An iPhone app targeting iOS 9.0 or later can take up to 4 GB uncompressed, with all __TEXT sections of its executable together capped at 500 MB. If a device variant is over 200 MB, App Store Connect warns about the over-the-air download limit (Apple's help, checked October 16, 2026).
Three sizes of one app
When people talk about an app's size, they usually mix up three different numbers.
- Download size. The compressed variant downloaded over cellular or Wi-Fi.
- Install size. How much space the app takes on the device. It also appears on your App Store page in the Information section, and it differs by device model.
- Build size. What you uploaded to App Store Connect. The IPA file, the XCARCHIVE and the .app bundle are useless for measuring, since they carry extra files like crash-reporting symbols.
The App Store doesn't hand everyone the same build. Since iOS 9.0 it slices variants for each device model and OS version, and each variant holds only the architecture and resources it needs. For slicing to shrink your app, Apple suggests keeping images and data in asset catalogs and tagging which devices each asset is for.
Where to check the size in App Store Connect and Xcode
App Store Connect gives the most accurate numbers. Go to Apps › your app › TestFlight, pick the platform and the build, open the Build Metadata tab and under General Information press App File Sizes. The table lists download and install size for every device variant. A variant over 200 MB gets a yellow warning icon, and Apple sends you an email.
Before uploading, Xcode gives a close estimate. Archive the app, export it as Ad Hoc, Development or Enterprise, and under App Thinning choose All compatible device variants. The export folder then contains App Thinning Size Report.txt with the compressed and uncompressed size of every variant. Uncompressed equals install size, compressed equals download size.
Apple's limits
| What | Limit |
|---|---|
| Uncompressed app, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, visionOS | 4 GB |
| Executable, all __TEXT sections | 500 MB |
| Apple Watch app | 75 MB |
| Mac app | 200 GB |
| Over-the-air download limit | 200 MB per variant, a warning above it |
| App Clip on iOS 17 and later | 100 MB, digital invocations only |
| App Clip on iOS 16 and earlier | 15 MB and 10 MB |
| Assets hosted by Apple | up to 200 GB and 200 packs per app |
| Minimum target for new uploads | iOS 13, since September 9, 2026 |
Per App Store Connect Help (Maximum build file sizes, View builds and metadata, asset pack size limits) and Apple's upload requirements, checked October 16, 2026.
The old 60 MB and 80 MB executable limits applied to targets below iOS 9.0. Since September 9, 2026 App Store Connect only accepts apps targeting iOS 13 or later, so for new builds the numbers that matter are 4 GB and 500 MB.
How to make your app smaller
- Measure with the App Thinning Size Report or the App File Sizes table, not with the IPA file.
- Make sure the Release configuration uses the Fastest, Smallest [-Os] optimization level, which is the default.
- Open a variant's IPA as a ZIP archive and remove what doesn't belong, unused images, README files and headers.
- Move images and data into asset catalogs and tag the devices for each asset, so every variant gets lighter.
- Keep data in resource files such as property lists instead of strings in code. The executable gets smaller and compresses better.
- Move large assets, levels, models and video out of the build into Background Assets and download them before launch, in the background or on demand.
Common mistakes
- Measuring the TestFlight build. It carries extra testing data and is larger than the App Store version. The final App Store size, on the other hand, can grow a little after DRM is added and the binary is recompressed.
- Starting something new on On-Demand Resources. The NSBundleResourceRequest class is marked deprecated as of iOS 27.0 in the documentation, and Apple now points to Background Assets for downloadable content.
- Forgetting the App Clip. The limit applies to the variant's main bundle after thinning, and 100 MB is only allowed from iOS 17 and without App Clip Code, QR or NFC invocations.
- Reading “Up to” as the install size. If the app uses assets hosted by Apple, the App Store page shows an “Up to” size that includes the essential packs for the heaviest language.
Background Assets instead of On-Demand Resources
Background Assets arrived in iOS 16, and since iOS 26 it supports managed asset packs. The system downloads them by the rules in a manifest file, essential packs before first launch, others ahead of time or on demand. Packs can live on your own server or on Apple's, in which case you upload them to App Store Connect and update them separately from the build. Apple gives each app up to 200 GB and 200 packs and emails you at 80% usage. From iOS 27 you can also ship assets separately for each language.
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Questions
What is the maximum app size on the App Store?
4 GB uncompressed for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS and visionOS apps targeting iOS 9.0 or later, up to 200 GB for a Mac app and 75 MB for an Apple Watch app (App Store Connect Help as of October 16, 2026).
Can people download an app over 200 MB on cellular?
App Store Connect calls 200 MB the over-the-air download limit, and Apple's documentation says apps above the limit install over Wi-Fi. That's why it pays to keep variants for popular iPhones under 200 MB.
Where do I see the build size in App Store Connect?
TestFlight › your build › Build Metadata › App File Sizes. It shows download and install size for each device variant.
How do I check the app size in Xcode?
Export the archive as Ad Hoc or Development with App Thinning set to All compatible device variants. Xcode puts App Thinning Size Report.txt next to the variants.
Why is my TestFlight build bigger than the App Store version?
It contains testing data that the App Store version doesn't. The final App Store size can end up slightly above what you uploaded because of DRM and recompression.
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