App Store Connect & ASO Reference
Field limits, screenshot specs, ASO rules, and indie dev tips — everything a solo iOS developer needs to ship and rank on the App Store.
App Store Connect has more hidden rules than visible ones. This reference collects the field limits, screenshot specs, search-ranking signals, and review-survival tactics in one place — the stuff every indie iOS developer needs at submission time but can never find when they need it.
01 —Metadata field limits
Apple gives you eight metadata surfaces. Two of them carry almost all of the ranking weight. Knowing exactly what each does saves a lot of rework at submission.
| Field | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| App Name | 30 chars | Heaviest ranking weight. Include the primary keyword if natural. |
| Subtitle | 30 chars | Second-strongest ranking signal. Don't repeat words from the name. |
| Keywords field | 100 chars | Comma-separated, no spaces. No repeats of name or subtitle. |
| Description | 4,000 chars | Does NOT affect ranking. Write for human conversion. |
| Promotional Text | 170 chars | Above the description. Updatable without a new binary. |
| What's New | 4,000 chars | Shown on update page. Keep it friendly and honest. |
| Support URL | required | Must be live. Rejection risk if broken. |
| Privacy Policy URL | required | Required for all apps since 2018. |
Promotional Text is the only metadata field you can update without submitting a new binary. Use it for seasonal messaging, sale announcements, or A/B testing copy.
02 —Screenshot & preview specs
Apple requires at least one screenshot per supported device size, and the 6.9″ size is now the primary requirement since 2024. The first three screenshots show up in search results without tapping, so they're your most important marketing surface.
Required iPhone sizes
| Device size | Resolution | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6.9″ (iPhone 16 Pro Max) | 1320 × 2868 px | Required since 2024. Replaces 6.7″ as primary. |
| 6.5″ (iPhone 14 Plus / 13 Pro Max) | 1242 × 2688 px | Still widely used as a fallback display size. |
| 5.5″ (iPhone 8 Plus) | 1242 × 2208 px | Legacy required size. Fallback for 4.7″ and smaller. |
Required iPad sizes
| Device size | Resolution | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iPad Pro 13″ (M4) | 2064 × 2752 px | Required if app supports iPad. |
| iPad Pro 12.9″ (2nd gen) | 2048 × 2732 px | Legacy required size. |
Rules & limits
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Max screenshots per locale | 10 | First 3 show in search results without tapping. |
| Min screenshots | 1 | At least one per supported device size. |
| Format | JPEG / PNG | No alpha channel for JPEG. 72 dpi minimum. |
| App Preview (video) | up to 3 | 15–30 seconds. Must show actual app UI. |
| App Preview format | M4V / MP4 / MOV | Max 500 MB. Auto-plays muted. |
Screenshots don't have to show an actual device frame — frameless or custom-designed marketing images are allowed, and often perform better in conversion testing.
03 —ASO ranking rules
App Store search is not Google. Apple indexes a small, specific set of fields with very different weighting. Treating the description like a keyword field is wasted effort — it's not indexed at all.
What Apple indexes
| Field | Indexed? | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| App Name | ✓ | Highest |
| Subtitle | ✓ | High |
| Keywords field | ✓ | Medium |
| IAP names | ✓ | Medium |
| Developer name | ✓ | Low |
| Description | ✕ | Not indexed |
| Promotional Text | ✕ | Not indexed |
Keyword field best practices
Do
- Use singular or plural, not both
- Separate with commas, no spaces
- Include competitor-adjacent terms
- Use all 100 characters
Don't
- Don't repeat words from name or subtitle
- Don't include your own app name
- Don't use spaces after commas
- Don't use competitor brand names
Ranking factors beyond keywords
- Ratings & reviews volume — high impact. Prompt at the right moment with
SKStoreReviewController. - Average star rating — high impact, shown prominently in search results.
- Download velocity — a burst of installs signals popularity to the algorithm.
- Conversion rate — impressions to downloads, driven by icon, screenshots, and name.
- Retention and crashes — stable, well-used apps rank better over time.
- Revenue — Apple reportedly favors monetizing apps in ranking.
04 —Review process
App Store review is faster than it used to be — most submissions land within a business day in 2026. Plan for spikes anyway: never tie a launch to a specific review window.
| Aspect | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Average review time | 24–48 hrs | Most submissions within 1 business day as of 2026. |
| Expedited review | Available | Request for critical fixes. Not guaranteed. |
| Max binary size (OTA) | 4 GB | Hard ceiling. |
| OTA cellular prompt | 200 MB | Above this size, cellular downloads prompt the user. |
Common rejection reasons
- Broken links — Support URL or Privacy Policy
- Demo account not provided for login-required apps
- Misleading screenshots or description
- Missing privacy policy for data collection
- App crashes on launch
- Placeholder content left in the binary
- Keyword stuffing in App Name or Subtitle
05 —Release options
Apple rolls out approved updates in seven stages over two weeks unless you opt out. The schedule is conservative on purpose — small bug catches a fraction of users before the whole base sees it.
Phased release schedule
You can pause or stop phased release at any time in App Store Connect — useful if a critical bug surfaces after the first day's rollout.
Release timing options
- Manually release — you trigger the release after approval. Best for launches you want to coordinate with social or press.
- Automatically release — goes live immediately upon approval. Fastest path live.
- Schedule a date — set a specific date and time in UTC. Must be approved before that date.
