App-store screenshots win or lose in the gallery thumbnail. The caption above each shot does most of the work — the image is just proof. These 15 prompts cover the standard 6-shot sequence (hook / core benefit / proof / social / objection / CTA), localized variants, A/B test pairs, and the differences between iOS and Play Store rules. Tuned for indie devs, marketers, and growth teams. (For the surrounding listing — title, subtitle, description, keywords — see how to write App Store copy with AI.)
Who this is for
Indie app developers preparing a launch, mobile growth teams running ASO experiments, agencies producing store assets, and PMs writing captions for a localized rollout.
When not to use these prompts
Skip these for web product pages, browser extensions, or in-app onboarding screens — those have different reading patterns and word budgets. Skip too if your screenshots have no clear single benefit to caption.
Prompt anatomy / structure formula
A screenshot caption prompt should always carry six elements:
- Role: who the AI plays (senior PM / solo founder / product designer / indie dev / growth lead).
- Context: stage (idea / MVP / growth / scale), team size, traffic or ARR, platform (web / iOS / Android), audience, constraints.
- Goal: one concrete deliverable — one PRD section, one user-story set, one experiment design, one launch post.
- Constraints: timeline (this sprint / this quarter), scope cuts, must-not-break (existing flows, billing, compliance).
- Output format: table, checklist, ticket-ready JSON, or labeled blocks you can paste straight into Linear / Notion / Jira.
- Examples / signal: 1-2 reference docs or competitors you like, plus 1 anti-example you want to avoid.
Best for
- iOS App Store screenshot pack (6 shots)
- Google Play screenshot pack (8 shots)
- Localized variants per locale
- ASO A/B test pair generation
- Update launch with new feature screenshots
15 copy-ready prompt templates
1. Standard 6-shot caption sequence
The default. Hook + 5 supporting captions in a deliberate emotional arc.
You are an ASO copywriter for a mobile app. Generate 6 screenshot captions for {app name}: (1) hook in 5 words, (2) primary benefit, (3) social proof or rating, (4) feature differentiator, (5) common objection answered, (6) gentle CTA. Each caption: less than 7 words, no exclamation marks, no "best ever".
App context: {category, audience, what makes it different}Variables to swap: app name, category, audience, differentiator
Optimization: If captions are too generic, add: “Replace any caption that could fit 10 other apps. Each line must reference a feature only this app has.”
2. Hook-only generator (3 alternatives)
For app {name} with primary benefit {benefit}, generate 3 distinct screenshot-1 hook lines (less than 6 words each). Each takes a different angle: emotional outcome, time saved, identity statement. Mark which one tests best for {audience}.3. Benefit-led caption ladder
Build a benefit ladder of 6 captions for {app}. Caption 1 = abstract outcome (e.g., "Sleep better tonight"). Captions 2-5 = increasingly specific features that deliver the outcome. Caption 6 = call to install. Each less than 7 words.4. Objection-handling captions
List the top 5 reasons a user might not install {app}: {price, privacy, learning curve, time commitment, trust}. Write one screenshot caption that disarms each objection, less than 8 words. Caption must NOT name the objection — only the answer.5. Localization-ready master + variant
Write 6 master English captions for {app}, then generate variants for {Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, German}. For each locale, mark any caption that needs cultural rewrite vs literal translation. Keep character count under platform limits.6. A/B test pair generator
For caption {paste}, write 4 alternatives optimized for A/B testing: (a) benefit-led, (b) curiosity-led, (c) social-proof-led, (d) numeric-led. Each less than 7 words. For each, predict the user type it appeals to.
Original: {paste}7. iOS vs Play Store rule-aware variants
Generate a 6-caption set for {app} compliant with both Apple App Store and Google Play guidelines. Flag any phrasing that would break: Apple "best / number one / top" claims, Play Store ranking claims, FTC unsupported claims. Output two columns: iOS-safe, Play-safe.8. Feature-tour 8-shot Play Store
Play Store allows 8 screenshots. Generate an 8-caption walkthrough for {app}: cover the full first-session experience, one feature per caption. Caption format: action verb + outcome. Less than 6 words each.9. Update-launch caption refresh
Our app has a major update with {new feature}. Rewrite our existing 6 captions so screenshot 2 highlights the new feature without breaking the emotional arc. Output: old caption, new caption, and rationale per shot.
Current captions: {paste}10. Numbers-first caption pack
Write 6 captions that each lead with one specific number ({minutes saved, users, languages, rating, retention rate, success rate}). Each number must be true and citable. Less than 7 words each.11. Identity / aspiration framing
Generate 6 captions framed around user identity ("You are the kind of person who..."). Avoid clichés. Each caption ends with a one-word feeling: focused, calm, fast, prepared, free, paid.12. Caption-to-screenshot brief
For each of these 6 captions, write the matching 1-line screenshot art-direction brief (what UI to show, what to highlight, what to crop). Output as a 6-row table: shot # | caption | art direction.
{paste captions}13. Caption critique pass
Critique these 6 captions on 5 dimensions: (1) specificity, (2) emotional pull, (3) differentiation, (4) compliance with store rules, (5) scan-ability at thumbnail size. Score each 1-5 and rewrite any caption scoring below 3.
{paste}14. B2B / enterprise app variant
For a B2B mobile app ({category}), generate 6 captions for buyers who are not the end user (manager, admin, IT). Each caption surfaces a business outcome ({faster onboarding, lower turnover, audit trail}) not a personal one.15. Caption + ALT text accessibility pack
For each of these 6 captions, also generate the matching screenshot ALT text for accessibility: 1 sentence describing the visible UI, NOT repeating the caption. Useful for low-vision users and indexing.
{paste captions}Common mistakes
- Repeating the app name in every caption — wasted real estate.
- Using “best app ever” / “number one” — Apple rejects these, Play deprioritizes.
- Each caption a complete sentence — captions are headlines, not paragraphs.
- No emotional arc across the 6 shots — readers stop after shot 2 if shot 1 is flat.
- Literal translations for localization — what works in English reads as childish in Japanese.
- Captions that explain the screenshot — the screenshot does that; caption sells the outcome.
- Skipping the objection caption — there is always one objection users carry into the gallery.
How to push results further
- Treat the 6 captions as a single story; if you can shuffle them, the arc is missing.
- Read all 6 captions out loud in 12 seconds — that is roughly the install-decision window.
- Always run 2 A/B variants on caption 1 before locking the full pack.
- Use one specific number per pack — abstract benefit pages convert worse.
- Localize, do not translate — let the AI rewrite for each locale and mark which need full cultural rewrite.
- Cross-check against the App Store Review Guidelines (section 2.3) before submitting.
- Pair every caption with its art-direction brief so designers do not guess.
FAQ
- How long should each caption be?: Less than 7 words is the safe maximum. Less than 5 words tests better on mobile thumbnails.
- Can I use emojis in captions?: Sparingly, only when the emoji replaces a word and stays culturally neutral. Avoid for B2B and finance apps.
- How do iOS and Play Store rules differ?: Apple bans ranking claims and price callouts in screenshots; Play is more permissive but still rejects unverifiable superlatives. Use template 7.
- Should captions match the app description?: Tone yes, exact words no. Captions are scan-first; description is detail-first.
- How often should I refresh captions?: On every major update, every 2-3 months for actively growing apps, and immediately after any ASO test win.