How to Record the Shopify App Review Screencast (2026)

When you submit a Shopify app for review, you are asked for more than code and a listing. You also need to show a reviewer, step by step, how your app is set up and what it does. That proof is the review screencast.

Many developers treat it as an afterthought. They record a quick, silent clip the night before submitting, then wonder why the reviewer comes back with questions. This guide walks through the whole process: what Shopify actually asks for, how to plan the recording, what to show, how to handle English narration if English is not your first language, and how to avoid the mistakes that make a screencast hard to follow.

#What Shopify actually asks for

Shopify's app requirements checklist is the source of truth. In the section about the review process, it asks you to "Provide clear instructions and a complete screencast showing your app's setup process and functionality." It also says the screencast should "demonstrate the expected outcome for each test case."

A few other points in the checklist matter for the recording:

• Language: "Make screencasts in English or with English subtitles."
• Third-party platforms: "If your app integrates with third-party platforms, include valid test credentials that grant full access."
• Payments apps: "Submit screencasts for all supported browsers showing your payment flow."

Shopify also announced in its developer changelog in March 2024 that app submissions now require a screencast demo. So this is not optional extra material. It is part of a complete submission.

#What the checklist does not say

The checklist does not specify a file format, a maximum or minimum length, or where the video should be hosted. You will see blog posts and forum threads quoting exact numbers, but those are not in the official checklist. The honest advice is simple: open the submission form in your Partner Dashboard when you are ready to submit, read exactly what fields it shows at that moment, and follow them. Forms change, and the form is what you are actually filling in.

#Review screencast vs listing promo video

These two videos are easy to confuse, because both involve recording your app. They have very different jobs.

The review screencast is for one person: the reviewer. Its job is to explain. The listing video is for merchants browsing the App Store. Its job is to persuade. Shopify's guidance for the listing video says "A short video (2-3 minutes) is the best way to showcase your app's impact," and asks you to "Keep it promotional rather than instructional and limit screencasts to 25% of the video."

If you try to make one video do both jobs, you usually end up with something too salesy for the reviewer and too dry for merchants. Make two.

#Why reviewers need a clear screencast

A reviewer is testing many apps, each with its own setup flow, settings and edge cases. They did not build your app. They do not know that the important button is inside a collapsed panel, or that a feature only appears after the first sync finishes, or that your app needs a product with variants to show anything useful.

The screencast removes that guesswork. It shows the reviewer the path through your app and what success looks like at each step. When the reviewer then tests the app themselves, they can compare what they see with what you showed.

When the screencast is unclear, a few things tend to happen. The reviewer may not find a feature at all. They may test it in a state where it cannot work, such as an empty store. They may not be able to tell whether a result is the expected outcome or a bug. Any of these can lead to back-and-forth messages, which costs you time and costs the reviewer time. A clear screencast is the cheapest way to avoid that.

#Step 1: Plan your test cases first

Do not start by hitting record. Start by writing your test instructions, because the screencast should follow them exactly.

1. List every core feature. Write one line per feature a merchant would use. Keep it to what your app actually does, not future plans.
2. Turn each feature into a test case. A test case has a starting state, actions and an expected outcome. For example: "With a product that has three variants, open the app, select the product, set a bundle discount of 10%, save. Expected outcome: the storefront product page shows the bundle offer with the discounted price."
3. Add setup and install as test case zero. Installing the app and completing onboarding is the first thing a reviewer will do, so treat it as its own case.
4. Note dependencies. If a feature needs a third-party account, a specific plan, or a theme app extension enabled, write that down next to the test case.
5. Order the cases the way a merchant would use them. Install, setup, core features, then billing or settings.

Once this list exists, it becomes three things at once: your written test instructions, your recording plan, and your narration outline. If you want help structuring the words, our guide on writing a demo video script covers the same approach for narrated walkthroughs.

#Step 2: Prepare a development store with realistic data

An empty store makes almost every app look broken. Before recording, set up a development store that looks like a real merchant's store.

• Add realistic products. Use real-looking names, images, prices and variants. If your app works with collections, inventory, customers or orders, create those too.
• Use demo data, not real customer data. Invent customer names and use test email addresses on a domain you control. Never record a real merchant's store.
• Install a theme that matches your use case. If your app adds a theme app extension, use a theme where the extension placement is easy to see.
• Prepare test accounts for integrations. If your app connects to a third-party service, create an account you can share with the reviewer. Remember the checklist's wording: credentials must be valid and "grant full access."
• Reset to a clean state. Uninstall any earlier version of your app so the recording shows a genuine first install.

Do a full dry run of every test case on this store before recording. If something fails during the dry run, fix it now rather than editing around it later.

#Step 3: Set up your screen for recording

A reviewer needs to read what is on screen. A few small choices make a big difference.

