots.under 1%

Look

The background, the colour and the type.

LightA light picture overall.66%
Gradient backgroundA colour that shades into another.62%
Background is the icon’s colourThe picture’s main colour is the app icon’s.59%
Solid backgroundOne flat colour behind everything.48%
BlueBlue is the main colour.47%
Black, white or greyNo strong colour: black, white or grey.46%
A word in a different colourOne word of the headline is coloured or highlighted.46%
High contrast wordsThe headline stands far from its background in brightness.45%
DarkA dark picture overall.44%
Low contrast wordsThe headline sits close to its background in brightness.34%
OrangeOrange is the main colour.31%
Photo backgroundA photograph behind the screen.25%
Rounded headline typeA rounded, friendly typeface.20%
TealTeal is the main colour.18%
RedRed is the main colour.16%
GreenGreen is the main colour.16%
Pattern or textureA repeating pattern or texture behind the screen.15%
The app itself is the backgroundNo background at all: the screen goes edge to edge.11%
PurplePurple is the main colour.9%
Serif headlineThe headline is set in a serif typeface.9%
PinkPink is the main colour.8%
Condensed or display typeA narrow or decorative display face.6%
YellowYellow is the main colour.6%

Proof

What is borrowed to be believed: ratings, awards, press and reviews.

BadgeA badge such as Editors’ Choice or Featured.33%
Star rating shownStars or a rating figure drawn on the picture.17%
Ranking claim#1, top, best, most popular.16%
Laurel or awardAn award mark, laurel wreath or “App of the Day”.15%
User or download countMillions of users, 10 million downloads.13%
Quotation marksWords set inside quotation marks.5%
Press logoA publication’s name or logo.4%
GuaranteeMoney back, cancel any time, no risk.3%
User quoteA quoted line attributed to a person.3%
Press quoteA quoted line attributed to a publication.under 1%