# How to write an app description: templates for the App Store and Google Play

> An app description is the up-to-4,000-character text on your store page; on the App Store it is plain text that Apple uses for web search results but not among the fields it lists for App Store search, while on Google Play Google tells you to write it with search best practices and without repeated keywords, so the same app needs a different description on each store.

Uptika team · Published: 2026-11-05 · Last updated: 2026-11-05 · https://uptika.app/en/guides/how-to-write-an-app-description

Both stores give you 4,000 characters for the description, but they use it differently. On the App Store the description sells to people who already opened your page and feeds web search results; App Store search itself relies on other fields. On Google Play, Google tells you to apply SEO best practices to the description, so wording matters for search as well as for the reader.

## How does the description's role differ between the stores?

The limit is the same; the job is not.

| | App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| Field | Description | Full description |
| Limit | 4,000 characters | 4,000 characters, same for full-width and half-width characters |
| Format | Plain text with line breaks, HTML not supported | Not documented in the help pages we checked; Google warns against improper formatting |
| App store search | Not among the fields Apple lists for text relevance (title, subtitle, keywords, primary category) | Google's search guide says to use SEO best practices in the description |
| Web search | Used for web search engine results once the app is released | The store page is a public web page |
| Keyword warning | "Don't add unnecessary keywords to your description" | Repetitive or irrelevant keywords can lead to suspension |
| Text above it | Promotional text, up to 170 characters, changes without a new version | Short description, up to 80 characters |
| Required | Yes, per localization | Part of the main store listing |

Two practical rules follow. On the App Store, put search terms in the [name](https://uptika.app/en/guides/app-name), [subtitle](https://uptika.app/en/guides/app-store-subtitle) and [keyword field](https://uptika.app/en/guides/app-store-keyword-field), and write the description for people. On Google Play, use the terms people search for naturally in the description, a few times, never as a list.

## What should the first paragraph say?

The first sentence is the most important, by Apple's own guidance: it is what people read without tapping to read more. Google gives the same advice for its store page, asking for the most important text on the top half of the page where people do not have to scroll.

Use a first paragraph that answers three questions in two sentences:

`[App] is a [category] app for [audience] that [main outcome]. It [two or three key features, in user words].`

Example for an invented app: "Notara is a note-taking app for students and busy professionals that turns scattered notes into one searchable library. It scans handwritten pages, sorts notes into lists automatically and syncs across your devices."

This pattern also suits AI assistants and answer engines. When an assistant explains what an app does, a self-contained sentence that names the category, audience and outcome is easy to quote correctly. This is a practical observation, not a documented store rule; see [how apps appear in AI search answers](https://uptika.app/en/guides/ai-search-app-recommendations) for the wider picture.

## How do you structure the rest?

After the opening, a scannable structure works on both stores:

1. **Opening:** the two-sentence pattern above.
2. **Key features:** three to five short lines, each starting with the benefit.
3. **Details:** how it works, who it suits, what makes it different. Keep claims verifiable.
4. **Plans and terms:** if you sell subscriptions, say what the plans include. Avoid quoting prices that differ by country.
5. **Support:** where to get help or send feedback.

Apple's product page advice is to highlight features and functionality, focus on what is unique, and remember that every word counts. Google's best practices ask for an accurate, succinct description and tell you not to repeat your short description in the full description.

## App Store description template

Replace the brackets. Keep the lines that are true for your app.

[App] is a [category] app for [audience] that [main outcome]. It [key feature one] and [key feature two].

[One sentence on the problem it solves, in the words your users use.]

- [Benefit-first feature line]
- [Benefit-first feature line]
- [Benefit-first feature line]
- [Benefit-first feature line]

[Short paragraph: how it works or what makes it different. Only claims you can back up.]

[Plans: what the free version includes and what a subscription adds. Required subscription terms and links, as your legal setup demands.]

Questions or ideas? [Support contact or in-app location].

Because the description changes only with a new version on the App Store, put time-limited news in [promotional text](https://uptika.app/en/guides/promotional-text-vs-description), which you can change at any time.

## Google Play description template

Google tells you to use SEO best practices in the description, so name your main use cases in the plain words people search. Use each main term where it fits naturally, not as a list.

[App] helps [audience] [main outcome]. [Second sentence naming the main use case in the words people search.]

[Short paragraph that expands on the main use case and mentions a second use case naturally.]

- [Feature: benefit, using a term people search]
- [Feature: benefit]
- [Feature: benefit]
- [Feature: benefit]

[Paragraph on who it suits and what makes it different.]

[Plans and what each includes.]

[Support contact.]

The short description above it has 80 characters and is the first text people see on your page; do not repeat it word for word in the full description. The [Google Play store listing guide](https://uptika.app/en/guides/google-play-store-listing) covers the other fields, and the [full description guide](https://uptika.app/en/guides/google-play-full-description) goes deeper on Play-specific wording.

