In-App Events on the App Store. Limits, Dates and Setup

What an In-App Event is and where it shows

Events show what's happening in your app right now, like a competition, premiere or livestream. The card has an image or video, the name and a short description, and opens a details page with the long description and whether a purchase is needed.

Cards appear on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 or later, on your product page, in search, in collections on the Today, Games and Apps tabs and in the Apple Games app. In search, people who've downloaded your app see the card, others see screenshots. The card also has a download button, and Open leads into the app.

Where events live in App Store Connect

App Store Connect › Apps › your app › In-App Events in the sidebar › Create In-App Event or the + button. First you set a Reference Name that only shows in App Store Connect. Then come the name, descriptions, media, badge, countries, dates, deep link, purpose and priority.

Every event goes through App Review. If the app isn't approved yet, the event goes in with the first version. Once it is, an event can go with or without a new version, and since October 29, 2025 even as a separate submission while a version is in review.

Apple's limits and numbers

What	Value
Event name	up to 30 characters
Short description	up to 50 characters
Long description	up to 120 characters
Reference name	up to 64 characters
Duration	15 minutes to 31 days
Lead-in before start	up to 14 days
Published at once	up to 10 events
Approved in App Store Connect	up to 15 events
Drafts	up to 50
Event card	16:9, 1920×1080 to 3840×2160, file up to 500 MB
Details page	9:16, 1080×1920 to 2160×3840, file up to 500 MB
Video	MOV, M4V or MP4, 30 or 60 fps

Per App Store Connect Help (events, media, statuses) and Apple's In-App Events page, checked October 16, 2026.

How to create an event, step by step

1. Pick something with a time limit. Apple says daily tasks, bare discounts and general app promotion don't make good events.
2. Create the event under In-App Events and give it a reference name.
3. Write the name and both descriptions in every language. The name is the event's real name, like June Leaderboard Climb, not a call to action.
4. Upload media for the 16:9 card and the 9:16 details page. Since October 5, 2026 you can reuse approved files from Asset Library.
5. Set the badge, countries, dates, deep link, purpose, priority and whether a purchase is needed.
6. Click Add for Review, then Submit for Review. Once approved, it goes live on the publish date.

Event badges

The badge sits above the name and says what kind of event it is. Help lists seven.

• Live Event. Everyone takes part in real time, like a match.
• Premiere. Content out for the first time.
• Challenge. A goal to reach before the end.
• Competition. Users compete for rank or rewards.
• New Season. New content, storylines or media.
• Major Update. Big new features, beyond UI tweaks or fixes.
• Special Event. Limited-time, not covered by other badges.

For games, as of October 16, 2026 there are three more, In-Game Offer, Now On Sale and Try Before You Buy. They're available in the U.S. and only if the Apple Games editors pick your proposal.

Common mistakes

• An event that isn't one. Guideline 2.3.13, as updated June 8, 2026, requires event metadata to be about the event itself. General promotion of the app doesn't qualify.
• A price in the text. Apple won't accept a specific price, since prices vary by region.
• Text, logos or borders in the media. Apple advises against them, the App Store adds its own gradients.
• Getting the dates wrong. Once published, only the start and end can change, and after the start only the end.

Appto prepares App Store events as drafts along with the rest of the page and writes them to App Store Connect only after you say yes. More on the ASO in Appto page.