Quick answer
You can edit screenshots before approval while the app version has an editable App Store Connect status. Once that version has been submitted and approved, Apple says you must create a new version to update its screenshots. Check the status first, prepare the complete replacement set, and use the official device size requirements for every exported file.
The status decides the answer
The confusing part is timing. The same screenshot can be editable today and locked tomorrow because the version moved through review.
I checked Apple's current upload screenshots help page before answering. It lists the statuses that permit uploads as Prepare for Submission, Invalid Binary, Rejected, Metadata Rejected, and Developer Rejected. That is your first decision point.
If the version is in one of those states, open its platform section and edit the screenshot set there. If it has already been submitted and approved, Apple's page says you must create a new version to update the screenshots.
Don't treat this as a hidden refresh button for the live page. An approved version has a different workflow from a version still being prepared or corrected. The status in App Store Connect is more reliable than a memory of what was editable during the previous release.
Check it before designing anything. You may still need the new images, but knowing the route prevents a finished set from sitting beside a version you can't edit.
I checked Apple's current upload screenshots help page before answering. It lists the statuses that permit uploads as Prepare for Submission, Invalid Binary, Rejected, Metadata Rejected, and Developer Rejected. That is your first decision point.
If the version is in one of those states, open its platform section and edit the screenshot set there. If it has already been submitted and approved, Apple's page says you must create a new version to update the screenshots.
Don't treat this as a hidden refresh button for the live page. An approved version has a different workflow from a version still being prepared or corrected. The status in App Store Connect is more reliable than a memory of what was editable during the previous release.
Check it before designing anything. You may still need the new images, but knowing the route prevents a finished set from sitting beside a version you can't edit.
Read the version state before opening design files
Open the app record and look at the platform version you intend to change. Don't start in Media Manager and assume every well will accept an upload.
Prepare for Submission is the straightforward case. The version is still being assembled, so screenshots can be added while the rest of the submission is prepared. Invalid Binary, Rejected, Metadata Rejected, and Developer Rejected are correction states that Apple also names as editable for these assets.
The label matters. A rejected version isn't the same as an approved version that is already serving shoppers. A developer rejection also isn't proof that the screenshot itself caused the problem. It only tells you that the version is in a state where Apple allows the asset work described on the help page.
Read the review message before changing the set. If the issue concerns inaccurate metadata, fix the exact mismatch instead of replacing unrelated artwork. If the issue concerns the binary, screenshot edits may be possible without being relevant to the rejection.
Keep a note of the state you observed. Teammates can otherwise spend time looking for an edit control that disappeared after somebody resubmitted the version.
This step is small. It prevents wasted work.
Prepare for Submission is the straightforward case. The version is still being assembled, so screenshots can be added while the rest of the submission is prepared. Invalid Binary, Rejected, Metadata Rejected, and Developer Rejected are correction states that Apple also names as editable for these assets.
The label matters. A rejected version isn't the same as an approved version that is already serving shoppers. A developer rejection also isn't proof that the screenshot itself caused the problem. It only tells you that the version is in a state where Apple allows the asset work described on the help page.
Read the review message before changing the set. If the issue concerns inaccurate metadata, fix the exact mismatch instead of replacing unrelated artwork. If the issue concerns the binary, screenshot edits may be possible without being relevant to the rejection.
Keep a note of the state you observed. Teammates can otherwise spend time looking for an edit control that disappeared after somebody resubmitted the version.
This step is small. It prevents wasted work.
After approval, create a new version
Apple's instruction is direct. After an app has been submitted for review and approved, you must create a new version to update the screenshots.
That means the live approved version isn't an open canvas for screenshot swaps. Build the replacement work around a new App Store version record rather than trying to force the existing page into an editable state.
Be careful with the phrase without an update. If you mean without changing an editable version that hasn't been approved, screenshot edits are available in the listed states. If you mean changing screenshots attached to an approved version, Apple requires the new version workflow.
This article doesn't assume whether your new version needs other app changes. Follow App Store Connect's requirements for that version and your submission. The screenshot help page establishes the metadata rule, but it doesn't support shortcuts around the rest of the version process.
Plan the timing with the release owner. New screenshots may be ready before the version record is ready, and uploading them to the wrong place can create confusion about which set is intended for release.
Store the approved live set separately. When the new version is being prepared, you should be able to compare old and new images without downloading the public assets again or guessing which export was used.
That means the live approved version isn't an open canvas for screenshot swaps. Build the replacement work around a new App Store version record rather than trying to force the existing page into an editable state.
Be careful with the phrase without an update. If you mean without changing an editable version that hasn't been approved, screenshot edits are available in the listed states. If you mean changing screenshots attached to an approved version, Apple requires the new version workflow.
This article doesn't assume whether your new version needs other app changes. Follow App Store Connect's requirements for that version and your submission. The screenshot help page establishes the metadata rule, but it doesn't support shortcuts around the rest of the version process.
Plan the timing with the release owner. New screenshots may be ready before the version record is ready, and uploading them to the wrong place can create confusion about which set is intended for release.