06 —Pricing tiers
Apple offers more than 900 price points globally, but most indie apps live in the first ten tiers. Set your base price once, and Apple converts to local currency per territory.
| Tier | USD price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Highest install volume. Monetize via IAP or subscription. |
| Tier 1 | $0.99 | Lowest paid tier. |
| Tier 2 | $1.99 | |
| Tier 3 | $2.99 | |
| Tier 4 | $3.99 | |
| Tier 5 | $4.99 | Sweet spot for utility apps. |
| Tier 10 | $9.99 | |
| Custom tiers | up to $999.99 | 900+ price points available. Set per territory. |
Apple takes 30% commission, or 15% under the Small Business Program for developers earning under $1M/year.
07 —Pre-submission checklist
Run through this list before every submission. The most common rejection reasons are also the most preventable.
Before you submit
- App Name uses primary keyword naturally (≤ 30 chars) Don't keyword-stuff — Apple may reject or modify it.
- Subtitle uses secondary keywords not repeated in the name (≤ 30 chars)
- Keywords field uses all 100 characters, no spaces after commas No words already in the name or subtitle.
- Description first paragraph hooks the user About 255 characters are shown before the "more" toggle on most devices.
- Screenshots provided for all required device sizes At minimum: 6.9″, 6.5″, 5.5″. Add iPad sizes if applicable.
- First 3 screenshots communicate core value instantly These show in search results without tapping.
- Support URL is live and accessible
- Privacy Policy URL is live and accurately describes data use
- App icon provided in 1024×1024 PNG (no alpha, no rounded corners) Apple applies corner radius automatically.
- Age rating completed accurately Inaccurate ratings are a rejection reason.
- In-App Purchases named with searchable keywords IAP names are indexed by Apple's search algorithm.
- Demo account credentials provided in review notes (if app requires login)
- Review notes added for any non-obvious features or permissions
SKStoreReviewControllerprompt at a natural moment Max 3 prompts per 365-day period. Don't prompt on first launch.
08 —Tips for indie developers
Everything below is shipped from the trenches — the stuff that comes out of building real apps, not theory.
Solo developer
Ship small, ship often.
A focused 3-feature app beats a bloated 20-feature roadmap. You can always add — you can't easily simplify without confusing existing users.
Solve one problem better than anyone else.
Niche apps with a clear purpose outperform general-purpose apps in both conversion rate and word-of-mouth. Be the best at one thing.
Treat your app like a product, not a project.
Projects end. Products get maintained, marketed, and improved. Block time each week for ASO, reviews, and small updates — not just coding.
Build a portfolio, not a lottery ticket.
A single app is a gamble. Multiple focused apps compound — each one builds brand recognition, cross-promotion, and diversified income.
Be visible in the indie dev community.
Share your process on Bluesky, Reddit, or Mastodon. Other developers become users, testers, and advocates. Building in public creates organic reach without an ad budget.
ASO & marketing
Treat your app name as prime keyword real estate.
The App Name carries the heaviest ranking weight. If you can naturally include your primary keyword in the name without it sounding forced, do it.
Screenshots are your sales pitch, not your tutorial.
Most users decide in 3 seconds. The first screenshot should answer "what does this app do for me?" — not "here's a tour of the UI."
Localize metadata before UI.
Translating your app name, subtitle, and keywords into French, German, Japanese, or Spanish costs almost nothing and can double your discoverability in those markets.
Use Promotional Text for A/B messaging without a resubmission.
This is the only field you can change without a new binary. Test seasonal hooks, feature announcements, or social proof ("Loved by 10k users") here.
Ratings are your most underrated marketing asset.
A 4.8-star app with 50 ratings outperforms a 4.2-star app with 500 in conversion. Time your SKStoreReviewController prompt after a user wins or completes something meaningful.
App Store review survival
Always write review notes, even when you think it's obvious.
Explain any unusual permissions, non-standard flows, or features that need a specific setup. Reviewers see hundreds of apps — help them understand yours in 30 seconds.
Test on a real device before every submission.
A crash on launch is an automatic rejection. Simulator and real device behavior differ — especially with permissions, WidgetKit, and background tasks.
Appeal rejections calmly and with evidence.
If you believe a rejection is wrong, use the Resolution Center. Be factual, polite, and provide screenshots or screen recordings. Most guideline disputes resolve on appeal.
Don't plan a launch around a specific review date.
Review times average 24–48 hrs but can spike. Submit at least a week before a planned launch. Use Manual Release so you control the exact go-live moment.
Monetization (IAP & pricing)
Freemium converts better than paid for discovery apps.
Free apps get 10–100× more downloads. If your core experience is compelling, a well-placed Pro unlock converts 2–5% of active users — often more revenue than a $0.99 paid app.
One-time purchase often beats subscription for utility apps.
Users are increasingly subscription-fatigued. For a focused tool with no ongoing server costs, a one-time Pro unlock at $2.99–$4.99 often yields higher conversion and better reviews.
Name your IAP with keywords — they're indexed by Apple.
"Pro Unlock" is a wasted opportunity. "NetProbe Pro — Network Tools" signals to Apple's search what your Pro features are about.
Let users experience the "aha moment" before the paywall.
The free tier should be generous enough to create genuine value — and just incomplete enough that users want more. Lock features they've already discovered, not features they've never tried.
Use StoreKit 2 — it's worth the migration.
StoreKit 2 gives you transaction history, refund handling, and subscription status in a modern async API. Much simpler than the legacy receipt-validation approach.
Ship something genuinely useful. Be honest about how you charge for it. Keep showing up.
Get in touch.
Spotted an outdated number? Have a tip to add? I'd love to hear from you.
Contact meI usually reply within 1–2 business days.