How to Create App Store Screenshots with Picasso in Three Steps

Updated

Picasso turns a simulator or device screenshot into a framed, export-ready App Store screenshot in three steps: capture, edit, export. The workflow fits developers on iOS 17 or macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later who want App Store-sized screenshots without a separate design tool. Picasso reads the pixel dimensions of your screenshot to choose the device frame automatically, so the main requirement is a clean, full-resolution capture.

Before you start

  • System requirement: iOS 17 or macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later, per the site.
  • Source image: a screenshot taken in the simulator or on a real device. Picasso uses its dimensions to determine which device frame to apply, so avoid cropped or resized images.
  • Optional assets: images you want to place on the canvas, and an .xcstrings file if you plan to localize.

Step 1: Take the screenshot

Capture from the simulator or a physical device using the normal screenshot method. The capture's dimensions are the input Picasso uses to match a frame — the site lists support for 40+ device frames, including iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone SE, iPad Air, iPad mini, MacBook Air, iMac 24", Apple TV, Vision Pro, Apple Watch Ultra, and Apple Watch.

Expected result: a full-resolution screenshot file that Picasso can recognize as a specific device size.

Common snag: a screenshot that has been scaled or cropped may not match a frame correctly. Re-capture at native resolution if the frame looks wrong.

Step 2: Edit in Picasso

Launch Picasso and create a new document, then drag the screenshot onto the canvas. From there, the editor tools let you:

  • Automatically add the matching device frame
  • Add images to the screenshot
  • Span a single item across multiple screenshots in seconds

No design experience is required to start, according to the site.

Expected result: a framed, customized screenshot on the canvas, ready to export.

Why this matters: the site cites that only 2% of users read the app description, 50% only look at the first three screenshots, and 60% look for less than three seconds — so the first few frames carry most of the conversion weight.

Step 3: Export

When the screenshots are done, Picasso exports them to the filesystem, organized and ready for App Store upload.

Expected result: a folder of screenshots arranged for upload, rather than loose files you sort by hand.

Optional: upload directly to App Store Connect

Instead of uploading screenshots one at a time, Picasso uploads each screenshot for each display type and locale and checks that they processed properly and in the correct order. This is the step to use if you have many display sizes or languages.

Optional: localize with an .xcstrings file

Bring an .xcstrings file and Picasso automatically generates screenshots in any language. Add the localized screenshots to complete the set. This is worth doing if your app ships in more than one storefront language and you want localized frames rather than English text on every listing.

What to expect

The site states screenshots created with Picasso typically boost product page conversion rate by 32%, and that well-optimized screenshots can increase conversion by 30% or more. Treat these as the vendor's own figures rather than a guarantee for your app.

The three-step loop — capture, edit, export — is the core of the tool. The App Store Connect upload and .xcstrings localization are add-ons that save time once you have more than one display type or language to cover.