The App Store and Mac App Store showcase your amazing apps and help customers find new favorites. They're also where our editors share stories about inspiring developers and their incredible work. Find out how customers can discover your apps, and learn how our editors select apps and developers to feature.
Windows, Mac: You probably have a few websites that you use all the time—perhaps a special CMS you need for work, a time-tracking site you use to track and bill hours for clients, or a web game.
- Freeway Express. Freeway Express is a simple and attractive web design tool for MacOS that is.
- A bumper crop of Mac apps has sprung up to help people in just such a predicament, applying a friendly front end and familiar tools to the ever-more-complicated word of web coding. While none of the three polished apps we review here will be perfect for everyone, chances are that one of them has the right feature set to fit your needs.
Categories
Categories on the App Store and Mac App Store sort apps based on their main function or subject matter. Customers can browse categories, such as Entertainment, Shopping, or Social Networking, to find related apps. You can assign a primary and a secondary category to your app. The primary category is particularly important for discoverability, as it helps users find your app when browsing or filtering search results, and it determines in which tab your app appears on the App Store.
To learn more, see Choosing a Category.
Today Tab
The Today tab on the App Store is a daily destination with original stories from our editors around the world, featuring exclusive premieres, new releases, a fresh look at our all-time favorites, an App of the Day, a Game of the Day, and more. It offers tips and how-to guides to help customers use apps in innovative ways, and showcases interviews with inspiring developers. Stories share Apple's unique perspective on apps and games and how they impact our lives, using artwork, videos, and developer quotes to bring your apps to life.
Games and Apps Tabs
The App Store is also the world's best game store, with dedicated experiences for games and apps that inform and engage customers through recommendations on new releases and updates, videos, top charts, and handpicked collections and categories. Both tabs also feature app preview videos that autoplay with muted audio as customers scroll through the tabs, and selected in-app purchases — which customers can start buying directly on the App Store.
Promoted In-App Purchases
Customers can browse in-app purchases directly on the App Store and start a purchase even before downloading your app, helping your app's content gain exposure. You can promote up to 20 in-app purchases, including subscriptions, on your app's product page. They can also appear in search results and may be featured by our editorial team.
For details, see Promoting Your In-App Purchases.
Discover
Discover is where customers find the best new releases and updates on the Mac App Store. Each week, our editors shine a light on incredible apps and games with in-depth stories, behind-the-scenes interviews, and curated collections to help customers do more of what they love with their Mac.
Create
Create is where customers find powerful apps that make creating on a Mac intuitive, efficient, and fun, with helpful tips and tours that even experts will find useful.
Work
Work is where we showcase new favorites that support focus and organization. With curated collections and how-tos from our editors, finding the right business, productivity, and utility apps is easy.
Play
Play is where we highlight great games and entertainment apps, with recommendations of new releases, all-time favorites, and handpicked collections.
Develop
Develop is where our editors curate the best developer tools and utilities to help bring your creativity and imagination to customers around the world.
Getting Featured
App Store editors write stories that showcase apps in interesting and informative ways. Our editors base their decisions on a variety of factors, all of which amount to a great product that customers will love. There is no paid placement or checklist of requirements for apps we write about or feature.
Stories.App Store editors talk about apps that have a unique story for example, a behind-the-scenes look at how a developer launched an app that disrupted an industry or how an app helped a customer solve a unique problem.
Apps and Games. When considering apps to feature, our editors look for high-quality apps across all categories, with a particular focus on new apps and apps with significant updates. Factors that our editors consider include:
- UI design: the usability, appeal, and overall quality of the app
- User experience: the efficiency and functionality of the app
- Innovation: apps that solve a unique problem for customers
- Localizations: high-quality and relevant
- Accessibility: well-integrated features
- App Store product page: compelling screenshots, app previews, and descriptions
- Uniqueness
For games, editors also consider:
- Gameplay and level of engagement
- Graphics and performance
- Audio
- Narrative and story depth
- Ability to replay
- Gameplay controls
Tell us your story.
If your app has a unique story that our editorial team should know, tell us about it. For new apps or a significant update, let us know six to eight weeks in advance of your launch.
