Both the App Store and Google Play cap long descriptions at 4,000 characters — but that is almost never the limit that matters most. Your app name is capped at 30 characters, your subtitle at 30, and your iOS keyword field at 100. These tighter fields carry more weight in search rankings than the long description. This guide covers every field on both platforms, what counts toward the limit, and how to use every character for maximum App Store Optimisation impact.
App Store and Google Play character limits at a glance
Every metadata field in App Store Connect and Google Play Console has a hard character limit. Exceeding any limit blocks submission — the platform rejects the update until you trim the field. Understanding the limits across all fields, not just the long description, is the foundation of a disciplined ASO workflow.
| Field | iOS App Store | Google Play | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Name / Title | 30 chars | 30 chars | Highest ranking weight |
| Subtitle | 30 chars | N/A | iOS only; indexed by algorithm |
| Short Description | N/A | 80 chars | Play only; shown in search |
| Long Description | 4,000 chars | 4,000 chars | Indexed differently per platform |
| Keyword Field | 100 chars | N/A | iOS only; comma-separated |
| Promotional Text | 170 chars | N/A | iOS only; no resubmission needed |
| What's New | 4,000 chars | 500 chars | Release notes per version |
Which fields carry the most ranking weight
On iOS, Apple's algorithm gives the highest keyword weight to the app name, then the subtitle, then the keyword field. The long description is not heavily indexed by Apple — keywords buried in the long description have minimal impact on iOS search rankings. On Google Play, title, short description, and long description are all indexed, with title keywords weighted most heavily. This fundamental difference means your keyword strategy must be tailored to each platform.
Note
iOS App Store: field-by-field character limits
iOS has six distinct metadata fields with separate character limits, each serving a different purpose in the search and conversion funnel. Understanding which fields Apple indexes for search versus which fields users see during the purchase decision changes how you allocate your keyword research.
App Name — 30 characters
The app name is the most valuable real estate in your entire App Store listing. Apple indexes the name with the highest weight in its search algorithm. Include your primary keyword in the name wherever it reads naturally — apps with a keyword in the name consistently rank higher for that keyword than apps without it. At 30 characters, you typically have room for your brand name plus one keyword: "Quasar Tools: File Converter" uses 32 characters, so tighter choices are needed at this limit.
Subtitle — 30 characters
The subtitle appears directly below the app name in search results and on the product page. Apple indexes it with the second-highest keyword weight — treat it as a second opportunity to rank for a primary keyword you could not fit in the name. Keep it readable as a human phrase, not a keyword list. "PDF Scanner & Document Editor" uses 33 characters; "PDF & Document Scanner" uses 21. The subtitle also appears on the App Store search result card, making it conversion copy as well as ranking signal.
Keyword Field — 100 characters, no spaces
The iOS keyword field is invisible to users but fully indexed by Apple's algorithm. Enter comma-separated keywords without spaces after commas — every space wastes a character. For example: `converter,pdf,scanner,document,ocr,reader,editor,tool`. Do not repeat words already in your title, subtitle, or category — Apple already indexes those. Use all 100 characters: even low-volume tail keywords contribute to discovery. The Character Counter on Quasar Tools tracks your count live as you build your keyword string.
Long Description — 4,000 characters
Apple does not index the long description heavily for search, so write it for users — not for the algorithm. The first 255 characters are visible before the user taps "more," making that opening critical for conversion. Structure the description with a hook in the first paragraph, bullet points for key features, social proof (ratings, downloads), and a clear call to action. At roughly 600–700 words, the 4,000 character limit gives you substantial space to address user objections.
Tip
Google Play: field-by-field character limits
Google Play's metadata structure differs from iOS in two key ways: there is no separate keyword field (keywords must appear in the title, short description, and long description), and the long description is heavily indexed by Google's search algorithm. This makes keyword placement across all three text fields essential for Google Play search visibility.
App Title — 30 characters
Like iOS, the Google Play title carries the highest keyword weight. Include your primary keyword here where it reads naturally. Google previously allowed 50 characters, reduced to 30 in May 2021 — any older listings with longer titles were automatically truncated. The title appears in search results, the app card, and on the product page. Keyword-rich titles that still read as a natural product name consistently outrank pure keyword dumps.
