ASO guides
Uptika is an ASO and store-intelligence tool for the App Store and Google Play; these guides explain how store search works and exactly how Uptika measures keyword popularity, difficulty, visibility and the ASO score, with the formulas and limits written out.
ASO basics
What is ASO? App Store Optimization in 2026
ASO explained with official sources: which fields the App Store and Google Play index, what ranks apps, how long ASO takes and a 10-step checklist.
Read the guide · 9 min readApp keyword research: a step-by-step method with free data
A repeatable ASO keyword research method using free store data: find searches, score relevance, popularity and difficulty, then place them in the right fields.
Read the guide · 8 min readHow App Store and Google Play search ranking works
What Apple and Google officially say ranks apps in search, what is only field observation, and a decision tree for diagnosing a sudden rank drop.
Read the guide · 6 min readASO glossary: 80 terms defined
80 App Store Optimization terms in plain words: keywords, listing fields, screenshots, tests, analytics metrics, Android vitals, subscriptions and Apple Ads.
Read the guide · 15 min readChoosing an app category and reading top charts on both stores
How to choose a primary and secondary category on the App Store and a category plus 5 tags on Google Play, and how to read category top charts.
Read the guide · 5 min readASO checklist: 30 checks before launch and every release
A 30-item ASO checklist for the App Store and Google Play: each check with its field, limit, where to verify it and the official rule behind it.
Read the guide · 7 min readASO for mobile games: store page, events and launch
The ASO rules that apply to games: categories and subcategories, Google Play's game screenshot and video rules, events and promotional content, launch costs.
Read the guide · 6 min readApp Store
App icon sizes: iOS 1024×1024 and Google Play 512×512
App icon sizes for both stores in one table: iOS 1024×1024 layered icons with dark, clear and tinted looks, Google Play 512×512 PNG, masks, shadows and rules.
Read the guide · 5 min readApp preview video specs for the App Store and Google Play
App Store app previews (15–30 s, 500 MB, 30 fps, 886×1920 and 1200×1600) and the Google Play YouTube preview video, with export settings and upload steps.
Read the guide · 6 min readApp Store and Google Play character limits (2026 table)
Every text limit on the App Store and Google Play in one table: name, subtitle, 100-byte keyword field, promotional text, descriptions, events, with sources.
Read the guide · 10 min readApp Store review time in 2026: how long it takes and how to speed it up
How long App Store review takes: Apple's figures (50% under 24 hours, 90% under 48), what each status means, and when to ask for an expedited review.
Read the guide · 4 min readApp Store screenshot sizes 2026: every iPhone and iPad size
Apple's current screenshot table: the required iPhone and iPad sizes, accepted pixel dimensions, scaling, 1–10 images, no alpha, and the 2027 iPhone Duo rule.
Read the guide · 8 min readApp Store subtitle: what to write in 30 characters, with 40 examples
The App Store subtitle is 30 characters, indexed for search and changed with a new version. A keyword + benefit formula and 40 counted examples by category.
Read the guide · 9 min readApple Developer account: cost, individual or organization, and D-U-N-S
What the Apple Developer Program costs (99 USD a year), how to choose individual or organization, how D-U-N-S works, and the mistakes that delay approval.
Read the guide · 6 min readCustom product pages on the App Store: setup, keywords and Apple Ads
App Store custom product pages: what can differ, how keyword assignment puts them in search, setup in App Store Connect and use in Apple Ads.
Read the guide · 11 min readHow to choose and change an app name on both stores
App names are 30 characters on both stores. A brand + keyword formula, Apple 2.3.7 and Play title rules, how to rename, and a rank plan after a rename.
Read the guide · 8 min readHow to design store screenshots that convert
Design store screenshots that work in search and pass review: the first-three-frames rule, caption formulas, a Figma setup, and the rules of both stores.
Read the guide · 5 min readHow to publish an app on the App Store, step by step (2026)
Publish an iOS app on the App Store in 2026: the 99 USD membership, app record, build upload, TestFlight, required metadata and screenshots, review and release.
