How to write an App Store description

The fields and their limits

The listing is several fields, each with its own cap, and each does a different job:

• App name, up to 30 characters. Your brand, sometimes with two or three words of context.
• Subtitle, up to 30 characters. A short line under the name that adds value and search weight.
• Promotional text, up to 170 characters. A blurb at the top of the description that you can change anytime without submitting a new version.
• Description, up to 4000 characters. The full explanation of what the app does.
• Keywords, up to 100 characters total, comma separated. This is the search field, and it is private, not shown to users.

Knowing which fields Apple indexes for search matters: the name, subtitle, and keyword field carry search weight, while the description body does not. That is why the description should read like persuasive copy, not a keyword list. The app store optimization guide goes deeper on the keyword side.

A structure that works

Most readers decide in the first few lines, so front-load the value:

1. Open with the core benefit. State plainly what the app does and who it is for in the first line or two, since that is what shows before the more button.
2. Follow with a short list of key features. Scannable lines, each tied to a benefit rather than a raw feature name.
3. Add proof if you have it. A real award, a notable number, or a credible mention. Do not invent these.
4. Close with what to do next and any context on pricing or what a subscription includes, if relevant.

Write in plain language. Avoid hype words and long unbroken paragraphs, because they are skipped on a phone screen. Short lines and clear structure read far better at that size.

Keep it accurate and current

A description has to match the app. Apple can reject a listing that describes features the app does not have, references other platforms, mentions competitors by name, or includes pricing that does not match what the app charges. Two practical habits help:

• Use promotional text for anything time sensitive, like a seasonal note or a current offer, because you can change it without resubmitting.
• Revise the description with each new version when features change, so the copy never drifts ahead of what is shipping.

Honest, specific copy also reduces refunds and bad reviews, because the people who install know what they are getting.

Where AppFlight fits

AppFlight includes a marketing autopilot with app store optimization, so it can draft the description, subtitle, and keyword field for your app based on what it actually does. You edit and approve the copy rather than starting from a blank page, and the wording stays consistent with the app icon and screenshots AppFlight generates for the same listing. The final call on every claim stays yours, since the description has to match the app Apple reviews.