Your App Store product page decides the install in a few seconds, on four elements a user sees before scrolling: icon, name, subtitle, and the first screenshot. As of June 2026, the median iPhone product-page-view-to-install rate sits around 25% (AppTweak, US, all categories), so most listings throw away three of every four interested visitors. This guide walks every field with its exact 2026 character limit, a writing rule, a real before/after, and an AI drafting prompt you can paste in.
TL;DR
- Apple indexes your app name (30 chars) and subtitle (30 chars) for search, so never waste either on a category word like “Tracker.”
- The keyword field (100 chars, comma-separated, no spaces) is the only place to stuff search terms. The description and promotional text are NOT indexed for ranking.
- Promotional text (170 chars) is a separate field above the description that you can change anytime without a new app review. Use it for the hook and any current news.
- Screenshots are the heaviest conversion lever. Primary spec for 2026 is 1320×2868 (6.9”, iPhone 17 Pro Max); the first three appear in search results.
- A/B test icon and screenshots with Product Page Optimization (up to 3 treatments) in App Store Connect. You cannot PPO-test the name or description.
Field limits at a glance (June 2026)
| Field | Limit | Indexed for search? | Editable without review? |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Name | 30 chars | Yes | No (needs new version) |
| Subtitle | 30 chars | Yes | No (needs new version) |
| Keywords | 100 chars | Yes (only this) | No (needs new version) |
| Promotional Text | 170 chars | No | Yes (anytime) |
| Description | 4,000 chars | No | No (needs new version) |
| Screenshots | 1320×2868 (6.9”) | No | Yes (anytime) |
The split that catches indie developers: only the keyword field and the two titles affect ranking, while only promotional text and screenshots can change between releases. Write each field for the job it can actually do.
Why the listing is doing more work in 2026
The product page is a conversion page wearing metadata’s clothes. Most solo developers under-invest: they pick a name, paste a description, and ship. But with AI Overviews and indirect referrals now feeding much of the top of funnel, more visitors arrive cold and decide on the page itself. The upside is that small, specific copy changes routinely move install conversion several points, and that compounds against the same ad and ASO spend.
Do this pass if any of these are true:
- You are submitting for the first time or doing a major listing refresh.
- Your product-page-view-to-install rate is below ~25% (the current iOS median).
- You have never A/B tested any element of the listing.
- Your screenshots are mockups or bare device frames with no captions.
Field by field
Open App Store Connect, then your app, then the platform version, and fill each field as you go.
1. App Name (30-char limit): clarity beats category words beats keywords
Bad: MyHabitTrackerPro2026 (stacked + version number, fake-pro)
Bad: Habit Tracker - Daily Streaks (three category words mashed together)
Good: Pocket Habits (short, memorable, implies the category)
Good: Streaks (a verb-concept, nothing else)AI prompt to generate ten candidates:
I'm shipping a [category] app whose core is [one sentence].
Give me 10 App Name candidates:
- 14 characters or fewer (leave room for the subtitle)
- No generic category words ("Tracker" / "Pro" / "App" all banned)
- No year or version number
- Easy to read, spell, and type into App Store search
- For each: phonetics, association, potential ambiguity2. Subtitle (30-char limit): name the outcome, not the function
Bad: Habit tracker app (restates the category, wasted slot)
Bad: Become a better you (generic feel-good, zero info)
Good: Build habits in 5 minutes (time + action + outcome)
Good: 21 days to a new routine (specific number + visualized promise)AI prompt:
App Name is [name]. Give me 8 subtitle candidates:
- 30 characters or fewer
- Must include one concrete number or time
- Must state what the user gets, not what the feature is
- 5 angles: time / number / counter-conventional / pain / identityFor batch A/B variants, see the AI workflow for App Store listing copy.
3. Keywords (100-char limit, comma-separated, no spaces): the only ranking field
Collection workflow:
1. Open App Store search, type a seed word ("habit"), record every autocomplete
2. Check search volume on appfigures, Sensor Tower, or AppTweak (free tiers are enough)
3. Pull ASO reports for 3 competitors via Mobile Action or AppTweak (free scans)
4. Sort candidates by "high volume x low competition", fill until you hit 100 charsRules confirmed against Apple’s own metadata guidance:
- Do NOT repeat words already in App Name or Subtitle (Apple indexes those automatically)
- Drop stopwords ("the" / "and" / "in")
- Singular only; the system auto-stems plurals
- No spaces, only commas: habit,streak,daily,routine,morning,...
- Spaces are allowed only inside a multi-word phrase you intend to rank as a phrase4. Promotional Text (170-char limit): the field you can edit anytime
This is distinct from the description and sits above it. It does NOT affect search ranking, so do not pack keywords here. Its superpower is that you can update it without submitting a new build, which makes it the right home for the hook and any time-bound news.
Bad: "Welcome to Pocket Habits! An app for building habits, created by..."
(pure self-intro, no reason to install)
Good: "No willpower needed. 5 minutes a day, 3 core habits, automatic after 21 days.
2,000+ users quit doomscrolling and started morning runs."