## A worked example

An invented habit tracker, App Store version, opening and features:

> Habitra is a habit tracker for people who want small daily routines to stick. It reminds you at the right moment, tracks streaks and shows weekly progress in one simple view.

- Build routines in minutes with ready-made habit plans
- Get reminders at the time and place that suit you
- See streaks and weekly progress at a glance
- Keep your data private, with no account needed to start

On Google Play, the same app would open with the same outcome but name the searched terms more directly, for example "habit tracker", "daily routine" and "reminders", each used once or twice in natural sentences.

## Common description mistakes

- **Keyword stuffing.** Apple advises against unnecessary keywords; Google says repetitive or irrelevant keywords can lead to suspension.
- **Starting with history or awards.** The first sentence should say what the app does.
- **Claims you cannot prove.** "Best", "#1" and ranking claims are forbidden in Play titles, icons and developer names, and Google's metadata policy rules out misleading metadata in general.
- **Anonymous testimonials.** Google does not allow unattributed or anonymous user testimonials in the description.
- **Other apps' names.** Both stores treat references to other apps as a risk; Google's guidance warns against misleading or irrelevant references to other apps or products.
- **HTML or heavy formatting on the App Store.** The field is plain text.
- **One description for all languages.** Each localization deserves its own text written for that market; see [App Store localization](https://uptika.app/en/guides/app-store-localization).
- **Copying the short description into the full description on Play.** Google advises against it.

## Checklist before you publish

- First sentence: what it is, for whom, the main outcome.
- Three to five feature lines, benefit first.
- Within 4,000 characters per language.
- Plain text on the App Store; succinct, well-spaced text on Google Play.
- No keyword lists, no unverifiable claims, no anonymous testimonials, no other apps' names.
- On Google Play: main search terms used naturally; short description not repeated.
- Each localization written for its own market.
- Time-limited news in promotional text (App Store), not in the description.

All field limits in one place: [App Store character limits](https://uptika.app/en/guides/app-store-character-limits). For version text, see [release notes](https://uptika.app/en/guides/release-notes); for a different description per audience, see [custom product pages](https://uptika.app/en/guides/custom-product-pages).

## How Uptika helps

Run your draft through the free [Metadata Linter](https://uptika.app/en/tools/metadata-linter): it checks character limits, repeated words, singular and plural pairs, and brand or claim risks in your browser. Once the page is live, "AI echo" on the Starter plan checks whether AI assistants name your app in their answers and at what position, so you can see whether a clearer first paragraph changes that. You can [start free](https://uptika.app/app/#/?signup=1) and add Starter when you need it.

## Questions

### How do you write an App Store description?

Open with one sentence that says what the app is, who it is for and the main outcome, because Apple says the first sentence is what people read without tapping "more". Follow with three to five key features as short lines, then details, then subscription terms if you sell any. Keep it plain text and do not stuff keywords: Apple advises against adding unnecessary keywords to the description.

### What is the App Store description character limit?

Up to 4,000 characters, in plain text with line breaks; HTML is not supported. The description is required and can be localized, so each language has its own 4,000 characters. Google Play's full description is also 4,000 characters.

### Does the App Store description affect search ranking?

Apple lists title, subtitle, keywords and primary category as the text it matches for App Store search, and the description is not on that list. App Store Connect Help does say the description is used for web search engine results once the app is released. So write it for people and for web search, and put search terms in the name, subtitle and keyword field.

### How should a Google Play description be formatted?

Keep it succinct and straightforward, with the most important text at the top. Google's guidance warns against excessive length, improper formatting and repeated words, and against unattributed or anonymous user testimonials. Plain paragraphs and short lines are the safe choice.

### What are app description best practices?

Lead with the outcome, name features in the words users search for, keep claims verifiable, and keep one language per localization rather than machine-translating. On Google Play, use your main terms naturally a few times instead of repeating them, because repetitive or irrelevant keywords can lead to suspension.

## Sources

- [Platform version information (App Store Connect Help)](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information)
- [Creating your product page (Apple Developer)](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/)
- [App Store search (Apple Developer)](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/search/)
- [Create and set up your app (Play Console Help)](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9859152)
- [Metadata policy (Play Console Help)](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9898842)
- [Best practices for your store listing (Play Console Help)](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/13393723)
- [Get discovered on Google Play search (Play Console Help)](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/4448378)

## Free tools

- [Metadata Linter](https://uptika.app/en/tools/metadata-linter): Paste your store text: limits, repeats, singular/plural waste and policy risks, instantly, in your browser.
- [Listing X-Ray](https://uptika.app/en/tools/listing-x-ray): Holds a store listing's searchable fields against the store's own suggestions and the category's top 10.

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Uptika is an ASO and store-intelligence tool for the App Store and Google Play. https://uptika.app/en