Read the guide · 8 min readHow to write an app description: templates for the App Store and Google Play
Both stores allow 4,000 characters, but the description does a different job on each. Templates for App Store and Google Play, mistakes and a checklist.
Read the guide · 7 min readHow to write release notes (What's New): templates and rules
App Store What's New: 4,000 characters, required after the first version. Google Play: 500 per language. Guideline 2.3.12 and 12 templates.
Read the guide · 8 min readIn-app events on the App Store: limits, badges, examples and a calendar
App Store in-app events: every limit (10 live, 15 approved, 31 days, 14 days early), media specs, which badge to pick, 10 example events and a 12-month plan.
Read the guide · 10 min readNew App Store creative assets: product page header and search results
Sizes and rules for the iOS 27 App Store creative assets: 21:9 header 3840×1646, 3:2 search 1920×1280 to 3840×2560, universal 16:9 5244×2950, 5–30 s video.
Read the guide · 4 min readPhased release on the App Store and staged rollout on Google Play
How the App Store's 7-day phased release (1% to 100%) and Google Play's manual staged rollout work, how to pause or halt them, and when to stop a release.
Read the guide · 4 min readProduct page optimization: A/B testing on the App Store
App Store product page optimization: up to 3 treatments, 90 days, one test at a time, icon rules, setup steps, results and the Google Play equivalent.
Read the guide · 6 min readPromotional text vs description on the App Store
Promotional text (170 characters, change any time) vs description (4,000, ships with a version): where each shows, search impact, and 10 example texts.
Read the guide · 7 min readTestFlight guide: internal and external testing, public links and limits
How TestFlight works in 2026: 100 internal and 10,000 external testers, beta review, public links, the 90-day build limit and 'no builds available' fixes.
Read the guide · 5 min readThe App Store keyword field: fill all 100 bytes without waste
How to fill the App Store Connect keyword field: Apple's rules, byte counting, a before/after example, dedupe against name and subtitle, and second locales.
Read the guide · 7 min readWhat is App Store Connect? Sections, roles and API keys
App Store Connect explained: what each section does (Apps, TestFlight, Analytics, Payments, Users and Access), the user roles, and API keys.
Read the guide · 4 min readGoogle Play
Google Play store listing: title, short and full description
Google Play store listing limits (title 30, short description 80, full description 4,000), metadata policy rules, graphics specs and Play Console steps.
Read the guide · 10 min readGoogle Play full description: 4,000 characters, repetition and formatting
How to write the Google Play full description: the 4,000-character limit, safe keyword repetition, formatting, the first paragraph and a template.
Read the guide · 5 min readGoogle Play short description: 80 characters, with examples
The Google Play short description: the 80-character limit, what Google allows, 24 policy-safe examples with character counts, and how to test it.
Read the guide · 7 min readGoogle Play store listing experiments: rules and duration
Google Play store listing experiments: types, limits, target metrics, minimum detectable effect, setup, duration, and Apple PPO compared.
Read the guide · 7 min readGoogle Play custom store listings: target by country, keyword and lapsed users
Google Play custom store listings: up to 50 per app, every targeting option (country, keywords, lapsed users, buyers, ads), setup and Apple CPP compared.
Read the guide · 7 min readAndroid vitals and visibility: the 1.09% crash and 0.47% ANR thresholds
Android vitals thresholds (1.09% crash rate, 0.47% ANR, 8% per device), the 28-day window, DAU/MAU and user loss warnings, and what to fix first.
Read the guide · 6 min readGoogle Play promotional content (LiveOps): events, offers and featuring
Google Play promotional content (LiveOps): eligibility, content types, submission timing, featuring quotas, text rules and App Store in-app events compared.
Read the guide · 8 min readGoogle Play developer account: cost, personal or organization, and verification
Open a Google Play developer account: the one-time 25 USD fee, personal or organization, D-U-N-S, identity and device checks, and common blockers.
Read the guide · 4 min readGoogle Play internal vs closed vs open testing
Google Play's three testing tracks compared: tester limits, how testers join, which track counts for the 12-tester rule, and 'item not found' fixes.
