Apple App Store’s New Visual Update: Product Page Headers and Images in Search Results

For years, app developers and designers have focused on the app icon, screenshots, and previews when creating an Apple App Store listing.

Now, Apple is adding another visual opportunity. With its latest App Store asset guidelines, Apple has introduced creative assets for App Store search results and Product Page Headers.

With Product Page Headers, brands can use images or videos to highlight their identity, feature timely content, and shape the overall feel of the page. These new placements give developers more ways to show what their apps do and create a stronger first impression.

Interestingly, this brings the App Store closer to what Android developers have already been able to do with Google Play.

What Has Changed in the Apple App Store?

Previously, users searching for an app on the Apple App Store would mainly see its icon, name, screenshots, and other standard listing information.

Apple now allows developers to create a dedicated Search Results creative asset. This image or video is designed specifically for how an app appears in search results.

Apple has also introduced Product Page Headers. These appear at the top of an app’s product page and can highlight the brand, key features, seasonal content, new updates, or other important messages.

These creative assets are available for apps and games running on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 or later. In simple terms, developers now have more visual space to communicate their app before users download it.

Why Are These New App Store Assets Important?

Think about how you usually search for an app. You probably do not read the full description first. Instead, you notice the app icon, visuals, and key information before deciding whether to open the listing.

That makes these Apple App Store’s new creative placements important for both designers and app marketers. A strong visual can explain what an app does within a few seconds.

For example, instead of simply writing:

“Personal Finance Management App”

A visual could show:

A clean financial dashboard with spending insights, savings goals, and a message like “Take control of your money.”

The visual helps communicate the app’s value before the user even opens the product page.

How Is the App Store Search Becoming More Visual?

Apple recommends making an app’s purpose clear at a glance when creating search result assets.

The idea is simple. When someone searches for something, the visual should quickly show that your app matches their needs.

A search result creative can highlight:

• The actual app interface
• An important feature
• A key product experience
• A strong brand visual
• A specific use case

This approach is slightly different from traditional Apple App Store screenshots. Screenshots usually show the product experience in greater detail. The search result creative is more about getting attention and communicating the idea quickly.

What Is the New Product Page Header?

The Product Page Header is another new visual placement at the top of an app's product page. Apple suggests using this space to highlight:

• Brand identity
• New features
• Seasonal campaigns
• New content
• Important product messages
• Major app updates

The header gives users a visual introduction before they move deeper into the product page.

Apple also recommends keeping the design simple and avoiding unnecessary visual clutter.

This means designers should think of the header less like a traditional promotional banner and more like a strong visual introduction to the product.

What Are New Search Result Assets?

Search Result assets are visual elements that help users quickly understand an app when it appears in Apple App Store search results.

Instead of relying only on the app icon, name, screenshots, or preview, develop a dedicated image or video to represent the app in search.

These visuals can show the app interface, an important feature, game content, or a specific product experience. The goal is to make the app’s purpose clear within a few seconds.

For example, a gaming app could show a short gameplay video, while a finance app could highlight its dashboard or a useful feature.

Both visuals should work well on their own, but they should also feel connected. Using a consistent visual style can create a smoother experience from search results to the product page.

One design can work in multiple places

One useful part of Apple’s new approach is that developers can use a universal creative asset for both search results and Product Page Headers.

This can help brands maintain a consistent visual identity across the Apple App Store. It can also simplify the design process for teams with limited resources. However, designers still need to consider how the asset will be displayed in different placements.

Apple recommends keeping important visual elements within a safe area and using its App Store Connect Preview tool to check how the assets will appear before publishing.

What Does This Mean for APP UI/UX Designers?

For app designers, this update is more than just another App Store requirement.

Traditionally, the visual journey for an App Store listing looked something like:

App Icon → Screenshots → App Preview

Now, designers have another layer to consider:

App Icon → Search Creative → Product Page Header → Screenshots → App Preview

This makes App Store design more focused on visual storytelling. Instead of only showing what an app looks like, designers now have more space to communicate the product's value before the user starts exploring the actual app. That means the App Store experience can become part of the overall product design process.

A Small App Store Update With a Bigger Design Opportunity

Apple's new search results creative assets and product page headers give developers more ways to communicate their apps visually. They can help explain an app's purpose, highlight important features, support campaigns, and create a stronger first impression.

For app companies, this also means that App Store assets should be considered part of the product design process—not something created at the very end before submission.

If you're launching or redesigning an app, it may be worth thinking about the Apple App Store experience at the same time as the product itself. Because sometimes, getting someone to download your app starts before they ever see the first screen of the app.

Conclusion

Apple App Store’s new product page headers and search result assets image or video give apps new opportunities to make their apps stand out, communicate value, and drive more interest on the App Store.

If you’re planning new App Store creatives, testing different visual approaches, or improving your ASO strategy, now is a good time to get in touch with us.