---
title: "Preparing a Submission"
canonical_url: https://developer.repebble.com/guides/appstore-publishing/preparing-a-submission/
last_updated: 2026-10-11
sdk_version: 4.33.1
---
# Preparing a Submission

Source: https://developer.repebble.com/guides/appstore-publishing/preparing-a-submission/

An appstore listing is built from the `.pbw` file, some text fields and a set of images. This guide lists what is required so that everything is ready before the submission starts. All three publishing routes described in [_Publishing an App_](https://developer.repebble.com/guides/appstore-publishing/publishing-an-app.md) use the same listing fields and the same image sizes.

## The `.pbw` File

The appstore reads the app's type (watchface or watchapp), UUID, version and target platforms from the `.pbw` file. These values come from `package.json`, so check them before building the release:

- `watchapp.watchface` decides whether the listing is a watchface or a watchapp. This cannot be changed in the Developer Dashboard.

- `uuid` must be unique across the whole appstore. If another app already uses it, the submission is rejected. Each app keeps its UUID for all later releases, since the UUID is how a new release is matched to the existing listing.

- `version` must contain only numbers and dots, and each segment must be 255 or less. Each release of an app must have a version that has not been used before.

- `targetPlatforms` decides which platforms the `.pbw` contains binaries for. The appstore reads the platform list from `targetPlatforms` when it is present and otherwise from the binaries in the `.pbw`, and offers each binary to the watches that can run it: an aplite binary also serves basalt, diorite, flint and emery, a basalt binary also serves emery, a diorite binary also serves flint and emery, and a chalk binary also serves gabbro. Build for the newer platforms directly to use their full display. Read [_App Metadata_](https://developer.repebble.com/guides/tools-and-resources/app-metadata.md) for details.

The `.pbw` file can be at most 4.4 MB.

## Listing Fields

| Field | Watchface | Watchapp | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| App name | Required | Required | Defaults to the name in the `.pbw`. |
| Description | Required | Required | Plain text. |
| Category | - | Required | One of Daily, Tools & Utilities, Notifications, Remotes, Health & Fitness, Games. Watchfaces are listed under Faces automatically. |
| Website URL | Optional | Optional | |
| Source code URL | Optional | Optional | |
| Release notes | Optional | Optional | Per release. |
| Companion app | - | Optional | Name, Play Store URL and a 144×144 icon for an Android companion app. |

> Note: The appstore does not support the timeline web API. Apps that use [_local pins_](https://developer.repebble.com/guides/pebble-timeline/timeline-local-pins.md) work as normal.

## Images

All images are PNG, JPEG or GIF, at most 4.4 MB each. GIFs keep their animation. Screenshots must have exactly the dimensions of the platform's display and must not be framed in a watch outline.

| Image | Size | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Screenshots for aplite, basalt, diorite, flint | 144×168 | Up to 5 per platform. |
| Screenshots for chalk | 180×180 | Up to 5. |
| Screenshots for emery | 200×228 | Up to 5. |
| Screenshots for gabbro | 260×260 | Up to 5. |
| Banner | 720×320 | Optional. One per platform. Shown at the top of the listing. |
| Small icon | 80×80 | Watchapps only. |
| Large icon | 144×144 | Watchapps only. |

Icons are optional. When one or both icons are missing, the appstore generates them from the app name.

Screenshots can be taken from the emulator with the `pebble` tool. The `--all-platforms` and `--gif-all-platforms` flags of `pebble screenshot` save one image per target platform under `screenshots/` in the project directory, already at the correct size:

```
$ pebble screenshot --all-platforms
```

Read [_pebble screenshot_](https://developer.repebble.com/guides/tools-and-resources/pebble-tool.md#screenshot) for the other options.

## Visibility

Every app has one of three visibility settings. It is chosen when the app is submitted and can be changed at any time from the Developer Dashboard.

| Setting | Search and browsing | Direct link and install |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Listed | Yes | Yes |
| Unlisted | No | Yes |
| Hidden | No | No |

Apps submitted from the Developer Dashboard, the `pebble` tool or CloudPebble start as Listed. Use Unlisted for a beta that is shared by link only, and Hidden to take an app offline. Hiding an app does not remove it from watches where it is already installed, and cached appstore pages can take up to ten minutes to disappear.

Visibility applies to the app as a whole. Each release also has its own published or draft state, and only published releases can be installed.