Store the approved live set separately. When the new version is being prepared, you should be able to compare old and new images without downloading the public assets again or guessing which export was used.
Replace a set, not just a file
A single changed screenshot can expose everything else that is stale. Review the whole sequence before uploading the replacement.
Start with the current build. Walk through every pictured screen and compare navigation, labels, icons, account state, and available features. If one screen changed, nearby screens may have changed too. A partial refresh can leave the carousel telling two versions of the product.
Keep the strongest image first, but don't change order merely because the files have new names. Reorder only when the product story changed or a previous sequence was clearly wrong. An update is a chance to repair the set, not an obligation to reshuffle it.
Check localized captions. A source image may be current while the overlay still names an old feature. The clean capture guide helps with the raw screens, but captions and composed backgrounds need their own review.
Use a controlled account. Remove real messages, names, payment information, and notifications before capture. Don't rely on a hurried crop to hide private details after the screenshot is composed.
Then compare the new set with the old one side by side. Look for mismatched device frames, color changes, and screens that were accidentally carried forward. The goal isn't novelty. It is an accurate, coherent listing for the version people will receive.
Start with the current build. Walk through every pictured screen and compare navigation, labels, icons, account state, and available features. If one screen changed, nearby screens may have changed too. A partial refresh can leave the carousel telling two versions of the product.
Keep the strongest image first, but don't change order merely because the files have new names. Reorder only when the product story changed or a previous sequence was clearly wrong. An update is a chance to repair the set, not an obligation to reshuffle it.
Check localized captions. A source image may be current while the overlay still names an old feature. The clean capture guide helps with the raw screens, but captions and composed backgrounds need their own review.
Use a controlled account. Remove real messages, names, payment information, and notifications before capture. Don't rely on a hurried crop to hide private details after the screenshot is composed.
Then compare the new set with the old one side by side. Look for mismatched device frames, color changes, and screens that were accidentally carried forward. The goal isn't novelty. It is an accurate, coherent listing for the version people will receive.
Upload through the correct platform section
Apple's documented route starts inside Apps. Select the app, choose the app version under the platform in the sidebar, then drag screenshots into the appropriate well. For an iOS version, Apple tells you to select the iPhone or iPad tab and use the previews and screenshots section.
Choose the correct localization too. Apple says the language menu sits at the top right when adding assets for other localizations. A correct image in the wrong language slot can leave shoppers seeing the previous caption where you expected the replacement.
Use Media Manager when you need custom screenshots for another device size or localization. Select View All Sizes, choose the device tab, select Edit for the intended size, and drag the files into that well.
Apple also explains that if the interface is the same across device sizes and localizations, you can provide only the highest resolution screenshots required and let them scale down. If you don't want scaled versions, Media Manager accepts specific files for the other sizes and localizations.
Don't upload into every visible well by habit. Decide whether scaling accurately represents the interface. A device specific layout deserves its own capture, while an identical layout may not need duplicate work.
The required roles listed by Apple are Account Holder, Admin, App Manager, or Marketing. If the controls are missing, check access as well as version status before assuming the page is broken.
Choose the correct localization too. Apple says the language menu sits at the top right when adding assets for other localizations. A correct image in the wrong language slot can leave shoppers seeing the previous caption where you expected the replacement.
Use Media Manager when you need custom screenshots for another device size or localization. Select View All Sizes, choose the device tab, select Edit for the intended size, and drag the files into that well.
Apple also explains that if the interface is the same across device sizes and localizations, you can provide only the highest resolution screenshots required and let them scale down. If you don't want scaled versions, Media Manager accepts specific files for the other sizes and localizations.
Don't upload into every visible well by habit. Decide whether scaling accurately represents the interface. A device specific layout deserves its own capture, while an identical layout may not need duplicate work.
The required roles listed by Apple are Account Holder, Admin, App Manager, or Marketing. If the controls are missing, check access as well as version status before assuming the page is broken.
The file still has to pass
A version change doesn't relax the image rules. Replacement screenshots face the same technical gate as the original set.
I read Apple's current screenshot specifications for this step. Apple accepts from one to ten screenshots in JPEG, JPG, and PNG formats, and the images can't include alpha channels or transparency.
Accepted dimensions depend on the platform and display family. Use the current official table rather than copying a size from an old project. The iPhone screenshot size guide can help you understand the families, but the Apple table should settle the final export target.
Open the exported file itself. Confirm its dimensions, format, orientation, and transparency after export, not only in the design canvas. A preset name can say App Store while producing a file that no longer matches the current requirement.
Don't stretch the old screenshot into a new target. Recapture or recompose from a clean source so text, controls, and device proportions remain natural. A technically accepted image can still look wrong when the interface was distorted to fit.
If App Store Connect rejects the upload, record the exact message before changing settings. The upload rejection guide separates dimension, transparency, and color issues so you don't fix the wrong thing.
I read Apple's current screenshot specifications for this step. Apple accepts from one to ten screenshots in JPEG, JPG, and PNG formats, and the images can't include alpha channels or transparency.
