App Store In-App Events: How to Use Them (Specs and Examples)
Learn how App Store in-app events work: event cards, badges, metadata limits, image and video specs, timing rules and examples you can adapt for your app.
ScreenShipper team · · 8 min read
Quick answer: In-app events are timely happenings inside your app, such as challenges, competitions, premieres or major updates, that you promote on the App Store with an event card. They can appear on your product page, in search and in editorial and personalized recommendations. You create them in App Store Connect with a badge, a 30-character name, short and long descriptions, 16:9 and 9:16 media, and a run time of up to 31 days.
What In-App Events Are and Where They Appear
An in-app event is something time-bound that happens in your app: a fitness challenge, a game season, a live session, a new course premiere. The App Store gives each event its own card, which makes your listing feel current and gives people a reason to download or come back now.
Apple lists three places events can show up:
- Your product page: all of your currently published events.
- Search: event cards appear with your app for people who already have it (others see your screenshots), and anyone can find an event by searching for it directly.
- Today, Games and Apps tabs: in editorially curated selections and personalized recommendations.
Each event has two parts:
| Part | What it shows | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Event card | Image or video, event name, short description | Product page, search, recommendations |
| Event details page | Longer description, whether an In-App Purchase or subscription is required, share and "notify me" options | Opens when someone taps the card |
People can opt in to a notification when the event starts, which turns interest today into an app open later. In-app events aren't just for games: any app with something timely to announce can use them.
Event Badges and When to Use Each One
Every event gets one badge, which tells people what kind of event it is.
| Badge | Use it for | Hypothetical example |
|---|---|---|
| Challenge | A goal people work toward before the event ends | A 30-day core workout challenge |
| Competition | People competing against each other for ranking or rewards | A weekly word game leaderboard |
| Live Event | Something happening in real time that everyone joins together | A live guitar play-along session |
| Major Update | Significant new features, content or experiences | A new planning mode in a to-do app |
| New Season | A new season of content | Season 3 of a strategy game |
| Premiere | The first availability of new content | A new photography course |
| Special Event | A limited-time event that doesn't fit the other badges | A holiday baking week in a recipe app |
Pick the badge that honestly describes the event. Apple's review guidance asks that event metadata accurately describe the event, not your app in general.
In-App Event Metadata and Media Specs
Text fields
| Field | Limit | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Event name | 30 characters | Title case |
| Short description (event card) | 50 characters | Sentence case |
| Long description (details page) | 120 characters | Sentence case |
Media
| Media | File types | Aspect ratio | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event card image | .jpg, .jpeg, .png | 16:9 | 1920 × 1080 px | 3840 × 2160 px |
| Event card video | .mov, .m4v, .mp4 | 16:9 | 1920 × 1080 px, 30 or 60 fps | 3840 × 2160 px, 30 or 60 fps |
| Details page image | .jpg, .jpeg, .png | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 px | 2160 × 3840 px |
| Details page video | .mov, .m4v, .mp4 | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 px, 30 or 60 fps | 2160 × 3840 px, 30 or 60 fps |
Videos autoplay and repeat, so Apple recommends a seamless loop. Apple also advises against text or logos in event media and against adding borders or gradients.
Limits and settings
- Approved events: up to 15 in App Store Connect at one time.
- Published events: up to 10 on the App Store per app at one time.
- Duration: an event can last up to 31 days.
- Promotion window: you can promote an event up to 14 days before it starts.
- Event purpose: appropriate for all users, attract new users, keep active users informed, or bring back lapsed users. This guides personalized recommendations and isn't shown to users.
- Priority: events are shown by start time, soonest first; high-priority events appear ahead of normal ones.
- Deep link: where people land when they tap Open. Apple recommends universal links and advises against URL shorteners and redirects.
How to Create an In-App Event Step by Step
- Plan the event in your app first. Decide the dates, what people will do and which screen the event opens.
- Open your app in App Store Connect and go to In-App Events.
- Choose the badge and write the event name, short description and long description for each localization.
- Upload event card and details page media, image or video, in the specs above.
- Set the purpose, priority and dates, including when promotion should begin.
- Add the deep link and test it on a device before you submit.
- Submit for review. Events can be reviewed independently of a new app version.
- Support the event elsewhere, for example with timely promotional text and posts that link to your product page.
Warning: Don't put specific prices in event metadata; Apple says that leads to rejection. Also avoid unverifiable claims like "the best," all caps, repeated punctuation and filler words such as "game event."
In-App Event Examples by Category
These examples are for hypothetical apps. Each name fits in 30 characters and each short description in 50.
| Category | Badge | Event name | Short description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health & Fitness | Challenge | 30-Day Core Challenge | Build a daily habit with 10-minute workouts |
| Word game | Competition | Winter Word Cup | Climb the weekly leaderboard for rare tiles |
| Music | Live Event | Sunday Night Jam Session | Play along live with guitarists worldwide |
| Productivity | Major Update | Meet Focus Blocks | Turn your to-do list into a focused day |
| Strategy game | New Season | Season 3: Iron Tides | New maps, new units and ranked rewards |
| Education | Premiere | Street Photography Course | A new 8-lesson course on shooting candids |
| Food & Drink | Special Event | Holiday Baking Week | Seven days of cookies, breads and pies |
| Language learning | Challenge | Spring Speaking Streak | Practice speaking every day for two weeks |
| Finance | Challenge | Budget Reset Week | Plan next month in five short daily steps |
Notice the pattern: the name says what the event is, and the short description says what people will do or get. No prices, no "#1," no exclamation marks.
Best Practices for In-App Events
- Make it truly timely. An event needs a start and end that matter. Evergreen features dressed up as events don't fit Apple's rules.
- Use the purpose field deliberately. A comeback challenge aimed at lapsed users and a beginner event aimed at new users can run side by side.
- Build a calendar. Seasons, holidays and your own release schedule give you a steady rhythm of events. Pair big ones with seasonal App Store screenshots.
- Use the 14-day lead time. Promoting before the start lets people tap "notify me" and builds anticipation.
- Design media for the card size. The card is small in search; one clear subject without text works better than a busy scene.
- Localize. Translate the name and descriptions for each market where the event makes sense.
Measuring In-App Event Results
App Store Connect Analytics reports in-app event performance alongside your other acquisition data:
- Downloads, which you can filter by event.
- Acquisition sources, showing where people discovered the event.
- Engagement: event impressions, event details page views and app opens.
- How many people opted in to be notified when the event starts.
Compare downloads and app opens during event periods with similar periods without events. Our App Store Connect Analytics guide explains the reports, and the App Store Optimization guide shows where events fit in a full strategy.
Is there a Google Play equivalent?
Google Play Console offers promotional content, covering events, offers and major updates, for all games and for apps that meet Google's eligibility criteria. Its rules and limits differ from Apple's, so check Play Console Help before planning a cross-platform event. Our Google Play store listing guide covers the rest of the Play listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can an App Store in-app event run?
Up to 31 days. You can start promoting it up to 14 days before the start date.
How many in-app events can I have at once?
Apple allows up to 15 approved events in App Store Connect and up to 10 published on the App Store per app at the same time.
Do in-app events require a new app version?
No. You can submit events for review independently of an app update, as long as the event content already exists in your live app.
What size is the in-app event card image?
The event card uses a 16:9 image or video from 1920 × 1080 px up to 3840 × 2160 px. The details page uses 9:16 media from 1080 × 1920 px up to 2160 × 3840 px.
Can non-game apps use in-app events?
Yes. Badges like Challenge, Major Update, Premiere and Special Event suit fitness, education, productivity, food and many other categories.
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