Promotional text vs description on the App Store
App Store promotional text is a field of up to 170 characters that appears above your description and can be changed at any time without a new app version, while the description holds up to 4,000 characters and changes with a version; Apple says promotional text does not affect search ranking, and the description is not among the fields it lists for App Store search.
Promotional text and the description sit next to each other on the product page but do different jobs. Promotional text is a 170-character slot at the top that you can rewrite any day, for news and timely reasons to download. The description is the 4,000-character explanation of the app that changes only with a version. Neither is how people find you in App Store search.
What is the difference between promotional text and the description?
Promotional text is short, on top and changeable at any time; the description is long, below it and tied to a version. The full comparison, from Apple's help pages:
| Promotional text | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Limit | 170 characters | 4,000 characters |
| Format | Short text | Plain text with line breaks, no HTML |
| Where it shows | At the top of the description on the product page | On the product page and when users install the app |
| Change without a new version? | Yes: Apple says you can update it at any time | Plan on no: it is a version field, and Apple names only promotional text as editable without a new submission |
| App Store search ranking | Apple: it does not affect search ranking | Not among the fields Apple lists for App Store search; Apple asks you not to add unnecessary keywords to it |
| Web search | Not stated | Apple: used for web search engine results once the app is released |
| Required? | Not marked as required | Yes, and it can be localized |
| Different text on a custom product page? | Yes, each custom product page can have its own | No, custom product pages vary screenshots, previews, promotional text and keywords only |
| Shown to | Devices on iOS 11 or later | Everyone viewing the product page |
Both fields are on the version page in App Store Connect: in Apps, choose the app, open the platform version in the sidebar, and pick the language from the menu at the top right. Promotional text stays editable after the version is live; the description waits for your next version. All other App Store limits are in App Store and Google Play character limits.
Does promotional text help App Store search?
No. Apple says it plainly on two pages: promotional text does not affect your app's search ranking and should not be used to display keywords. The fields Apple names for search are the app name, the subtitle, the keyword field and your primary and secondary category. Apple's product page guide also asks you not to add unnecessary keywords to the description to improve search results. So write both for people. Search terms belong in the app name, the subtitle and the keyword field.
When should I use promotional text?
Use it for anything that is true now and may not be true next month. Apple suggests sharing the latest news about your app, such as limited-time sales or upcoming features. Good reasons:
- A new feature that shipped in the current version.
- A season when people need your app more: the new year, exam weeks, summer travel, tax time.
- An in-app event that is live or about to start; see in-app events.
- A content drop: new levels, recipes, lessons or templates.
- A coming feature, if you are sure it will ship.
- An accolade you actually received: Apple recommends putting accolades at the end of the description or in the promotional text.
Because it sits above the description, promotional text is often the first text a visitor reads in that section. Apple calls the first sentence of the description the most important, since it is what people read without tapping "more"; the same logic applies to promotional text.
What should the description do instead?
The description explains the app for good. Apple suggests a concise, informative paragraph followed by a short list of main features, in your brand's tone, with the strongest point first. Keep anything that expires out of it, because changing it means waiting for a version. The step-by-step method is in how to write an app description, and version-by-version changes go in What's New; see release notes.
Ten promotional text examples
Each example below is for an invented app, uses no prices and fits in 170 characters (counted with Node.js). Adapt the pattern, not the words.
| Use | Example | Characters |
|---|---|---|
| New year | New year, small steps: start a 30-day routine with ready-made plans for sleep, water and reading. Check in once a day and watch your streak grow. | 145 |
| Feature launch | New: shared budgets. Invite your partner, split bills and see every expense in one list, updated on both phones as you spend. | 125 |
| In-app event | Join the Spring Step Challenge, live from 1 to 14 April: walk 8,000 steps a day, earn badges and compare progress with friends. | 127 |
| Exam season | Exam season is here. Build a revision plan in two minutes, get reminders before each session and track what you have covered by subject. | 136 |
| Summer travel | Travelling this summer? Pick a destination and trip length, and get a packing list that adjusts to the weather forecast. Works offline. | 135 |
| Content drop | Autumn recipes are in: 40 new one-pot dishes ready in 30 minutes or less, each with a shopping list you can send to your notes. | 127 |
| Answer to feedback | You asked, we built it: recurring tasks. Set a task once and your list refills every morning, so nothing slips through. | 119 |
| Coming soon | Coming next month: dark mode and Apple Watch support. Turn on automatic updates to get them the day they arrive. | 112 |
| New languages | Now in Turkish and German. The app follows your phone's language, or you can switch any time in Settings. | 105 |
| Tax time | Tax deadline coming up? Scan receipts with your camera, tag them by category and export a clean report for your accountant in one tap. | 134 |
Patterns that work: lead with the news in a few words, then say what the reader gets, then one concrete detail. Patterns to avoid: a list of keywords (it does not rank), prices that may change by country, superlatives you cannot prove (guideline 2.3.7 warns against unverifiable claims in subtitles and against misleading metadata in general), and dates that will be out of date before you edit them.
Can a custom product page have its own promotional text?
Yes. Apple lets each custom product page, up to 70 per app, have its own screenshots, app previews, promotional text and keywords, each page with a unique URL. That makes promotional text the one text field you can tailor to an ad or a campaign audience. Custom product page metadata goes to review independently of an app update. Apple's help for custom product pages does not give a separate character limit for their promotional text, so write to the same 170. More in custom product pages.
Common mistakes
- Leaving promotional text empty. It costs nothing to fill and can change any day.
- Filling it with keywords. Apple says it does not affect ranking.
- Putting expiring news in the description. You cannot fix it until the next version.
- Forgetting to update it. An event that ended last month makes the page look abandoned.
- Using one message for every market. Seasons, holidays and exam weeks differ by country; write the news for each language you publish in.
How can Uptika help?
Paste your promotional text and description into the free Metadata Linter: it checks both against their limits (170 and 4,000 characters), and flags repeated words and brand or claim risks before you publish. To see how a live product page uses each field, paste its link into Listing X-Ray. The panel is free to start: create an account.
Questions
What is promotional text on the App Store?
It is a short text of up to 170 characters that appears at the top of the description on your product page. Apple made it for current news, such as limited-time sales or upcoming features, and lets you update it at any time without submitting a new version.
Promotional text vs description: what is the difference?
Promotional text is 170 characters, sits above the description and changes without a new version. The description is up to 4,000 characters of plain text, explains the app in full and is a version field. Custom product pages can have their own promotional text, but not their own description.
What is the promotional text character limit?
Up to 170 characters. It is counted in characters, so letters such as ş or ü count as one, unlike the keyword field, which is counted in bytes.
Is promotional text indexed for search?
No. Apple says promotional text does not affect your app's search ranking and should not be used to display keywords. Put search terms in the app name, subtitle and keyword field instead.
What are good promotional text examples?
Good promotional text says one current thing: a new feature, a seasonal use, a live event or a content drop, followed by what the reader gets. See the ten examples on this page, each under 170 characters.