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Apple TV: App Icon & Top Shelf Image
Robert Blessing avatar
Written by Robert Blessing
Updated over a year ago

Here are some more details about what images you need to upload for the App Icon and Top Shelf Image:

App Icon:

All the layer images are combined into an app icon.

The layers are used to give the app icon some animation when people bring it into focus. You can see a preview of this behavior by hovering over the app icon preview on our Apple TV Publishing site.

Use proper layer separation:

You should split your final app icon into 2 or 3 layered images.

  • So uploading the same image for all 3 layers is not a good idea.

  • Transparent background: to avoid hiding the background image, the front and middle layers should always have a transparent background.

  • The middle layer is optional - do not upload an image here if you are unsure about it.

If your icon includes a logo or text, it is important to separate it from the background:

  • You can achieve this by uploading your logo or text image with a transparent background as the front layer.

  • Additionally, upload a background image as the background layer.

  • Please note that the middle layer is optional and not necessary.

Top Shelf Image:

The Apple TV home screen has a section called Top Shelf that displays banners/cards to highlight the content of the selected app.

So think of your Top Shelf image as a banner ad for your videos! Or a movie/TV poster.

Some ideas on what to put on your Top Shelf image:

  • The simplest option is to just show your logo in the Top Shelf Image.

  • Alternatively, you can show a screenshot of your video content.

  • The best option is to create some kind of movie poster or thumbnail image.

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