Deliver exciting app experiences, such as App Clips and widgets, to reach users in new ways on iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. Make sure your apps are faster, more responsive, and more engaging by taking advantage of the latest advances in ARKit,Core ML, and Siri. Build your apps with Xcode 12, update your product pages, and submit today.
Build with Xcode 12.
Deliver great user experiences by seamlessly integrating with the latest advances on Apple platforms. Build your apps using Xcode 12, which includes SDKs for iOS 14,iPadOS 14,watchOS 7,tvOS 14, and macOS Catalina.
Starting April 2021, all iOS and iPadOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 12 and the iOS 14 SDK.
Optimize for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14.
The iOS 14 SDK delivers a range of exciting capabilities. Give users a quick way to engage with a part of your app at the right moment with App Clips. Let users experience your app right on their iPhone home screen with new widgets. Bring your ideas to life with new features and more realistic augmented reality experiences using ARKit and RealityKit. And much more.
App Clips
Easily discoverable and quick to launch at the moment it's needed, an App Clip is a small part of your iOS or iPadOS app that lets users start and finish an experience in seconds. And after you've demonstrated the value of your app, you can provide the opportunity to download your full app from the App Store.
Widgets
Widgets deliver a small amount of timely, useful information or app-specific functionality. And now, they're even easier to build and make available across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS with the new WidgetKit framework, widget API for SwiftUI, widget gallery, and Smart Stacks.
Dark Mode
Dark Mode is seamlessly integrated throughout the system and is easy to turn on from Control Center or Siri. With a dark appearance for all user interface elements, your app's content becomes the focus. When Dark Mode is turned on, all apps built with the iOS 13 SDK or later will run in Dark Mode. If you need more time to make your apps look fantastic in Dark Mode or if Dark Mode is not suited for your app, you'll need to opt out.
Multitasking
Support for Multitasking on iPad is strongly encouraged. Adding support for multiple windows, and adopting Multitasking capabilities, including Slide Over, Split View, and Picture in Picture, will ensure your app delivers a modern and complete experience on iPadOS.
Sign in with Apple
With built-in privacy and security features, Sign in with Apple is a great way to help users set up an account, sign in, and engage with your app quickly and easily. All accounts are protected with two-factor authentication, and Apple will not track users' activity in your app or website. Apps that authenticate or set up user accounts must support Sign in with Apple if required by guideline 4.8 of the App Store Review Guidelines. See the latest App Store Review Guidelines and Human Interface Guidelines to learn how to provide great user experiences with Sign in with Apple.
Test on devices.
All-screen support
Apps should look great on all models of iPhone and iPad, regardless of display size or aspect ratio. With features like Xcode storyboards, Auto Layout, and SwiftUI, your app's interface elements and layouts automatically fit the display. Test your apps with the latest devices or the simulator in Xcode 12 to make sure they're ready to take advantage of the edge-to-edge displays by respecting safe areas, supporting adaptive layouts, and more. Find and address UI issues in your app before testing on a device to make sure your app looks great. App updates must use an Xcode storyboard to provide the app's launch screen. In addition, new apps that run on iPhone must support all iPhone screens and new apps that run on iPad must support all iPad screens.
Required device capabilities
The App Store is designed to provide users with apps that work seamlessly with their device's capabilities. Verify your information property list (info.plist) is compatible with any device requirements when submitting a new app that takes advantage of the latest technologies.
TestFlight beta testing
Before finalizing your app for release, get valuable feedback with beta testers. Upload your app to App Store Connect and use TestFlight to test on a device and easily invite other testers.
Submit for review.
Before submitting your app for review, make sure it's ready to be publicly released and that you're making the most of your product page.
Guidelines
All apps submitted to the App Store are reviewed based on a set of technical, content, and design criteria. Make sure to review the App Store Review Guidelines before submitting your app for review.
Product page
Website To Mac App Developer
Make sure your app's name, icon, description, screenshots, app previews, and keywords are ready for your product page. You can also take this opportunity to update your subtitle and promotional text, and choose to promote any new in-app purchases. If your app supports Dark Mode, consider including at least one screenshot that showcases what the experience looks like for users.
