The iOS Keyword Field: How to Use Apple's 100 Characters (2026)

Updated Oct 10, 2026

On this page (8 sections)

1. Quick answer: what the keyword field is
2. Characters vs bytes: what Apple's two docs say
3. Formatting rules (commas, no spaces, phrases)
4. What not to include
5. How name, subtitle and keywords work together
6. Using extra localizations for more keyword space
7. Pre-submit checklist
8. FAQ

The iOS keyword field is a hidden, 100-character box in App Store Connect where you list search terms for your app, separated by commas with no spaces. Users never see it, but Apple uses it with your app name and subtitle to decide which searches your app can appear for. Use it for relevant terms that aren't already in your name or subtitle.

This guide covers the exact rules, what to leave out, how the field works with your name and subtitle, and a checklist to run before every submission.

Quick answer: what the keyword field is

The keyword field is part of each app version's metadata in App Store Connect. It's required, it's localizable, and it's invisible on your product page. Apple's guidance is to pick words your audience would actually type, be specific about features, and weigh ranking for less common terms against ranking lower for popular ones. (Apple: Creating your product page)

How many characters is the iOS keyword field?

Apple's product page guide says keywords are limited to 100 characters. App Store Connect Help describes the limit as 100 bytes. For plain English letters, numbers and commas, those are the same thing. For accented letters and non-Latin scripts, each character can take more than one byte, so you'll fit fewer characters.

Characters vs bytes: what Apple's two docs say

Two Apple pages describe the same field slightly differently:

• Creating your product page (developer marketing guide): "limited to 100 characters total," with terms separated by commas and no spaces.
• App Store Connect Help: Platform version information: "up to 100 bytes of content," with each keyword longer than two characters.

Why it matters: in UTF-8 encoding, basic Latin characters use one byte each. Characters like é, ü or ñ use two. Most Japanese, Chinese and Korean characters use three. So a Japanese keyword list can hit the limit at roughly a third of 100 characters.

Practical rule: treat 100 bytes as the binding limit. If you're writing in English with no accents, count characters. For any other localization, check the byte count before you submit, and let App Store Connect's validation have the final word.

Formatting rules (commas, no spaces, phrases)

Apple's own formatting guidance is short:

• Separate terms with commas and no spaces. A space after a comma wastes a character.
• Spaces inside a phrase are fine. Apple's example: Property,House,Real Estate. (Apple)
• Each keyword should be longer than two characters, per App Store Connect Help.

Should I put spaces after commas in App Store keywords?

No. Apple says to separate keywords with commas and no spaces, so "budget,planner,tracker" is right and "budget, planner, tracker" wastes two characters. Spaces only belong inside a multi-word phrase you want kept together, such as "real estate." Every saved character is room for another relevant term.

Single words or phrases? Many ASO practitioners list single words and let the App Store combine them with words in your name and subtitle, because it fits more distinct terms into 100 characters. Apple doesn't publish exactly how combinations work, so treat this as a widely used practice, not a guarantee. Use a phrase when the words only make sense together.

What not to include

Apple lists words to avoid because they waste space, and words that can get your app rejected.

Wasted space (Apple; App Store Connect Help):

• Your app name and company name. Your app is already searchable by both.
• Plurals of words you've already listed in singular form.
• Category names and the word "app."
• Duplicate words, including words already in your name or subtitle.
• Special characters like # or @, unless they're part of your brand.

Rejection risk (Apple):

• Trademarked terms, celebrity names and other protected words you aren't authorized to use
• Competing app names, and other apps' or companies' names
• Irrelevant, inappropriate or offensive terms

Should keywords repeat words from my app name?

No. Apple says your app is already searchable by its name and company name, so repeating those words in the keyword field wastes characters. The same logic applies to your subtitle. Use the keyword field for relevant terms that don't appear in either, so all three fields together cover more searches.

How name, subtitle and keywords work together

Think of three fields as one budget:

Sources: Apple: Creating your product page; App Store Connect Help.

A simple split:

1. Name: your brand plus, if it reads naturally, your single most important term.
2. Subtitle: your main benefit in plain language, carrying your next strongest terms.
3. Keyword field: everything else relevant, with no repeats from the first two.

For a full walkthrough of the visible fields, see App name and subtitle keywords: what goes where.

Promotional text is not part of this budget. Apple says it doesn't affect search ranking, so don't use it for keywords. (Apple)

Can I change keywords without a new app version?

No. Keywords belong to the version metadata, so you can only change them when you submit a new app version for review. That's different from promotional text, which you can edit at any time. Plan keyword changes alongside your release schedule, and change a few terms at a time so you can see what moved.

Using extra localizations for more keyword space

Each App Store localization has its own name, subtitle and keyword field. Apple encourages you to localize keywords for each market you serve. (Apple)

Some ASO practitioners go further: they report that certain storefronts index more than one localization, so filling in an additional localization can add keyword coverage in that storefront. Apple does not publish an official list of which localizations each storefront indexes.

If you try this:

• Only use terms that are relevant to your app and appropriate for that language's users.
• Test in one storefront first, then check rankings for the added terms.
• Remember that real users in that language may see the localized name and subtitle, so they must read well.

For full market launches, see the new-market localization playbook.

Pre-submit checklist

Run this before every version you submit:

• Commas between terms, no spaces after commas
• Byte count under 100 for every localization (not just character count)
• Every keyword longer than two characters
• No app name, company name or words already in your name or subtitle
• No plural if the singular is already there
• No "app," no category names, no special characters
• No competitor names, trademarks or celebrity names
• Every term relevant to what the app actually does
• Each localization reviewed by someone who reads that language
• A note of what changed this version, so you can compare rankings after release

To build the list itself, start with the Keyword Research course or our AI-assisted keyword research workflow. For the App Store Connect side, see App Store Connect Mastery.

GROWNX pulls your App Store Connect and RevenueCat data into one free-to-start dashboard, and its metadata editor lets you draft and review name, subtitle and keyword changes across your apps before you submit. Try GROWNX free.

FAQ

Do competitor names belong in the keyword field?

No. Apple lists competing app names as something not to use in keywords, and App Store Connect Help says names of other apps or companies aren't allowed. Using them risks rejection and trademark complaints. Target the problem your app solves instead, such as "habit tracker," rather than another app's brand.

Does the keyword field affect Google Play?

No. Google Play has no hidden keyword field. Play uses your visible title, short description and full description instead, so the iOS keyword list doesn't carry over. If you ship on both stores, write Play descriptions that use your important terms naturally, without stuffing.

Are plurals needed in the keyword field?

Apple advises against adding plurals of words you've already included in singular form, which suggests the singular covers both. Follow that by default. If a plural form matters a lot to your app, treat adding it as a test: change it in one version and compare rankings.