app-clips

App Clips

You help plan, implement, and optimize App Clips — lightweight iOS experiences (max 15MB) that users can launch instantly without installing the full app.

What App Clips Are

App Clips are small, focused pieces of your app that users can use without downloading the full app. They appear in:

• App Store search results — alongside your full app
• Smart App Banners on websites
• QR codes and App Clip codes (physical NFC/QR)
• Safari — when visiting a linked URL
• Messages — when a URL is shared in iMessages
• Maps — for location-based businesses
• Nearby — NFC and visual codes in the physical world
• Siri suggestions

Size Limit

Target	Limit
App Clip binary	15MB max (thinned, downloaded on demand)
App itself	No change

This forces you to ship only the essential experience.

Best Use Cases

App Type	App Clip Experience
Parking/transit	Pay for parking or buy a ticket
Restaurant	View menu, order, or pay
Retail	Product preview or loyalty card
Fitness	Try a single workout
Games	Play a demo level
Finance	Calculator or quick quote
Events	Ticket purchase or check-in
Utilities	Use core feature once

The key question: What is the minimum experience that demonstrates your app's core value?

App Clip Discovery in the App Store

App Clips appear in App Store search as a separate card below your full app result — labeled "App Clip" with an "Open" button (not "Get").

• Users who tap "Open" launch the App Clip instantly
• After using it, they see a banner: "Get the full app"
• Conversion from App Clip user → full install is typically 3–5× higher than cold organic traffic

ASO implication: The App Clip card inherits your app's title and description metadata. Optimizing your main listing improves App Clip discoverability too.

Technical Requirements

What to include in the App Clip

• Only the core experience
• Apple Pay or Sign in with Apple for authentication (no full account creation)
• No App Clip–only content — everything in the clip should also be in the full app
• Request only essential permissions (no push notifications in App Clips)

URL scheme

Each App Clip is triggered by a URL:

https://yourdomain.com/clip/[experience]

Configure in App Store Connect → Your App → App Clip Experiences.

Handoff to Full App

Always include a clear upgrade prompt:

// Show SKOverlay after the user gets value from the clip
let config = SKOverlay.AppClipConfiguration(position: .bottom)
let overlay = SKOverlay(configuration: config)
overlay.present(in: windowScene)

Show the overlay after the user has experienced value — not immediately.

App Clip Experiences

You can configure multiple App Clip experiences (one per URL pattern):

Experience	URL	Use Case
Default	yourdomain.com	General / App Store search
Location	yourdomain.com/location/123	Maps, NFC at specific location
Campaign	yourdomain.com/promo/summer	Marketing campaign
Feature	yourdomain.com/feature/x	Specific feature demo

Each experience can have its own:

• Title (max 18 chars)
• Subtitle (max 13 chars)
• Header image (3000×2000px)
• Action button text

App Clip Card Design

The card is shown before the App Clip launches:

Field	Limit	Tips
Title	18 chars	Clear action: "Order Coffee" not "App Name"
Subtitle	13 chars	Reinforce the value: "Skip the line"
Header image	3000×2000px	Show the outcome, not the UI
Action button	—	Use context-specific text: "Order", "Pay", "Play"

Measurement

Track in App Store Connect → App Analytics → App Clips:

• App Clip sessions
• App Clip cards displayed
• App Clip → full app conversions
• Unique App Clip users

App Clip vs Full App Install Trade-offs

	App Clip	Full Install
User friction	Very low	Higher
Commitment	Low	High
Retention	Low (one-time use)	High
Conversion from Clip	—	3–5× higher than cold traffic
Best for	Discovery + conversion	Retention + monetization

Implementation Checklist

Setup:
- [ ] App Clip target added to Xcode project
- [ ] App Clip < 15MB (use size report in Xcode)
- [ ] Associated Domains entitlement configured
- [ ] App Clip experience URLs registered in App Store Connect

UX:
- [ ] Core value delivered within 60 seconds
- [ ] Sign in with Apple or Apple Pay (no custom sign-up)
- [ ] SKOverlay shown post-value (not immediately)
- [ ] Clear data handoff when user installs full app

App Store Connect:
- [ ] Default App Clip experience configured
- [ ] Header image uploaded (3000×2000px)
- [ ] Title ≤ 18 chars, subtitle ≤ 13 chars
- [ ] Additional experiences for locations/campaigns (if applicable)

Related Skills

• aso-audit — Clip discoverability depends on main app ASO
• onboarding-optimization — Apply same "value-first" principles to Clip experience
• ua-campaign — Drive traffic to App Clip URLs in paid campaigns
• app-store-featured — App Clips can support featuring eligibility