Read the guide · 3 min readGoogle Play review time in 2026: how long it takes
How long Google Play review takes in 2026: what Google's help pages say (up to 7 days or longer), production access, promotional content, managed publishing.
Read the guide · 4 min readGoogle Play screenshot, feature graphic and icon sizes (2026)
Every Google Play graphic spec in one table: icon 512×512, feature graphic 1024×500, screenshots 320–3,840 px, tablet and Chromebook rules, video and alt text.
Read the guide · 8 min readGoogle Play's 12 testers for 14 days rule: who it applies to and how to pass
Google Play's closed test rule for new personal accounts: 12 opted-in testers for 14 days, setup, the production access questions and the risks.
Read the guide · 6 min readHow to publish an app on Google Play, step by step (2026)
Publish an Android app on Google Play in 2026: the 25 USD account, creating the app, App content, store listing, the 12-tester rule, API 36 and review.
Read the guide · 9 min readWhat is Google Play Console? What to fill in on day one
Google Play Console explained: the main sections, the App content declarations to complete before review, users and permissions, and API access.
Read the guide · 4 min readAds: Apple Ads and Google App Campaigns
Apple Ads (formerly Apple Search Ads) setup, step by step
Set up Apple Ads step by step: account, App Store Connect link, Basic vs Advanced, bid strategies, the four-campaign structure and a first-two-weeks checklist.
Read the guide · 11 min readApple Ads ad variations with custom product pages
How to use custom product pages in Apple Ads: ad variations per keyword theme, deep links on iOS 18+, measurement in App Analytics and the limits to know.
Read the guide · 6 min readApple Ads campaign structure: brand, category, competitor and discovery
Apple's four-campaign template for search results ads, a worked example, the weekly discovery-to-exact routine and the negative keyword cross-list.
Read the guide · 6 min readApple Ads cost: CPT bids, budgets and the CPI math
How Apple Ads pricing works: max CPT as a ceiling, relevance plus bid, daily budget × 30.4, and how to get from cost per tap to CPI and ROAS with your own data.
Read the guide · 7 min readApple Ads match types: broad, exact and Search Match
Apple Ads match types explained with Apple's own examples: broad, exact, Search Match and negative keywords, and which to use in each campaign.
Read the guide · 5 min readGoogle Ads App campaigns: setup, assets and bidding
How Google Ads App campaigns work: installs, engagement and pre-registration, asset sizes, bid strategies, budget-to-bid ratios and the first 100 conversions.
Read the guide · 7 min readRatings and reviews
Asking for ratings on iOS: RequestReviewAction and SKStoreReviewController
Ask for App Store ratings the right way: the 3-per-365-days limit, SwiftUI requestReview, UIKit AppStore.requestReview(in:), timing and TestFlight.
Read the guide · 4 min readGoogle Play In-App Review API: rules, quota and code
How the Google Play In-App Review API works: device requirements, the unpublished quota, what you may not ask, Kotlin and Unity code, and testing.
Read the guide · 4 min readHow to get more app ratings and reviews, within the rules
Ten allowed ways to get more App Store and Google Play ratings, what each store forbids (incentives, fake reviews, gated prompts) and why buying backfires.
Read the guide · 4 min readNegative reviews and rating drops: what to do and what not to do
Diagnose a rating drop on the App Store or Google Play, decide on an App Store rating reset, handle reviews you can't delete, and stay within store rules.
Read the guide · 5 min readReplying to app reviews: 25 templates for the App Store and Google Play
How to reply to App Store and Google Play reviews: where, the platform rules (Play's 350 characters, Apple's 24 hours), a triage routine and 25 templates.
Read the guide · 8 min readLocalization
App Store localization languages by country
Every App Store storefront with its default and additional languages, as App Store Connect Help lists them, plus the extra keyword locale practice and risks.
Read the guide · 11 min readApp store localization: local search terms, not translation
How to localize App Store and Google Play listings: which fields, how each store picks the language, Play translation options and per-country measurement.
Read the guide · 9 min readWhich countries should you localize your app for first?
A scored method to pick which App Store and Google Play countries to localize first from your downloads, search demand, competition and revenue, plus a test.
