# App Store keywords: title, subtitle and the 100-byte keyword field > How to choose and write App Store keywords: what goes in your 30-character name and subtitle, how to fill the 100-byte keyword field without wasting a byte, and the mistakes Apple's own guidance rules out. Source: https://aso.fastemy.com/guides/app-store-keywords/ · Updated: 2026-10-31 · Fastemy ASO Agent ## The short answer 1. Apple searches three fields you write: the name (30 characters), the subtitle (30) and the hidden keyword field (100 bytes), plus your category. 2. Put your main phrase in the name, a second phrase in the subtitle, and only words that appear in neither in the keyword field. 3. In the keyword field: commas, no spaces, no plurals of words you already have, no “app” or “game”, no other apps' names. 4. The limit is in bytes: Turkish, accented and non-Latin letters take two or more bytes each, so count before you paste. Apple matches searches to the text you control: your **name**, **subtitle** and **keyword field**, plus your primary category.[^apple-search] Together that is about 160 characters. Spend them on words people type, and never twice. ## The three fields at a glance | Field | Limit | Shown to people? | Rule of thumb | |---|---|---|---| | Name | 2–30 characters | Yes | Brand + the exact phrase people search | | Subtitle | 30 characters | Yes | A second phrase, phrased as value | | Keyword field | 100 bytes | No | Only new words, comma-separated | Sources: name and subtitle limits from App Store Connect Help;[^apple-app-information] the keyword field is “up to 100 bytes”.[^apple-platform-version] ![App Store listing: name, subtitle, keyword field, promotional text, description, screenshots, previews](https://aso.fastemy.com/img/en/app-store-anatomy.svg) ## 1. The name: your main phrase, as people type it Write the phrase exactly as searched, next to your brand. Word form matters: if people search “authentication”, don't write “authenticator”. > **Field note, US store, 2 August 2026.** “adhd todo” and “adhd to-do” returned different top 10s: a 0-rating app at #1 for one, an app with 163,394 ratings at #1 for the other. Check every spelling people type before you pick.[^fastemy-field-notes] ## 2. The subtitle: a second phrase, not a second copy Apple asks you to use the subtitle for your value rather than repeating the name, and to avoid generic claims.[^apple-product-page] Words in the subtitle are searched,[^apple-search] so every new word there is a new chance to match. ## 3. The keyword field: 100 bytes, zero waste ![The keyword field before and after](https://aso.fastemy.com/img/en/keyword-field.svg) Apple's own rules for the field:[^apple-search] [^apple-platform-version] - Separate terms with **commas, no spaces**. “Real Estate” can keep its inner space. - **Don't repeat** words from your name, subtitle or category. - A **plural** of a word you already have is a duplicate. - Skip **“app”**, **“game”**, filler words and special characters. - No **competitor app names**, trademarks or celebrity names. - Each keyword must be **longer than two characters**; your app name and company name are already searchable. ## 4. Count bytes, not characters The limit is 100 bytes. In UTF-8, plain Latin letters take one byte, but letters like ü, ş, é take two, and many scripts take three. A Turkish keyword field fills faster than an English one with the same number of letters. Our [audit](https://aso.fastemy.com/audit/#apple) counts bytes as Apple does. ## 5. Promotional text doesn't rank Promotional text (170 characters) can change at any time without a new version, which makes it great for news, but Apple says it doesn't affect search ranking.[^apple-search] Don't put keywords there. ## 6. Give a keyword its own page You can create up to 70 custom product pages and assign keywords to them, so the page that answers a search shows up for it instead of your default page.[^apple-cpp] [^apple-cpp-news] Each keyword combination can belong to one page only. ## 7. Check demand and difficulty before you commit Run the [search demand check](https://aso.fastemy.com/audit/#demand) to see whether people type the phrase, and the [keyword rank check](https://aso.fastemy.com/audit/#rank) to see who holds the top 10. Then write, ship, and measure again after 14 days. [^apple-search]: Apple Developer, “App Store search”, https://developer.apple.com/app-store/search/ (undated · read 2026-10-31) [^apple-app-information]: Apple Developer, “App information (App Store Connect Help)”, https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/app-information (undated · read 2026-10-31) [^apple-platform-version]: Apple Developer, “Platform version information (App Store Connect Help)”, https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information (undated · read 2026-10-31) [^fastemy-field-notes]: Fastemy, “Field notes from Fastemy’s ASO tool”, https://aso.fastemy.com/about/#notes (2026-07-27 → 2026-10-27) [^apple-product-page]: Apple Developer, “Creating your product page”, https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/ (undated · read 2026-10-31) [^apple-cpp]: Apple Developer, “Custom product pages”, https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/ (undated · read 2026-10-31) [^apple-cpp-news]: Apple Developer News, “Enhancements to help you submit and market your apps and games”, https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=gf6mgrs6 (2025-10-29) ## FAQ ### Should I repeat my main keyword in the keyword field? No. Apple already indexes your name and subtitle and asks you not to repeat their words in the keyword field. ### Do I need both singular and plural forms? No. Apple's search guidance treats a plural of a word you already have as a duplicate. ### Are spaces allowed in the keyword field? Inside a phrase, yes; after commas, no. Separate terms with commas only: every space costs a byte. ### Can a custom product page rank for its own keywords? Yes. Since October 2025 you can assign keywords to custom product pages so they can appear in search results for those keywords instead of your default page.