(one mechanism + one proof point, and you can swap in a launch sale anytime)5. First 3 screenshots: these render inside search results
Primary spec for 2026 is 1320×2868 (6.9”, iPhone 17 Pro Max). Upload that native asset and Apple scales it down cleanly; 1290×2796 (6.7”) still works as a fallback but upscaling a smaller asset looks soft on Pro Max screens. Each screenshot pairs one benefit with one real screen:
Screenshot 1: primary promise
Top caption (8 words or fewer): Build habits in 5 minutes
Screen: today's 3 habit cards, 2 already checked
Screenshot 2: key differentiator
Top caption: 21-day streaks, a new ritual
Screen: 21-day calendar view, streak chain highlighted
Screenshot 3: social proof
Top caption: "Sticks better than my todo list" - TechCrunch
Screen: user achievement share cardTools: Screenshots.pro or AppLaunchpad, or a Figma template plus Fastlane snapshot to batch the 6.9” / 6.7” / iPad sets in one run.
6. Description first 2 lines (~170 visible chars): stand alone in the preview
The product page shows roughly two lines of the description before a “more” tap, so the opening must earn the expand on its own.
Bad: "Pocket Habits helps you build habits. It was created by an indie developer who..."
(both visible lines are pure backstory)
Good: "No willpower needed. 5 minutes a day, 3 core habits, automatic after 21 days.
2,000+ users quit doomscrolling and started morning runs."
(two lines = one mechanism + one proof point)7. Rest of the description: structure, not marketing speak
Five fixed blocks beat a wall of adjectives:
## Who this is for
- You want 3 core habits or fewer (not 10)
- You tried Notion or Todoist but didn't stick
- You have 5 minutes a day for a ritual
## Core features (each one sentence or less)
- Morning / midday / night ritual, 5 minutes each
- 21-day streak view, prompts you for the why on a break
- 100% offline, no login, no cloud
## Who this is NOT for
- Want a full GTD system: use OmniFocus
- Want team collaboration: this is a solo tool
- Want AI to schedule for you: this is a manual ritual
## Privacy
- 100% offline, zero telemetry
- No account; deleting the app deletes the data
## Contact
email@yourdomain.com / @your-x-handle8. Release Notes (“What’s New”): write something real every update
Bad: "Bug fixes and improvements" (-1 trust)
Bad: "Performance improvements" (-1 trust)
Good:
v1.4.2 (2026-05-21)
New: export streak history as CSV
Fix: 21-day calendar misaligned on iPad
Fix: ritual reminder didn't show in landscape
UX: a "free day" button appears after 7 consecutive daysRule: list what changed, separate New / Fix / UX, and use numbers when measurable (“Startup time: 1.2s to 0.4s”).
9. Icon: the 4-size sanity check before submit
1024x1024 full size: detail isn't overloaded
180x180 (@3x): actual iPhone home screen
120x120 (@2x): search results list
60x60: Notification Center / SpotlightExport the icon at 60×60, drop it into the iOS Simulator or a Sketch artboard, and view it from 30cm. Identify it in one second and it passes; if it turns to mush, redo it. Rule: one main shape, high contrast, no text.
AI prompt for the icon brief:
App Name is [name], core mechanic is [one sentence]. Give me 5 icon concepts:
- Each = 1 primary shape (object / monogram / abstract form)
- Describe shape, colors (HEX values), background type
- Explain why this shape stays recognizable at 60x60
- List 2 "looks like [existing app]" risksOnce picked, build it in Figma or Affinity Designer using Apple’s icon templates, starting at 1024×1024.
Common pitfalls
- Writing the listing as a feature list. Users buy outcomes, not features. Lead with the outcome.
- Mockup screenshots with fake data. Real screens with believable data convert better.
- Packing keywords into the description or promotional text hoping for a ranking boost. Neither field is indexed; only the keyword field is.
- Machine-translating the listing. Native speakers can tell, and conversion drops in those markets.
- Ignoring the subtitle. It is the most under-used field in indie listings and it is indexed.
- Forgetting to update screenshots after a major UI change. Stale screenshots tank install rates after a redesign.
Who this is for
Solo indie developers writing or refreshing an App Store listing. Skip it if you have a dedicated growth team already running structured A/B tests, since your process is more sophisticated than this checklist.
FAQ
- Can I A/B test the listing? Yes, via Product Page Optimization in App Store Connect. A test runs up to 3 treatments against your baseline, but you can only vary the icon, screenshots, and app previews, not the name, subtitle, or description. Apple marks a treatment “Performing Better/Worse” once it reaches about 90% confidence; high-traffic apps often hit that in 14 to 30 days.
- How important are reviews to conversion? Very. Conversion drops sharply below 4 stars and gains plateau above 4.5. Use the system review prompt (
SKStoreReviewController), which iOS shows at most 3 times per user per 365-day window, and never gate content or bribe for a rating. - Should I translate the listing? For your top 3 to 5 markets, yes, but use native speakers rather than pure machine translation. The localized name and keyword field unlock that market’s search, so the ROI on quality translation is high.
- Promotional text or description for a launch sale? Promotional text. It is the only copy field you can change without submitting a new build for review, so it is built for limited-time news.
- How often should I update the listing? Subtitle and screenshots: every major version or every 2 to 3 months. Promotional text: whenever there is news. Description: as features change. Icon: rarely, and never lightly.