Read the guide · 5 min readGrowth and revenue
App launch checklist: from 6 weeks out to launch day
A dated app launch checklist for both stores: testing rules, featuring lead times, pre-orders, events, store assets and what to watch after launch.
Read the guide · 5 min readApp Store and Google Play commission rates in 2026, with worked examples
Apple's 30% and 15% rates and Google Play's 2026 fees by region (new vs existing installs, 10–25% plus a 5% billing fee), with worked examples.
Read the guide · 7 min readApp Store pricing: price points, country prices and scheduled changes
App Store pricing now: 800 price points (100 more up to $10,000), a base country with automatic prices in 175 storefronts, manual and scheduled changes.
Read the guide · 4 min readApp Store subscription offers: introductory, promotional, offer codes and win-back
The four App Store subscription offers side by side: who gets them, where they show, limits and setup steps, plus a decision tree for which one to use when.
Read the guide · 7 min readGoogle Play subscriptions: base plans, offers and discounts
How Google Play subscriptions work: subscription, base plans and offers, eligibility types, trial and intro phases, limits and the subscriptions policy.
Read the guide · 5 min readHow apps make money: subscriptions, in-app purchases, ads and paid apps
The four ways apps earn on the App Store and Google Play, a decision tree to pick one, the store payment rules (3.1.1, 3.1.2, Play billing) and metrics.
Read the guide · 5 min readHow to create App Store offer codes
Create App Store offer codes step by step: one-time-use and custom codes, 1 million a quarter, 6-month expiry, eligibility, and how promo codes differ.
Read the guide · 5 min readHow to get your app featured on the App Store and Google Play
Featuring nominations in App Store Connect (lead time, types, 5 links) and featuring requests in Google Play promotional content (14 days, quotas).
Read the guide · 5 min readHow to increase app downloads: 15 organic and paid levers
15 ways to get more App Store and Google Play downloads, sorted by effort and reach, with the official store tool and the measurement for each.
Read the guide · 7 min readHow to market an app: a plan with and without a budget
An app marketing plan: listing first, then store features, web and AI answers, community and paid ads, each with what to measure and one message.
Read the guide · 5 min readPre-registration on Google Play and pre-orders on the App Store
Collect demand before launch: App Store pre-orders (2–180 days, auto-download) and Google Play pre-registration (90 days, auto-install, rewards).
Read the guide · 6 min readWin-back offers: bring lapsed subscribers back
App Store win-back offers: eligibility rules, 350 per subscription, 5 live per storefront, where they appear, how to promote them, and Google Play.
Read the guide · 4 min readStore policies and rejections
App Store rejection reasons and fixes (2026), guideline by guideline
The most common App Store rejections, guideline by guideline: what each message means, how to fix it, how to reply to App Review and when to appeal.
Read the guide · 8 min readEU Digital Services Act (DSA) trader status on the App Store
Trader or not under the EU DSA: who must declare, what App Store Connect asks for, what appears on your product page and the exact steps to declare.
Read the guide · 5 min readApp Store metadata rejections: Guidelines 2.3.3, 2.3.7, 2.3.10 and 2.3.12
The App Store metadata rules behind most text and screenshot rejections, quoted exactly, with Apple's screenshot majority rule, keyword field rules and fixes.
Read the guide · 6 min readGoogle Play app or account suspended: what to do
Removal, suspension, restriction or termination on Google Play: what each costs you, how to appeal from Policy status and how to avoid another strike.
Read the guide · 6 min readGoogle Play metadata policy: emojis, ALL CAPS and "#1" in titles
What Google Play's Metadata policy bans in titles, short descriptions, icons and graphics: banned vs allowed examples, keyword stuffing rules and the fix.
Read the guide · 6 min readGoogle Play rejections and policy violations: a fix table
Why Google Play rejects, removes or suspends apps, what each action does to your account, a policy-by-policy fix table, resubmission steps and appeal rules.
