iOS App Store Keyword Reset for Marketers: Apple’s 100 Character Cap

iOS App Store Keyword Reset for Marketers: Apple’s 100 Character Cap

You reset iOS App Store keywords by updating the keywords field in App Store Connect and publishing a new app version: there is no separate “keyword reset” button. Keywords are capped at 100 characters total, and any change only goes live once a new version clears review. Before you touch anything, run a keyword audit and draft replacement sets so the next version update carries the right terms from day one.

TL;DR:

• A reset is warranted when a primary term declines for weeks or impressions rise while installs flatten, signaling poor relevance rather than weak visibility.
• Remove words already used in the app name, subtitle, or category, and omit plural forms when their singulars are included; both waste limited space.
• Create separate keyword sets for supported regions rather than translating one global list; search tags from this metadata currently appear only to United States users.
• Because Apple offers no rollback, stage releases when needed and wait two to six weeks, tracking rankings, impressions, conversion, and installs without unrelated updates.
• Test alternate keyword combinations on Custom Product Pages and compare conversion before adding a winning set to your default listing.

Table of Contents

• When should you reset your App Store keywords?
• How do you reset keywords in App Store Connect?
• Which keyword selection rules actually move rankings?
• How do release timing and versioning affect your keyword reset?
• What should you track to know if the reset worked?
• A practitioner’s checklist for resetting keywords
• Run your next keyword reset with Apptenium
• FAQ
• Sources

When should you reset your App Store keywords?

Not every dip in rank calls for a keyword overhaul. The signal worth acting on is sustained decay: a primary keyword that slides for several weeks, or impressions that keep climbing while installs flatten out. That gap usually means your app is showing up for searches it does not convert well, which points to a relevance problem rather than a visibility one.

A few other moments justify a reset:

• You repositioned the app or shipped a feature that changes what users expect to find.
• You are entering a new localized market where current keywords do not match local search behavior.
• A seasonal campaign needs terms aligned with a short-term spike in demand.

Resist the urge to tweak keywords every few days. Apple’s ranking model weighs both text relevance and customer behavior like downloads and ratings, so constant churn makes it harder to tell which change actually moved the needle. Pair keyword edits with a meaningful metadata or feature update instead of treating them as a standalone lever.

Pro Tip: Keep a simple log of every keyword version you ship alongside the release date, so you can trace ranking shifts back to a specific change.

How do you reset keywords in App Store Connect?

The workflow runs through Xcode and App Store Connect together, and it only takes effect once a new build is live.

1. Increment the version and build number in Xcode, then create the corresponding new version in App Store Connect.
2. Open the app’s metadata under App Information or the version page and edit the keywords field directly.
3. Upload the new build, attach it to the version, and submit the full package for review.
4. Wait for the version to reach Ready for Distribution; your edited keywords only index once the release actually goes live, and you can use a phased rollout to control how fast it reaches users.

Formatting matters as much as word choice. Keywords are strictly limited to 100 characters total, entered as a comma-separated list with no spaces between terms, though spaces are fine inside a multi-word phrase. A set like Property,House,Real Estate uses the full allowance correctly; adding a space after a comma wastes a character for nothing.

Before you submit, run through a short checklist: confirm you are not repeating words already in your app name, subtitle, or category, since Apple’s own guidance treats those as redundant and a waste of space. Check that nothing echoes a trademarked term or a competing app’s name, and test your localized keyword sets separately rather than assuming a direct translation works.

Which keyword selection rules actually move rankings?

Once you know a reset is warranted, the 100 characters you get need to work harder than whatever you had before. A few rules consistently separate a sharp keyword set from a wasted one.

• Skip any word already present in your app name, subtitle, or category; Apple’s guidance confirms duplicates there add nothing to your search footprint.
• Drop plural forms when the singular is already in your list, since both versions typically index the same query.
• Favor mid-tail phrases that match the actual intent of your product page over generic high-volume terms. Apple’s own documentation on building a product page stresses relevance and user behavior as ranking inputs, not just raw search volume.
• Reserve some phrases for Custom Product Pages rather than cramming every variant into your default keyword field.
• Cut filler words and special characters like # or @ unless they are part of an established brand name; they rarely help and often just eat space.

A workable micro-workflow looks like this: audit your current keyword coverage against actual search terms, build a ranked list of candidates based on relevance and intent, assemble and trim the set until it fits inside 100 characters, then adapt it per locale. Localization is not cosmetic here. Apple lets you enter custom keywords per supported region, and tags built from that metadata currently display only to users in the United States, so a single global keyword list leaves relevance on the table everywhere else.