Accepted dimensions depend on the platform and display family. Use the current official table rather than copying a size from an old project. The iPhone screenshot size guide can help you understand the families, but the Apple table should settle the final export target.
Open the exported file itself. Confirm its dimensions, format, orientation, and transparency after export, not only in the design canvas. A preset name can say App Store while producing a file that no longer matches the current requirement.
Don't stretch the old screenshot into a new target. Recapture or recompose from a clean source so text, controls, and device proportions remain natural. A technically accepted image can still look wrong when the interface was distorted to fit.
If App Store Connect rejects the upload, record the exact message before changing settings. The upload rejection guide separates dimension, transparency, and color issues so you don't fix the wrong thing.
Review the replacement against the submitted app
Don't approve the screenshot set in isolation. Put it beside the app version that will be reviewed.
Find every pictured feature. Confirm the route exists, the interface matches, and any account or purchase condition is described honestly. If the screenshot shows a result, make sure the app can produce that kind of result without an unstated restriction.
Read captions as claims. A short line can still be false. Remove release language that has expired, feature names that changed, and promises that belong to a later roadmap.
Check the sequence at a small display size. Text that works on the design canvas may disappear in the store. That is a design review, not an Apple pixel specification, so judge it with the actual exported files rather than inventing a universal type size.
Ask someone outside the design work to compare the images with the build. They don't need a conversion opinion. They need to spot the screen you no longer notice is old.
Then verify the device and localization wells in App Store Connect. The files can all be correct while one sits in the wrong slot. Don't submit until the visible order, language, and device context match the release plan.
Find every pictured feature. Confirm the route exists, the interface matches, and any account or purchase condition is described honestly. If the screenshot shows a result, make sure the app can produce that kind of result without an unstated restriction.
Read captions as claims. A short line can still be false. Remove release language that has expired, feature names that changed, and promises that belong to a later roadmap.
Check the sequence at a small display size. Text that works on the design canvas may disappear in the store. That is a design review, not an Apple pixel specification, so judge it with the actual exported files rather than inventing a universal type size.
Ask someone outside the design work to compare the images with the build. They don't need a conversion opinion. They need to spot the screen you no longer notice is old.
Then verify the device and localization wells in App Store Connect. The files can all be correct while one sits in the wrong slot. Don't submit until the visible order, language, and device context match the release plan.
Keep the next replacement cheap
Save the source captures with the composed exports. A future update is much easier when you can replace the interface image without rebuilding every background and caption.
Name folders by platform, localization, and release record. Don't use final as the only identifier. It stops meaning anything as soon as another approved set exists.
Keep a small asset note. Record which source screen feeds each store image, which captions are localized, and whether smaller device images rely on Apple's scaling or custom uploads. This isn't a public specification. It is a handoff aid for your own team.
Archive the live approved set before preparing the next one. If performance changes or a reviewer asks about an image, you can then see exactly what was public rather than reconstructing it from design history.
PlayMockUp publishes this article and operates the linked studio mentioned below, so any recommendation is a disclosed self recommendation. A tool can make recomposition easier, but it can't change Apple's rule that approved screenshots move through a new version.
Leave ownership clear. Someone should know who checks the build, who approves claims, and who uploads the files. Screenshot replacement is metadata work, but it can still fail when everybody assumes somebody else compared the images with the app.
Name folders by platform, localization, and release record. Don't use final as the only identifier. It stops meaning anything as soon as another approved set exists.
Keep a small asset note. Record which source screen feeds each store image, which captions are localized, and whether smaller device images rely on Apple's scaling or custom uploads. This isn't a public specification. It is a handoff aid for your own team.
Archive the live approved set before preparing the next one. If performance changes or a reviewer asks about an image, you can then see exactly what was public rather than reconstructing it from design history.
PlayMockUp publishes this article and operates the linked studio mentioned below, so any recommendation is a disclosed self recommendation. A tool can make recomposition easier, but it can't change Apple's rule that approved screenshots move through a new version.
Leave ownership clear. Someone should know who checks the build, who approves claims, and who uploads the files. Screenshot replacement is metadata work, but it can still fail when everybody assumes somebody else compared the images with the app.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change screenshots before App Review?
Yes, when the version has an editable status listed by Apple, including Prepare for Submission and the named rejection states. Check the current status before opening the asset workflow.
Can I replace screenshots after the app is approved?
Apple says that once the app has been submitted and approved, you must create a new version to update its screenshots. The approved version itself isn't an open screenshot editor.
Do I need screenshots for every smaller iPhone size?
Not always. Apple says that when the interface is the same across device sizes and localizations, you can provide the highest resolution screenshots required and let them scale down.
Why can I not see the screenshot upload controls?
Check both version status and account role. Apple lists specific editable statuses and allows the Account Holder, Admin, App Manager, or Marketing roles to perform the upload work.
Where can I recompose replacement screenshots?
You can use [the PlayMockUp studio](/create) to frame and export a revised set. PlayMockUp publishes this article and operates that tool, so this is a disclosed self recommendation.
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