Read the guide · 10 min readGoogle Play target API level 2026: the Android 16 (API 36) requirement
Since August 31, 2026 new apps and updates must target API 36 (Wear OS, Automotive 35; TV, XR 34). Rules by form factor, how to change targetSdk, user impact.
Read the guide · 4 min readGuideline 2.1 App Completeness and "Information Needed": how to fix it
What App Review Guideline 2.1(a) and 2.1(b) say, how to answer an Information Needed message, a demo account and IAP checklist, and review notes templates.
Read the guide · 7 min readGuideline 3.1.1 In-App Purchase rejections: what needs IAP and what doesn't
What needs in-app purchase under Guideline 3.1.1, what may use other payment, the 3.1.1(a) link rules and US storefront exception, and 3.1.2 subscriptions.
Read the guide · 7 min readGuideline 4.0 Design and 4.2 Minimum Functionality rejections
What App Review Guidelines 4.0 Design and 4.2 Minimum Functionality say word for word, why webview wrappers and template apps fail, and a checklist.
Read the guide · 6 min readGuideline 4.3 spam rejections: 4.3(a) vs 4.3(b) and how to fix them
What App Review Guideline 4.3(a) and 4.3(b) Design Spam say word for word, how they differ, the evidence that sets an app apart, and a reply skeleton.
Read the guide · 7 min readGuideline 5.1.1: data collection, sign-in and account deletion rejections
All ten parts of App Review Guideline 5.1.1 in one table, the account deletion and sign-in rules of 5.1.1(v), purpose strings, 5.1.1(ix) and a fix checklist.
Read the guide · 7 min readHow to fill in Google Play’s Data safety form
Fill in the Play Console Data safety form step by step: collect vs share, exemptions, SDK-by-SDK table, privacy policy and deletion URLs, common mistakes.
Read the guide · 8 min readHow to fill in the App Store age rating
Set an App Store age rating step by step: questionnaire sections, what leads to 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, 18+ or Unrated, Made for Kids, overrides, rejection risks.
Read the guide · 6 min readReplying to App Review and appealing to the App Review Board
When to reply, resubmit, appeal, expedite or accept a Bug Fix Submission offer after an App Store rejection, with Apple's appeal rules and a template.
Read the guide · 6 min readTools and methodology
How Uptika measures every number
How Uptika measures keyword popularity (autocomplete prefix walk), difficulty (top 10 rating counts and titles), visibility (popularity-weighted tap-share curve) and the 0–100 ASO and Uptika scores, with every weight and limit.
Read the guide · 10 min readHow keyword rank tracking works on the App Store and Google Play
How to check an app's keyword ranking on the App Store and Google Play, why your phone shows a different rank, what moves ranks and how to read a daily series.
Read the guide · 11 min readApp competitor analysis: read rivals' keywords and listing changes
How to pick app store rivals, read their listings, infer their keywords, log their changes, and why rival names never belong in your metadata.
Read the guide · 6 min readApp review analysis: turn complaints into a release plan
A practical method to analyze App Store and Google Play reviews: a tagging scheme, what the stores' summaries miss, and a 30-minute weekly routine.
Read the guide · 5 min readApp Store Connect analytics: impressions, page views and conversion explained
App Store Connect Analytics metrics and source types defined, why it says not enough data, how fresh data is, and how to read CPP and PPO results.
Read the guide · 8 min readApp store conversion rate: how it is calculated and what counts as good
How App Store Connect and Play Console calculate conversion rate, why to split it by source, Apple's only published average (1.6%) and peer benchmarks.
Read the guide · 7 min readGetting your app recommended by AI answer engines (GEO for apps)
GEO for apps: what Apple says about store text on the web, one consistent name and description, an answer-first site layout and a weekly prompt set.
Read the guide · 6 min readHow to measure the impact of an ASO change
A before-and-after ASO method: change log, fixed reading window, visibility, controls for season, ads, algorithm shifts and rivals, and store experiments.
Read the guide · 7 min readHow to read Play Console store performance and acquisition reports
Where Play Console keeps listing visitors, clicks, CTR, acquisitions, traffic sources and search terms, what each means, and what changed in 2026.
Read the guide · 7 min readNo guide matches your search.