What Are App Store In-App Events?
Since iOS 15, Apple has given developers the ability to publish time-limited events — challenges, new content, live events, sales, premieres — that appear directly on the App Store. These aren't just notifications or banner ads. They're cards that show up in search results, on your app's product page, and in curated App Store editorial placements.
For developers who use them well, In-App Events are one of the few ways to get additional App Store surface area completely for free.
If you've never published one, you're leaving a meaningful channel unused. If you've published one, you probably haven't used it strategically. This guide covers both.
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Why In-App Events Matter for Growth
In-App Events surface your app in three places that matter:
- Your product page — events appear as cards beneath your screenshots, giving hesitant users another reason to download
- App Store search results — events can appear alongside search results, creating an additional impression even for users who weren't looking for your specific app
- Editorial features — Apple actively promotes compelling events in Today's tab and curated collections
The last point is significant. Apple's editorial team reviews published events, and compelling, well-designed events have a real chance at organic editorial placement — the kind of visibility that no amount of paid advertising can reliably replicate.
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The Six Types of In-App Events
Apple defines six event categories. Choosing the right one matters because it signals intent to both Apple and users:
Challenge — A time-limited activity where users try to accomplish a goal. Ideal for fitness apps, games, language learning apps. *Example: "30-Day Writing Challenge"*
Competition — Users compete against each other for rankings or prizes. Works for games, fitness, trivia. *Example: "Weekend Leaderboard Tournament"*
Live Event — A real-time experience happening simultaneously for all users. Good for apps with live content or group activities. *Example: "Live Meditation Session: Every Sunday 8AM"*
Major Update — Highlights a significant new feature or redesign. One of the most commonly used types. *Example: "Introducing Smart Folders — Reimagine Your Workflow"*
New Season — Signals a batch of new content. Mostly used by games and subscription content apps. *Example: "Season 3: New Stories Unlocked"*
Premiere — Announces the first-ever availability of content or a feature. *Example: "Now Available: Collaborative Mode"*
Choose the type that most accurately reflects what you're promoting. Mismatching your event type (e.g., calling a regular update a "Live Event") can result in rejection from Apple's review process.
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Anatomy of a Well-Constructed Event
Each In-App Event has four components:
Event name (30 characters): Short, specific, action-oriented. "Summer Challenge" is generic. "30-Day Habit Streak Challenge" tells users exactly what they're getting into.
Short description (50 characters): The hook. Visible in search results and browsing. Lead with the benefit or the action.
Long description (120 characters): Shown on the event detail page. Expand on the short description with more context about how to participate and what users will get.
Event card image (1920×1080px): This is the most important element. It's what users see first. The image needs to communicate the event at a glance — what it is, when it ends, and why it's exciting.
Design your event card image with the assumption that users will spend less than two seconds on it. Use large text, strong contrast, and a clear focal point. Avoid small UI screenshots — they don't read at thumbnail size.
When designing marketing assets for your events, AppFrame can help you create polished, professional images quickly — which matters when you're publishing multiple events throughout the year.
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How to Publish Your First In-App Event
- Log in to App Store Connect and navigate to your app
- Select In-App Events from the left sidebar
- Click + to create a new event
- Fill in the metadata: name, short description, long description, and event type
- Upload your event card image (1920×1080px, PNG or JPEG)
- Set your start and end date (events can run 1 to 31 days)
- Specify the deep link that opens when users tap the event card (e.g., opens directly to the challenge screen in your app)
- Submit for Apple review — this typically takes 24-72 hours
Important: Submit your event at least 72 hours before its intended start date. Apple reviews In-App Events separately from app updates, and review times vary.
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Strategic Uses of In-App Events
Re-engaging Lapsed Users
In-App Events are particularly powerful for re-engagement. Users who have your app installed but haven't opened it in weeks can be reached via push notification when a relevant event goes live — but more importantly, your event card may surface in their App Store browse sessions, reminding them your app exists and giving them a specific reason to return.
A time-limited challenge ("30-Day Streak Challenge: Ends April 30") creates urgency that a generic "we miss you" notification can't replicate.
Attracting New Users at Key Moments
If your app has seasonal relevance, align your events to calendar moments. A fitness app should have an event in January. A tax app should have something in April. A language learning app should run something for language-learning occasions.
These events give Apple's editorial team something to work with. If your event is timely and well-executed, it may appear in App Store collections tied to seasonal themes — with no additional action required on your part.
Amplifying Major Feature Launches
Instead of just shipping a new version with a changelog, create a Major Update event that gives the feature a proper moment. This signals to both lapsed users (via the App Store card) and new visitors (on your product page) that something meaningful has changed.
Pair the event with a social media push, a community announcement, and a changelog post for maximum reach.
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What Makes an Event Get Featured by Apple
Apple's editorial team reviews events for potential featuring, and while there are no guarantees, the events most likely to get picked are:
- Timely — tied to a real-world moment (season, holiday, cultural event)
- Specific — clear about what will happen and when it ends
- Visually compelling — high-quality event card with professional design
- Interactive — challenges and competitions tend to get more love than passive events
- Well-reviewed apps — editorial teams are more likely to feature apps with strong ratings (4.5+ stars)
You cannot apply for editorial featuring directly. Consistently publishing quality events is the best strategy.
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Building an Events Calendar
Don't treat In-App Events as a one-time experiment. Build a calendar for the year with 6-12 planned events across different types. A rough template:
| Month | Event Type | Example | |-------|-----------|---------| | January | Challenge | New Year streak challenge | | March | Major Update | Spring feature launch | | June | Live Event | Summer live session | | September | New Season | Fall content refresh | | November | Major Update | End-of-year update | | December | Challenge | Holiday challenge |
This cadence keeps your app visible in the App Store throughout the year and gives both lapsed users and potential new users recurring reasons to engage.
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Measuring Event Performance
After each event, review these metrics in App Store Connect under In-App Events Analytics:
- Impressions — how many times your event card was shown
- Event page views — how many users tapped to see the full event detail
- Downloads attributed to event — new users who downloaded after seeing the event
- Re-downloads — lapsed users who reinstalled after seeing the event
- Opens — existing users who opened the app via the event card
Track these across events to see which types and themes perform best for your specific audience. Over time, you'll identify the formula that works — and that's when In-App Events go from an experiment to a reliable growth channel.