Pro Tip: Treat your Custom Product Pages like discovery experiments: assign a distinct keyword combination to each one and compare conversion before rolling a winning set into your default page.

How do release timing and versioning affect your keyword reset?

Every keyword change is tied to a version, which means the timing of your release controls how fast and how visibly the new terms take effect. Apple’s own process for creating a new version requires a new build and a fresh submission for any metadata update, and there is no way to revert to a prior version once you have moved past it.

A few practices reduce the risk that comes with that constraint:

• Use a phased release to stage the rollout over several days, giving you the option to pause if something looks off before it reaches everyone.
• Bundle keyword edits with other planned updates sparingly; isolating the keyword change from unrelated feature work makes it easier to trace which part of the release moved your rankings.
• Build in a buffer before your next planned update so you have a real observation window before you touch keywords again.

Because you cannot roll back, treat each keyword submission as a one-way decision backed by your audit, not a quick experiment you can undo tomorrow.

What should you track to know if the reset worked?

A keyword reset only matters if you can measure its effect, and that means watching the right metrics over a long enough window. Track keyword rank for your target terms, impressions, product page views, conversion rate, and installs, then follow the chain down to revenue and retention if your app monetizes directly.

• Give the release 2 to 6 weeks before drawing conclusions, and avoid shipping unrelated changes during that window.
• Connect App Store analytics with Firebase or Google Analytics alongside a dedicated ASO rank tracker so you can attribute movement to the keyword change rather than guesswork.
• If rankings and conversion do not move, run a second controlled test, either through a revised keyword set or by isolating a variant on a Custom Product Page.

ASO stays a maintenance task, not a one-time fix: Apple’s own discoverability guidance frames keyword relevance as something to revisit alongside regular app updates, which means your monitoring loop needs to run continuously, not just after a single reset. Pairing your rank tracker with market intelligence on competitor keyword movement gives you a clearer read on whether a drop is your doing or a shift in the competitive field around you.

A practitioner’s checklist for resetting keywords

The process described above compresses into a loop you can run every time: audit your current keyword coverage, build a ranked candidate list, localize it per market, schedule the new set alongside a version update, release it (phased if you want control), then monitor and iterate based on what the data shows.

The part teams skip most often is the audit step. Pulling a quick keyword and word-frequency scan before you touch App Store Connect tells you exactly which terms are wasted space and which ones are quietly carrying your rank, so the reset actually fixes something instead of just moving words around.

Our platform combines ASO scanning, competitor intelligence, and keyword tracking into one workflow for exactly this reason: a reset is only as good as the audit that precedes it and the monitoring that follows it.

— Mike

Run your next keyword reset with Apptenium

Everything in this workflow, the audit, the candidate list, the localization pass, and the post-release monitoring, is faster when it runs through one system instead of five spreadsheets and three dashboards. Our ASO tools cover exactly this loop: scan your current listing, generate AI-backed keyword recommendations, track rank movement after you release, and pull in Firebase and Google Analytics data so you can see the downstream effect on installs and revenue, not just impressions.

If you are coordinating a keyword change with an ad campaign, testing creative variants through a partner like POPJAM before launch can help confirm the messaging matches the new keyword intent you are targeting.

Start with a free scan to see where your current keyword set is leaking relevance, then check our pricing page when you are ready to move to Pro for unlimited scans and full tracking across your portfolio.

FAQ

What does “keyword reset iOS” actually mean?

It refers to replacing the keywords in your app’s metadata through App Store Connect, not resetting any device setting. The new keywords only take effect once you submit and release a new app version, since there is no live-edit option for this field.

How many characters can I use in my App Store keywords?

Apple limits the keywords field to 100 characters total, entered as a comma-separated list with no space after each comma. Spaces are allowed inside multi-word phrases, so a term like “Real Estate” still counts correctly within that limit.

Can I revert to my old keywords after a reset?

No. Changing metadata requires a new version, and Apple’s own process does not support restoring a previous version once you have moved past it. If a reset underperforms, you correct course by submitting another new version with revised keywords.

Do keyword resets work the same way in every country?

Keyword fields are localizable per region, which lets you enter different terms for different markets rather than relying on one global list. Search tags generated from that metadata are currently displayed only to users in the United States, so results can vary by locale even with a carefully localized set.

How long should I wait to judge a keyword reset’s impact?

A window of two to six weeks after release gives you enough signal on rank, impressions, and conversion without other changes muddying the read. Keeping unrelated updates out of that window makes it far easier to credit the result to the keyword change itself.