Both stores limit app titles to 30 characters. Apple adds a 30-character subtitle; Google Play allows an 80-character short description. Both descriptions allow 4,000 characters. The tables below cover the main public listing fields and release notes, with official sources checked on September 10, 2026.
Use this reference while drafting or reviewing a localization. The limits tell you how much text you can submit, not how much you need to write. For an initial count, use the free character counter, then validate the final text in the relevant store console.
Apple App Store Character Limits
| Field | Published limit | Practical note |
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| App name | 2–30 characters | Localized name shown on the product page. |
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| Subtitle | 30 characters | Summary beneath the app name. |
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| Keywords | 100 characters in search guidance; 100 bytes in the Connect reference | Official documentation differs; see the keyword note below. |
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| Description | 4,000 characters | Plain text; line breaks allowed, HTML unsupported. |
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| Promotional text | 170 characters | Can change without an updated app submission. |
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| What's New | 4,000 characters | For version updates; unavailable for the first version. |
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| In-App Purchase display name | 2–30 characters | Separate from the app name. |
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| In-App Purchase description | 45 characters | Localized purchase description. |
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Sources: Apple's app information, platform version information, and In-App Purchase information.
Google Play Character Limits
| Field | Published limit | Practical note |
|---|
| App name | 30 characters | One localized name per language. |
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| Short description | 80 characters | Brief introduction to the app. |
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| Full description | 4,000 characters | Explain the app's actual features and purpose. |
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| Release notes | 500 Unicode characters per language | Describe the changes in that release. |
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| Dedicated keyword field | None in the main store listing | There is no equivalent of Apple's comma-separated field. |
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Google specifies the same listing limits for full-width and half-width characters. Its app setup reference documents the listing fields; the release guide gives the separate 500-character allowance.
Apple's Keyword Limit: Characters or Bytes?
Apple's search guidance says 100 characters, while its App Store Connect reference says 100 bytes. These units differ for many non-ASCII characters, including Chinese and Japanese text. The wording alone does not tell you how every console or API will validate a localized submission.
Check the final keyword string in App Store Connect, or inspect the validation response from the publishing API you use. Do not cut a native-language listing to an assumed byte allowance solely because a general counter reports a different number. The safest final check is the validation result for your actual text.
For formatting, Apple recommends commas without spaces after them; spaces within phrases are allowed. For example, journal,mood tracker,reflection keeps the phrase readable. Avoid terms already present in the name, subtitle, or category, redundant plurals, and irrelevant or competing app names. Review suggested removals in context rather than deleting words mechanically. Apple keyword guidance.
Which Fields Affect Search?
Apple identifies title, subtitle, keywords, categories, and user behavior among its search factors. It explicitly says promotional text does not affect app search ranking. Its documentation does not establish a complete, fixed total of "indexed characters" or a numeric ranking weight for each field. Apple search overview.
Keep App Store search separate from web search: Apple says the description is used for web engine search results. Calling the description "not indexed" without that distinction is misleading. Apple description reference.
On Google Play, write the title and descriptions around what the app does. Google warns against excessive, repetitive, or irrelevant keywords. Do not add the field limits together as a search budget or fill the description just to reach its maximum. Google listing guidance.
How to Write a Title That Fits 30 Characters
Start with a recognizable name and, if useful, a short explanation of the function. As a counting example, "Notio: AI Meeting Notes" uses 22 characters, including spaces and punctuation. It fits the limit; that alone says nothing about how it performs in search.
Review each draft against three questions:
- Is it accurate? Describe a feature the app actually offers. Remove popularity, pricing, or promotional claims that conflict with the store's metadata rules.
- Is it readable? A list of related keywords may fit while failing to explain the product. Preserve the meaning before trying to use spare space.
- Does the localization fit? Rewrite the phrase for the language and audience. Ask a fluent reviewer to check it after shortening.
Google's store listing guidance explains its title restrictions. For drafting examples, see our title optimization guide.
Descriptions, Promotional Text, and Release Notes
Give the description a clear opening, then explain the main tasks people can complete, the features that support them, and any requirements they need to know. Use concrete details rather than repeating the same search phrase. The 4,000-character limit is a ceiling; a shorter, complete explanation can be enough. Our description guide provides a starting structure.
Use Apple's promotional text for a current message, and release notes for actual changes. Promotional text is editable without an updated submission, but it is not the only editable App Store property: availability depends on the field and app status. Consult Apple's property matrix when planning a release.
Google tells developers to keep release notes focused on updates rather than promotions or requests for user action. Its internal release name is a different field and is not shown to users. Google release notes documentation.
Check Every Localization Before Submission
- Count the final text. Include spaces, punctuation, and line breaks where permitted. Count after translation and editing, not just in the original draft.
- Read each field on its own. Confirm that shortening has not removed a qualification, changed the meaning, or left an unfinished sentence.
- Review the store preview. A text field can fit its allowance while displaying a shortened preview on a particular screen. Check the name and opening copy where visitors will see them.
- Validate through the actual publishing route. If the console or API rejects a field, record the field, locale, exact submitted text, and error. Investigate that response before attributing the problem to emoji or hidden characters.
- Keep a dated copy. Save what you submitted and what went live. That gives the next reviewer a reliable baseline for correcting the listing or measuring a later change.
General counters can use different Unicode counting methods. An emoji or a letter combined with an accent may not behave like one simple ASCII character. A browser counter is a drafting aid, and store validation is the final check. AppDrift metadata translation can help prepare drafts; review their meaning and validation results before publishing.
Screenshots and Video Have Separate Requirements
Text-field limits do not replace the rules for visual assets. Required screenshot sizes depend on supported devices; there is no single pair of sizes that applies to every app. Check Apple's screenshot specifications and Google's preview asset requirements for the devices you support. Keep captions accurate and legible; this reference does not treat screenshot text as a confirmed keyword-ranking field.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the App Store subtitle character limit?
Apple allows up to 30 characters in the subtitle. Google Play's corresponding short-description field allows 80 characters. They serve different layouts, so review each version separately.
Do spaces count toward the title limit?
Yes. In the plain-text example "Notio: AI Meeting Notes", the letters, colon, and spaces total 22 characters. For complex Unicode text, confirm the result in the store console.
Can I change promotional text without releasing a new version?
Yes. Apple allows promotional text to change without an updated submission. Its limit is 170 characters, and Apple says it does not affect app search ranking.
Does filling every field guarantee better rankings?
No. Capacity is not a ranking score. Keep the metadata relevant, readable, and accurate, then assess search and conversion results after the updated listing has had time to collect data.
Why does Apple's keyword limit have two units in this reference?
Apple's official pages use conflicting units. The keyword section above links to both sources and explains how to validate localized text without assuming characters and bytes are interchangeable.
Ready to review a draft? Open the free character counter, or use metadata generation to prepare a new draft for review.