• Window size: Record a single browser window at a common size rather than an ultra-wide monitor. Text on a huge canvas becomes tiny when the video is scaled down.
• Zoom level: Bump browser zoom slightly if your app's admin UI has small text.
• Clean browser: Use a separate browser profile with no personal bookmarks, extensions or open tabs.
• Notifications off: Turn on do-not-disturb so chat messages and email previews do not pop up.
• No secrets on screen: Close password managers, terminal windows and dashboards that show API keys or tokens. If a key must appear in your app's settings, plan to blur it.
• Cursor: Move the mouse deliberately. Pause on the element you are about to click so the reviewer can see it.

#Step 4: Record each part of the flow

Record in the same order as your test cases. You can record it as one take or as several clips you join later. Several short clips are usually easier, because one mistake does not force you to start over.

#Install and permissions

Start from the Shopify admin of your development store. Show the install link or the app being installed, the permissions screen, and the moment the app opens in the admin for the first time. Narrate what the reviewer is looking at: "This is the install screen. The app requests access to products and orders, which it needs to create bundles."

#Onboarding and setup

Show every setup step a new merchant would complete. That includes onboarding screens, connecting accounts, choosing default settings and enabling any theme app extension in the theme editor. If a step takes time, such as an initial data sync, say so and show what the screen looks like while it runs and after it finishes.

#Each core feature, with the expected outcome

For every test case, follow the same pattern:

1. State what you are about to test.
2. Perform the actions slowly.
3. Show the result, and say clearly that this is the expected outcome.

The third part is the one most screencasts skip. The checklist specifically asks you to "demonstrate the expected outcome for each test case." If your feature changes something on the storefront, switch to the storefront and show it. If it creates an order tag, open the order and show the tag. Do not leave the reviewer to infer whether it worked.

#Third-party connections

If your app integrates with another platform, record the connection flow end to end: where the reviewer enters credentials, what a successful connection looks like, and where data from that platform appears in your app. Blur the credentials in the video itself, and supply them in your written instructions instead.

#Billing and plan selection

If your app charges merchants, show the plan selection screen, the Shopify billing approval screen, and what changes in the app after a plan is active. If some features are gated by plan, show which plan unlocks them, so the reviewer can test them.

#Payment apps: every supported browser

If you are building a payments app, the checklist asks you to "Submit screencasts for all supported browsers showing your payment flow." That means one recording of the payment flow per browser you support, not a single recording with a note saying it works elsewhere. Label each clip with the browser name at the start, either in narration or as on-screen text.

#Step 5: Add clear English narration or subtitles

The checklist says to "Make screencasts in English or with English subtitles." A silent screencast forces the reviewer to guess why you clicked something. Narration or captions remove that guesswork.

#If you are comfortable speaking English

Record your voice while you work, or record the screen first and add voice afterwards. Speak a little slower than normal. Use short sentences. Name the screen you are on and the button you are about to click. Avoid jokes and filler, because the reviewer needs facts.

#If English is not your first language

This is common among Shopify developers, and there are good options:

1. Write the script first. Take your test case list and turn each step into one or two plain sentences. Short, simple sentences are easier to say and easier to understand.
2. Check the script. Run it past a colleague or a grammar tool. You are aiming for clear, not fancy.
3. Use text-to-speech. Instead of recording your own voice, generate the narration with a natural-sounding AI voice and lay it over your recording. This gives consistent pacing and clear pronunciation.
4. Add English captions. Even with narration, captions help. The checklist accepts English subtitles, and captions also make the video easier to follow when the reviewer watches without sound. The W3C has a useful overview of what makes captions good.
5. Narrate in your language and subtitle in English if that is easier. The checklist allows "English subtitles," so a non-English voiceover with accurate English subtitles meets the language point. Make sure the subtitles are complete, not a loose summary.

This is the part Nook is built for. You upload your raw screen recording, and Nook writes a clear English script from what you said or from what is on screen, then voices it with a natural AI voice and adds English captions. If you narrated in another language, or did not narrate at all, you still end up with an English walkthrough.

#Step 6: Keep it clear and safe

Before you export, watch the whole thing as if you were the reviewer.

• Pace: Cut long loading waits, but keep enough of each screen visible to read it. A few seconds of pause on each result is fine.
• Focus: Remove detours, wrong clicks and repeated attempts. If you cut something, make sure the screen state still makes sense after the cut.
• Private data: Look for emails, API keys, access tokens, webhook secrets, phone numbers and real customer names. Blur anything that should not be shared. Remember the video may be viewed by more than one person.
• Consistency: The data, product names and settings should match what your written instructions describe.

Nook can blur private data like emails and API keys in your recording, which is useful when a settings page shows a key you cannot hide during capture. For general guidance on pacing and editing, see our demo video best practices.

#Step 7: Pair the screencast with written test instructions

The checklist asks for "clear instructions and a complete screencast." They work together. The written instructions are what the reviewer follows while testing. The screencast shows what each step should look like.

