Fix App Store Connect: Save New Locales Before Uploading

“Please save new locales before uploading screenshots or previews” usually means that the new language has not been saved for the app version you are editing. Add the localization in the platform version section, enter the required metadata, click Save and reopen it before uploading images.

Start with that sequence rather than resizing all your screenshots. This message concerns the language record; a later dimensions or file-format error is a separate problem. Apple's localization guide describes adding a language from the platform version section and saving its metadata.

Check which localization you are editing

App Store Connect has shared app information as well as version-specific information for each platform. Confirm the app, platform and version before making changes. A language visible under App Information does not by itself prove that your current version's screenshot workflow has been saved.

Open the language menu in the version's Previews and Screenshots area. If you have just selected a language under Not Localized, complete and save the metadata form before dragging files into the upload area.

Save the new locale, then upload

1. Open the app in App Store Connect and select the platform version you are preparing.
2. Choose the language from the localization menu, or add it if it is not localized yet.
3. Enter the localized metadata required by the current form. Resolve any validation message shown beside a field.
4. Click Save and wait for the save to finish. If the console rejects the save, fix that error first.
5. Switch to another localization, then return to the new one. Confirm that your saved values are still present.
6. Upload a screenshot to the correct device group. After that succeeds, upload the rest of the set and check the order.

Do not remove existing screenshots to test whether an unsaved locale is the cause. Saving the language first is the smaller, more direct check.

If the message still appears after saving

Work through these checks in order. They help distinguish an unfinished form from a different console issue; they are not guarantees that every account-specific failure has the same cause.

A refresh can help you confirm the stored state after a successful save. It cannot fix a form that failed validation. Keep a note of the exact error, time and affected localization if you need Apple support to investigate.

Distinguish locale errors from screenshot errors

If the saved language now accepts an upload but rejects the image, check the App Store screenshot dimensions. Confirm pixels and orientation, JPEG or PNG format, and the absence of alpha channels. Verify the exported image itself rather than the canvas preset name.

App preview videos have their own accepted resolutions and format rules. Do not assume a video's dimensions should match a screenshot from the same device. The size guide links both specifications.

The phrase “drag to reposition” can be an instruction for arranging an accepted image. Its presence alone is not an upload failure. Look for a validation message, processing failure or missing asset before treating it as an error.

Keep localized uploads organized

Use a separate folder for each store localization and device group. Give each image a position number so the intended order is clear. For example, 01-main-task.png and 02-secondary-task.png describe the story better than filenames copied from the capture tool.

Use the global-release localization checklist to check caption meaning, in-app language, writing direction and the final console preview. Uploading a translated image to the wrong language can succeed technically while leaving the listing incorrect.

Frequently asked questions

Should I recreate the app or delete the localization?

Start by saving and reopening the current localization. Recreating an app record or deleting an existing language is unnecessary for this first check and can affect other release work.

Does saving App Information fix every version locale?

Check the platform version you are editing. Shared app information and version-localized assets are related but distinct parts of the workflow. Verify the saved metadata in the version's language before retrying the upload.

Does a successful upload mean the release is approved?

No. File acceptance, the displayed store preview and App Review approval are separate checks. Confirm all applicable stages before publishing.

Resume the screenshot workflow

Prepare artwork with the App Store screenshot generator, verify it against the requirements guide, then return to the saved language in App Store Connect. This keeps content preparation and console troubleshooting tied to the same release.