# ASO Pre-release Checklist

By ASO Guide. Reviewed: 2026-10-10.

Canonical resource page: https://www.aso.guide/resources/

Use before a first release or a listing update. Tick each item when checked. Record blockers and an owner for anything left open.

App / version: ____________________
Owner / release date: ____________________

## Positioning & research

- [ ] Write one sentence explaining who the app helps and what they can do with it.
- [ ] Choose the first storefront and language. Record the user problem you want to reach.
- [ ] Compare three relevant listings: their promise, first screenshots and missing use cases.
- [ ] Shortlist relevant search terms with evidence and intent. Treat popularity and difficulty scores as estimates.

Related guide: https://www.aso.guide/blog/aso-competitor-analysis/

## Name, subtitle & keywords

- [ ] Make the name and subtitle clear and accurate. Check each against the 30-character limit.
- [ ] Use relevant keyword terms without competitor brands or unnecessary repeats. Separate terms with commas.
- [ ] Validate the keyword field in App Store Connect. Apple describes a 100-character limit in marketing and 100 bytes in its technical reference; check UTF-8 bytes too.
- [ ] Save the final metadata for each locale, with an owner, version and reason for the change.

Related guide: https://www.aso.guide/blog/app-store-metadata/

## Screenshots & product page

- [ ] Show the app in use and make the first screenshot communicate the main benefit.
- [ ] Give each frame a clear purpose. Check captions at actual phone size, not only on a design canvas.
- [ ] Check Apple's current screenshot specifications for every supported device. Use fictional account data and assets you have rights to use.
- [ ] Read the description and preview the icon and screenshots together. Remove placeholder copy and claims the release cannot support.

Related guide: https://www.aso.guide/blog/app-store-screenshots/

## Localization & submission

- [ ] Review localized copy and screenshots with a fluent reader. Check truncation and text inside the app.
- [ ] Open the support and privacy URLs. Confirm that they work and describe the actual app and its services.
- [ ] Check category, age rating, App Privacy answers and purchase disclosures against the release build.
- [ ] Complete review information and access instructions where needed. Verify availability, pricing and the release option in App Store Connect.

Related guide: https://www.aso.guide/blog/app-store-metadata/

## Measurement setup

- [ ] For an update, save a comparable pre-release baseline. For a new app, mark the baseline unavailable and record the launch date.
- [ ] Record storefront, source, date range and unique-device settings for impressions, product page views and downloads.
- [ ] Name the conversion metric and its denominator. Keep Apple's standard conversion rate separate from custom page-view ratios.
- [ ] Save the release date, keyword shortlist and listing assets. Note campaigns and other changes that could affect comparisons.

Related guide: https://www.aso.guide/blog/aso-metrics/

## Release & follow-up

- [ ] Inspect the live listing in each launch storefront after release. Confirm the intended copy, images and download destination.
- [ ] Assign a first review date. Allow for reporting delays and missing data before drawing conclusions.
- [ ] Compare visibility, page views and downloads separately. A change in downloads alone does not show what caused it.
- [ ] Choose one next hypothesis, its owner and a review condition. Keep a change log rather than promising a ranking or install increase.

Related guide: https://www.aso.guide/blog/what-is-aso/

## Next action

Hypothesis: ____________________
Owner: ____________________
Review date / condition: ____________________

## Sources

- [Apple: Creating your product page](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/)
- [Apple: Platform version information](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information)
- [Apple: Screenshot specifications](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/screenshot-specifications)
- [Apple: App Review Guidelines](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/)

Practical guidance; not a complete submission audit or a growth guarantee.