Good written instructions include:

• The development store URL or how to install the app.
• Any test credentials for third-party platforms, with full access.
• Each test case as numbered steps, with the expected outcome stated in a sentence.
• Any prerequisites, such as "enable the app embed in the theme editor first."
• Notes on anything that takes time, such as a sync or a scheduled job.

Keep the order and wording identical to the screencast. If step 4 in the instructions is "Create a bundle," then the fourth section of the video should be creating a bundle.

Nook also produces a written step-by-step guide from your recording, alongside the MP4 download and a share link. You can adapt that guide as the starting point for your test instructions, so the text and the video say the same thing.

#Shot list

Use this as a template. Remove rows that do not apply to your app and add a row for each extra feature.

#Checklist

Run through this before you submit.

• I read the current submission form and know what it asks for.
• I reread the app requirements checklist for any recent changes.
• Every core feature has a written test case with an expected outcome.
• The screencast follows the test cases in the same order.
• The recording starts with a fresh install on a development store.
• The store has realistic demo data, not real customer data.
• Each test case shows its expected outcome on screen.
• Third-party connections are shown, and full-access test credentials are in the written instructions.
• Billing and plan selection are shown if the app charges.
• Payments apps include a payment flow recording for every supported browser.
• The video is in English or has complete English subtitles.
• No API keys, tokens, passwords or personal emails are readable.
• Notifications, personal tabs and bookmarks are not visible.
• Text on screen is readable at normal playback size.
• The video link or file works when opened in a private browser window.

#Common mistakes

Silent recordings. Without narration or captions, the reviewer has to guess what you are doing and why. Add one or the other, in English.

Skipping setup. Starting the video with the app already configured hides the part the reviewer will do first. Always show install and onboarding.

No expected outcome. Clicking "Save" and moving on does not prove the feature works. Show the result.

An empty store. Features that depend on products, orders or customers look broken without data.

Too fast. Recording at your normal working speed is usually too fast for someone seeing the app for the first time.

Leaked secrets. API keys in a settings screen or a personal email in the account menu are easy to miss. Check every frame where settings appear.

Mismatch with instructions. If your instructions and video describe different steps, the reviewer cannot tell which one is right.

Using the promo video. A polished marketing video does not show setup and test cases. The reviewer needs the instructional version.

One browser for a payments app. The checklist asks for all supported browsers.

#FAQ

#Is a screencast required for Shopify app submissions?

Yes. Shopify's developer changelog announced in March 2024 that app submissions require a screencast demo, and the app requirements checklist asks for "a complete screencast showing your app's setup process and functionality."

#How long should the Shopify app review screencast be?

The checklist does not set a length. Make it as long as it needs to be to cover install, setup and every test case with its expected outcome, and no longer. Cut waiting time and mistakes. Check the submission form for any limits at the time you submit.

#What format and hosting should I use?

The checklist does not specify a format or hosting service. Check the submission form in your Partner Dashboard when you submit and follow what it asks for. Whatever you use, test that the link or file opens without needing your login.

#Can I narrate in my own language?

The checklist says screencasts should be "in English or with English subtitles." So narration in another language can work if you add complete, accurate English subtitles. Many developers find it easier to use an English script with text-to-speech and English captions.

#Can I use my listing promo video as the review screencast?

No. They serve different purposes. The listing video is meant to be promotional, with screencasts limited to 25% of it. The review screencast is instructional and should show setup, each feature and the expected outcomes.

#Do I need to show billing in the screencast?

If your app charges merchants, showing plan selection and what each plan unlocks helps the reviewer test gated features. The checklist's general requirement is a complete screencast of setup and functionality, and billing is part of setup for paid apps.

#Do I need a new screencast for an app update?

If you are resubmitting or submitting changes that go through review, record the flows that changed and make sure the screencast still matches your current app. An old video that shows a different UI is confusing for a reviewer.

#What if my app connects to another platform?

Show the connection flow in the screencast, and include valid test credentials that grant full access in your written instructions, as the checklist requires. Blur the credentials in the video itself.

#Should I edit out mistakes?

Yes. Cut wrong clicks, retries and long loading screens. Just make sure each cut still leaves the screen state understandable.

#Wrapping up

The review screencast is not about production value. It is about making the reviewer's job easy: show install, show setup, show each feature, and show the expected outcome, in English, with nothing private on screen. Plan your test cases first, record against a realistic development store, and keep your written instructions and your video in sync.

If you want more general guidance on recording walkthroughs, read how to make a product demo video. And if you would rather not spend an evening scripting, recording voiceover and adding captions, Nook for Shopify app developers turns your raw screen recording into a narrated, captioned walkthrough with a written guide you can reuse for your test instructions. It costs $9 per video, and your first video is free (up to 1 minute, with a watermark). See pricing, or try it with your next recording.