Categories
Categories on the App Store and Mac App Store sort apps based on their main function or subject matter. Customers can browse categories, such as Entertainment, Shopping, or Social Networking, to find related apps. You can assign a primary and a secondary category to your app. The primary category is particularly important for discoverability, as it helps users find your app when browsing or filtering search results, and it determines in which tab your app appears on the App Store.
To learn more, see Choosing a Category.
Today Tab
The Today tab on the App Store is a daily destination with original stories from our editors around the world, featuring exclusive premieres, new releases, a fresh look at our all-time favorites, an App of the Day, a Game of the Day, and more. It offers tips and how-to guides to help customers use apps in innovative ways, and showcases interviews with inspiring developers. Stories share Apple's unique perspective on apps and games and how they impact our lives, using artwork, videos, and developer quotes to bring your apps to life.
Games and Apps Tabs
The App Store is also the world's best game store, with dedicated experiences for games and apps that inform and engage customers through recommendations on new releases and updates, videos, top charts, and handpicked collections and categories. Both tabs also feature app preview videos that autoplay with muted audio as customers scroll through the tabs, and selected in-app purchases — which customers can start buying directly on the App Store.
Promoted In-App Purchases
Customers can browse in-app purchases directly on the App Store and start a purchase even before downloading your app, helping your app's content gain exposure. You can promote up to 20 in-app purchases, including subscriptions, on your app's product page. They can also appear in search results and may be featured by our editorial team.
For details, see Promoting Your In-App Purchases.
Discover
Discover is where customers find the best new releases and updates on the Mac App Store. Each week, our editors shine a light on incredible apps and games with in-depth stories, behind-the-scenes interviews, and curated collections to help customers do more of what they love with their Mac.
Create
Create is where customers find powerful apps that make creating on a Mac intuitive, efficient, and fun, with helpful tips and tours that even experts will find useful.
Work
Work is where we showcase new favorites that support focus and organization. With curated collections and how-tos from our editors, finding the right business, productivity, and utility apps is easy.
Play
Play is where we highlight great games and entertainment apps, with recommendations of new releases, all-time favorites, and handpicked collections.
Develop
Develop is where our editors curate the best developer tools and utilities to help bring your creativity and imagination to customers around the world.
Getting Featured
App Store editors write stories that showcase apps in interesting and informative ways. Our editors base their decisions on a variety of factors, all of which amount to a great product that customers will love. There is no paid placement or checklist of requirements for apps we write about or feature.
Stories.App Store editors talk about apps that have a unique story for example, a behind-the-scenes look at how a developer launched an app that disrupted an industry or how an app helped a customer solve a unique problem.
Apps and Games. When considering apps to feature, our editors look for high-quality apps across all categories, with a particular focus on new apps and apps with significant updates. Factors that our editors consider include:
- UI design: the usability, appeal, and overall quality of the app
- User experience: the efficiency and functionality of the app
- Innovation: apps that solve a unique problem for customers
- Localizations: high-quality and relevant
- Accessibility: well-integrated features
- App Store product page: compelling screenshots, app previews, and descriptions
- Uniqueness
For games, editors also consider:
- Gameplay and level of engagement
- Graphics and performance
- Audio
- Narrative and story depth
- Ability to replay
- Gameplay controls
Tell us your story.
If your app has a unique story that our editorial team should know, tell us about it. For new apps or a significant update, let us know six to eight weeks in advance of your launch.
Deliver exciting app experiences, such as App Clips and widgets, to reach users in new ways on iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. Make sure your apps are faster, more responsive, and more engaging by taking advantage of the latest advances in ARKit,Core ML, and Siri. Build your apps with Xcode 12, update your product pages, and submit today.
Build with Xcode 12.
Deliver great user experiences by seamlessly integrating with the latest advances on Apple platforms. Build your apps using Xcode 12, which includes SDKs for iOS 14,iPadOS 14,watchOS 7,tvOS 14, and macOS Catalina.
