App Store Keywords Field: How to Use 100 Characters

Details here are as of October 2026.

The keywords field is a hidden list of search terms you set in App Store Connect.

Users never see it. Apple's search uses it to decide where your app appears.

Apple's search guidance says search results depend on text relevance, including matches for your title, subtitle, keywords and primary category.

It also says user behavior counts, such as downloads, ratings and reviews.

So keywords are one input among several. They matter, but they can't carry a weak listing alone.

I read Apple's App Store Connect reference for the exact field rules.

The reference also says your app is already searchable by app name and company name. So you shouldn't repeat those.

Names of other apps or companies aren't allowed.

Apple's search page says keywords are limited to 100 characters. The App Store Connect reference says 100 bytes.

For plain English letters, those are the same thing. One letter is one byte.

For some other scripts and accented letters, one character can take more than one byte.

That means a localized keyword list may fit fewer characters than an English one.

If App Store Connect rejects a list that looks short enough, this is a likely reason. Trim a term and try again.

Apple's example shows the format: Property,House,Real Estate.

Commas separate terms. There's no space after each comma.

You can use spaces inside a phrase, like Real Estate.

Every space after a comma wastes a character, so leave them out.

Order doesn't need to look neat. Users won't see the list.

Write it once, count it, and make sure every term earns its place. A simple text editor with a character counter makes this quick, and it stops you from guessing.

Apple's search page lists words that waste space.

1. 1Words already in your app name, subtitle or category.
2. 2Plurals of words you've already included. Apple's example: climbs and climb count as duplicates.
3. 3Generic terms that are too broad, such as app or game.
4. 4Filler words like the and to.
5. 5Special characters such as # or @, unless they're part of your brand.

I checked each item against the page itself. Removing them frees room for useful terms.

Apple says improper use of keywords is a common reason for App Store rejections.

It lists what not to include:

1. 1Trademarked terms, celebrity names or other protected words, used without permission.
2. 2Terms that aren't relevant to the app.
3. 3Names of competing apps.
4. 4Inappropriate, offensive or objectionable terms.

The competitor rule catches many new developers. Putting a famous rival's name in your keywords is tempting, and it's explicitly banned.

Our post on listing rejections covers how to respond if it happens.

Apple describes a tradeoff worth thinking about.

Popular terms like jobs or social, and seasonal ones like Christmas or summer, can drive a lot of traffic. They're also highly competitive, especially for newer or smaller apps.

Less common terms bring less traffic but face less competition.

For a new app, specific terms are often the better bet. Ranking well for a narrow phrase beats ranking low for a broad one.

Apple also advises being specific about your app's features and functions.

Your app name and subtitle are indexed for search too.

That's why Apple says not to repeat their words in the keywords field. You'd be paying twice for the same term.

Plan all three together. Put your brand and main use in the name, a key benefit in the subtitle, and extra search terms in keywords.

The name and subtitle each allow 30 characters.

Our guide to app name length limits covers the name field in detail.

Some developers try to stuff search terms into promotional text.

Apple says plainly that promotional text doesn't affect your app's search ranking.

So it shouldn't be used to display keywords.

Use promotional text for what it's meant for: short, timely messages to people reading your page.

Our post on subtitles and promotional text explains how to use that field well.

Apple says your primary category and optional secondary category are indexed by its search algorithm.

That's why category words shouldn't be repeated in your keywords.

If your app is in Health & Fitness, words from that category name are already covered.

Choose categories carefully. Apple says picking categories that aren't relevant is grounds for rejection by App Review.

For games, Apple lets you choose up to two additional subcategories to describe your game better.

The keywords field can be localized.

That means each language version of your listing can have its own 100 byte list.

Translate meaning, not just words. People in different countries may search with different terms for the same thing.

Remember the byte limit. Some languages will fit fewer characters.

Apple's search page also suggests localizing your product page for people in different regions.

Our guide to localizing app store listings covers the wider process.

Apple now lets you assign keywords to custom product pages.

According to its search page, this lets a custom page appear in search results for those keywords, instead of your default page.

Apple says each keyword combination should be unique to a single product page, and the keywords should match that page's intent.

That's useful when your app serves several audiences.

A fitness app could show a running focused page for running searches, and a yoga page for yoga searches.

Apple's search page mentions app tags.

These can appear in search results to help people understand your app's essential qualities.

Apple says they're generated with large language models, based on the metadata you've provided in App Store Connect.

That's another reason to keep your metadata accurate and specific.

Vague or stuffed metadata gives the system less to work with.

Clear descriptions of what your app does are more likely to produce useful tags.

Here's a practical way to fill the field.

1. 1List every term someone might search to find your app.
2. 2Remove words already in your name, subtitle and category.
3. 3Remove plurals, filler words and generic terms.
4. 4Remove anything trademarked, irrelevant or a competitor's name.
5. 5Join the rest with commas, no spaces.
6. 6Count the total and trim to 100.

Then review results after launch and swap weak terms for better ones in your next update.

Treat the keywords field as extra search space, not a place to repeat your name.

Use commas, no spaces, and no duplicates of your name, subtitle or category.

Favor specific terms over broad ones, especially for a new app.

Never add competitor names or trademarks.

Then make sure the page converts the visitors keywords bring. Strong screenshots matter, and you can place yours in a free device frame before uploading.