App Store data shared by ASO teams over the last few years gives a consistent number: apps with localized screenshots see roughly a 2x lift in international conversion versus apps that ship the English screenshots everywhere. The first three screenshots do most of that work.
Lead with the value, not the UI
The first screenshot is your headline. Treat it like a poster. Bold sentence in the local language, big type, one clear visual. Save the UI tour for later screens.
Localize the message, not just the words
Currencies, units, date formats, and even examples should match the market. A "$9.99 / month" plan card looks foreign in France; change it to "9,99 €". A "miles" reading looks wrong in Germany; show kilometers.
Pick visuals that travel
Colors and gestures are not universal. Red is celebration in China, warning in most of the West. A thumbs-up is friendly in the US, rude in parts of the Middle East. When you are not sure, prefer abstract shapes and brand colors over emoji or hand gestures.
Match what the app actually shows
Apple rejects screenshots whose UI does not appear inside the app. If your hero says "Track 50,000 stocks," the app needs a place that shows that. This is also a localization rule: a French screenshot promising features must show those features in French inside the app.
Three useful templates
- Big claim. One sentence, one image, accent-colored background. Best for screenshot 1.
- Feature pair. A small UI peek + a one-line tag. Best for screenshots 2 and 3.
- Social proof. Star rating, user count, or a short quote. Best for screenshot 4 or later.