Starting April 2021, all iOS and iPadOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 12 and the iOS 14 SDK.
Optimize for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14.
The iOS 14 SDK delivers a range of exciting capabilities. Give users a quick way to engage with a part of your app at the right moment with App Clips. Let users experience your app right on their iPhone home screen with new widgets. Bring your ideas to life with new features and more realistic augmented reality experiences using ARKit and RealityKit. And much more.
App Clips
Easily discoverable and quick to launch at the moment it's needed, an App Clip is a small part of your iOS or iPadOS app that lets users start and finish an experience in seconds. And after you've demonstrated the value of your app, you can provide the opportunity to download your full app from the App Store.
Widgets
Widgets deliver a small amount of timely, useful information or app-specific functionality. And now, they're even easier to build and make available across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS with the new WidgetKit framework, widget API for SwiftUI, widget gallery, and Smart Stacks.
Dark Mode
Dark Mode is seamlessly integrated throughout the system and is easy to turn on from Control Center or Siri. With a dark appearance for all user interface elements, your app's content becomes the focus. When Dark Mode is turned on, all apps built with the iOS 13 SDK or later will run in Dark Mode. If you need more time to make your apps look fantastic in Dark Mode or if Dark Mode is not suited for your app, you'll need to opt out.
Multitasking
Support for Multitasking on iPad is strongly encouraged. Adding support for multiple windows, and adopting Multitasking capabilities, including Slide Over, Split View, and Picture in Picture, will ensure your app delivers a modern and complete experience on iPadOS.
Sign in with Apple
With built-in privacy and security features, Sign in with Apple is a great way to help users set up an account, sign in, and engage with your app quickly and easily. All accounts are protected with two-factor authentication, and Apple will not track users' activity in your app or website. Apps that authenticate or set up user accounts must support Sign in with Apple if required by guideline 4.8 of the App Store Review Guidelines. See the latest App Store Review Guidelines and Human Interface Guidelines to learn how to provide great user experiences with Sign in with Apple.
Test on devices.
All-screen support
Apps should look great on all models of iPhone and iPad, regardless of display size or aspect ratio. With features like Xcode storyboards, Auto Layout, and SwiftUI, your app's interface elements and layouts automatically fit the display. Test your apps with the latest devices or the simulator in Xcode 12 to make sure they're ready to take advantage of the edge-to-edge displays by respecting safe areas, supporting adaptive layouts, and more. Find and address UI issues in your app before testing on a device to make sure your app looks great. App updates must use an Xcode storyboard to provide the app's launch screen. In addition, new apps that run on iPhone must support all iPhone screens and new apps that run on iPad must support all iPad screens.
Required device capabilities
The App Store is designed to provide users with apps that work seamlessly with their device's capabilities. Verify your information property list (info.plist) is compatible with any device requirements when submitting a new app that takes advantage of the latest technologies.
TestFlight beta testing
Before finalizing your app for release, get valuable feedback with beta testers. Upload your app to App Store Connect and use TestFlight to test on a device and easily invite other testers.
Submit for review.
Before submitting your app for review, make sure it's ready to be publicly released and that you're making the most of your product page.
Guidelines
All apps submitted to the App Store are reviewed based on a set of technical, content, and design criteria. Make sure to review the App Store Review Guidelines before submitting your app for review.
Product page
Website To Mac App Developer
Make sure your app's name, icon, description, screenshots, app previews, and keywords are ready for your product page. You can also take this opportunity to update your subtitle and promotional text, and choose to promote any new in-app purchases. If your app supports Dark Mode, consider including at least one screenshot that showcases what the experience looks like for users.
iPhone and iPad apps on the Mac App Store
When the first Mac with Apple Silicon ships later this year, your compatible iPhone and iPad apps will also be published automatically on the Mac App Store unless you've updated their availability in App Store Connect. Compatibility with macOS will be determined by Apple. Visit App Store Connect to update app availability at any time.
Submission
Website To Mac App Windows 10
Once your app is updated for iOS 14 and the latest devices, submit for review. Get step-by-step instructions how to submit your apps for distribution on the App Store.
