The ASO checklist for launching an iOS app

Launch day is your app's biggest chance to be seen, and the store page is what people judge. This checklist walks through every ASO task in the order you should do it, from research weeks before submission to the tests you run once real traffic arrives.

If you want the background first, read the complete ASO guide. Otherwise, let's go.

The launch timeline at a glance

1. Pre-launch research

Everything else on this list depends on knowing which words people search and who you're up against. Do this before you finalize your app's name.

• List 30–50 candidate search terms that describe what your app does, the problem it solves and who it's for
• Search each important term on the App Store and note the top apps, their names, subtitles, ratings and screenshot styles
• Pick 5–10 direct competitors to track over time
• Score each term for relevance, search volume and how strong the ranking apps are
• Choose one primary phrase for the name and a second cluster for the subtitle
• Check that your intended app name is available in App Store Connect and isn't someone else's trademark
• Choose a primary category (and optional secondary) that fits the app honestly; Apple notes irrelevant categories are grounds for rejection

2. Metadata

With research done, write the text. Apple's limits, from the App Store Connect reference:

• Name: short brand + primary phrase, within 30 characters (see title and subtitle guide)
• Subtitle: a benefit with secondary terms, no words repeated from the name
• Keyword field: commas, no spaces, no repeats, no competitor names (see keyword field guide)
• Description: first three lines state what the app does and for whom; the rest covers features, privacy and subscription terms if you have them
• Promotional text: a launch message you can swap later without a new version
• No prices, "#1" claims or other platform names in metadata (guidelines 2.3.7 and 2.3.10)
• Support URL and privacy policy URL are live and correct

Write the first lines of the description last

Apple's search guidance doesn't list the description among the fields used for text relevance, so write it for people. On the product page, only the opening lines show before the "more" link, and many visitors never tap it. Use those lines to say what the app does, who it's for and the single biggest reason to try it. Save feature lists, subscription details and credits for further down.

Promotional text sits above the description and can be changed at any time without a new version, which makes it ideal for launch news, a seasonal message or a limited-time feature. Apple notes it doesn't affect search ranking, so don't fill it with keywords.

3. Screenshots and preview video

You can upload up to 10 screenshots per device size and localization. Apple's guideline 2.3.3 asks that screenshots show the app in use, not just title art, a login page or a splash screen. Required device sizes change as new iPhones ship, so check the current screenshot sizes before you design.

• Screenshot 1 states your core promise in a few large words
• Screenshots 2–3 show the features people care about most
• Captions are readable at search-result thumbnail size
• Every screenshot shows real app UI (overlays and device frames are fine)
• Sizes exported for each device class you support, including iPad if your app runs there
• Optional: up to three app previews per device size and language, 15–30 seconds each, using screen captures of the app (Apple specs)
• Preview poster frame chosen deliberately, since it shows when the video isn't playing

Our screenshot guide goes deeper into layouts and caption writing.

4. Localization and pricing

The App Store is available in 175 regions and 50 languages, according to Apple. Each localization in App Store Connect has its own name, subtitle, keyword field, description and screenshots.

• Pick launch markets from research, not guesswork: where your competitors are strong, where your app's language support is ready
• Research local search terms for each market instead of translating English keywords
• Count keyword bytes per language; accented and non-Latin characters take more than one byte
• Localize at least screenshot captions for your main markets
• Set availability by country and region
• Choose your price or subscription tiers per storefront, and check how they look in local currency
• Set up in-app purchases with clear display names and descriptions; promoted in-app purchases can appear on your product page and in search
• Consider a pre-order if you have an audience to build anticipation with

For market selection and adapting screenshots, see the localization guide.

5. Ratings prompt

Ratings appear in every search result and, per Apple, can influence search ranking. Build your review prompt into the launch build so early happy users can leave one.

Use StoreKit's review request: SKStoreReviewController on older code, or the newer AppStore.requestReview(in:) and SwiftUI's requestReview environment action. The system decides whether to actually show the prompt, and limits it to three times per user in a 365-day period.

import StoreKit
import SwiftUI

struct SessionCompleteView: View {
    @Environment(\.requestReview) private var requestReview

    var body: some View {
        DoneSummary()
            .task {
                // Only after a real success, e.g. the 3rd completed session
                if SessionStats.completedCount == 3 {
                    requestReview()
                }
            }
    }
}

6. In-App Events

In-App Events let you promote timely content, such as a challenge, a live event or a major update, with an event card on your product page and in search results. For a launch, a "Major Update" or "Premiere"-style event can give people one more reason to tap.

• Event is a real, time-bound happening in the app, not a permanent feature
• Event name up to 30 characters, short description up to 50, long description up to 120
• Correct badge chosen (for example Challenge, Live Event, Major Update, Premiere, Special Event)
• Event card media (16:9) and details media (9:16) prepared
• Deep link takes people straight to the event content
• Submitted for review early enough to start promotion on time

Source for the limits above: Apple's In-App Events page.

7. Product Page Optimization and Custom Product Pages

These two features are often confused. Both are worth setting up once you have steady traffic, usually a few weeks after launch.

Sources: Apple's Product Page Optimization and Custom Product Pages pages. Note that testing an alternate icon requires all icon variants to be included in the app binary.

• Ship alternate app icons in the binary if you plan to test icons
• Plan your first PPO test around one clear hypothesis, such as "benefit-first screenshot 1"
• Wait for Apple's reported confidence before applying a treatment; Apple recommends at least 90%
• Create Custom Product Pages for distinct audiences or use cases you'll promote
• Assign keywords to Custom Product Pages where a theme deserves its own screenshots; each keyword combination can only belong to one page

8. Post-launch iteration

Launch is the start of ASO, not the end. Here's a loop for the first two months:

1. Week 1: Watch, don't touchCheck that the listing looks right in every localization, respond to the first reviews and confirm that analytics are coming in.
2. Weeks 2–3: Record rankings and conversionTrack where you appear for your target terms and note impressions, product page views and conversion rate from App Store Search in App Analytics.
3. Week 3: Start a Product Page Optimization testTest the first screenshots or the icon. One hypothesis per test.
4. Week 4: Ship a metadata updateSwap underperforming keyword-field words and, if the data supports it, refine the subtitle. Change one visible field at a time.
5. Weeks 5–8: ExpandAdd a localization, create a Custom Product Page for your strongest audience and plan an In-App Event around your next feature.

The master checklist

Here's every item in one list. Bookmark it for your next launch or major update.

• Research: candidate terms collected and scored for relevance, volume and competition
• Research: 5–10 competitors identified and their listings reviewed
• Research: app name available and free of others' trademarks
• Category: primary and secondary categories chosen honestly
• Name: brand + primary phrase, 30 characters or fewer
• Subtitle: benefit + secondary terms, no repeats from the name
• Keywords: 100 bytes used, commas without spaces, no duplicates or competitor names
• Description: strong first lines, plain text, accurate claims
• Promotional text: launch message ready (editable without a new version)
• Screenshots: benefit-first, readable at thumbnail size, correct sizes for every device you support
• Preview video: optional, 15–30 seconds of real app footage
• Localization: launch markets chosen, local keywords researched, bytes counted
• Pricing: prices and in-app purchases set per storefront
• Ratings: StoreKit review request at a moment of success, never gated
• App Review: demo account, privacy details and guideline checks done (see common rejections)
• In-App Event: optional launch event submitted with media and deep link
• PPO: alternate icons in the binary if you plan to test them
• Custom Product Pages: planned for your main audiences and campaigns
• Analytics: baseline rankings and conversion recorded on launch week
• Iteration: next metadata update scheduled for week 4

Frequently asked questions