Short Description — 80 characters
The Google Play short description is unique to the platform — iOS has no equivalent. It appears in search result snippets before the user taps into the listing, and Google indexes it with the second-highest keyword weight after the title. Treat it as a combination of meta description and keyword field: include your secondary keyword and a clear value proposition in 80 characters. "Convert PDFs, Word docs and images — free, no signup needed" is 52 characters and hits both goals.
Long Description — 4,000 characters
Unlike iOS, Google indexes the Google Play long description as a full-text search corpus. Keyword density matters — aim for natural mention of your primary keyword 2–3 times, secondary keywords once each, without stuffing. Google also renders some formatting: double newlines create paragraph breaks, and HTML tags like `<b>` render as bold text in the listing. Use formatting to create scannable sections: features, use cases, privacy notes, and FAQ snippets perform well. The Text Word Counter on Quasar Tools shows both word count and character count simultaneously for length validation.
Note
How to write effective descriptions within the character limits
Character limits force precision. Every field requires you to communicate a value proposition, include relevant keywords, and remain readable — all within a tight budget. The most effective approach treats each field as a distinct copywriting exercise with its own purpose and audience.
Draft your long description to 4,000 characters
Write your full long description targeting 3,500–4,000 characters — approximately 550–650 words. Front-load your strongest hook in the first 250 characters, since that is all most users see before expanding. Structure the body with features, social proof (award wins, review quotes, download counts), and a call to action. For Google Play, distribute your primary keyword naturally 2–3 times throughout.
Check character count with an online counter
Paste each field into the Character Counter on Quasar Tools to verify the exact count — including spaces, line breaks, and any Unicode characters. The tool shows a live count as you type or paste, flagging when you exceed any threshold you set. This is faster than waiting for App Store Connect to reject your draft on submission.
Craft your short description or keyword field
For Google Play, write the 80-character short description last — after you know which keywords are already in your title and long description. For iOS, build the 100-character keyword field by listing the highest-volume keywords not yet covered by your title or subtitle, comma-separated without spaces. Use the remaining characters for long-tail variants.
Trim with the Text Truncator if needed
If any field exceeds its limit, use the Text Truncator on Quasar Tools to trim to an exact character count while preserving whole words. This avoids the manual cut-and-count loop and shows you multiple trim options at different lengths so you can choose the cleanest cut point.
Character Counter
Count characters, words, sentences, and paragraphs in any text — with live updates and Unicode-aware counting for accurate app store field validation before submission.
Checking character count online before submission
App Store Connect and Google Play Console both show character counters in their metadata forms, but there are two reasons to pre-validate externally: you catch issues before logging into the console, and you can check counts across multiple localised versions simultaneously without switching between language tabs.
Why external tools beat in-console counters
Console character counters only activate when you are actively editing a field — you cannot check a draft without being logged in and in the middle of a live edit. External tools like the Character Counter on Quasar Tools let you paste and validate at any point in your workflow: while writing in a document, during peer review, or when comparing localised variants. The tool also shows word count, sentence count, and paragraph count simultaneously, which helps calibrate the density and readability of your description copy.
Checking readability alongside character count
App Store descriptions perform best at a reading level accessible to your target audience — typically a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 6–9 for consumer apps. Use the Readability Analyzer on Quasar Tools to check Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and Gunning Fog Index for your description text. Descriptions that are too technical or complex have lower conversion rates even when keyword placement is optimal.
Localisation: character limits apply per language
Character limits apply independently to each localised version of your listing. A German description does not share its 4,000 characters with the English version — each locale gets its own full allocation. However, translated text is often longer than the original English, especially for languages like German that use compound words. Always check character counts in every localised field before submitting, not just the default locale.
Tip
ASO best practices for app descriptions
Staying within character limits is the floor, not the ceiling. The best-performing app listings use every available character strategically — different fields serve different parts of the search and conversion funnel, and the character budget for each should be allocated accordingly.
iOS keyword strategy within limits
The 100 characters in the iOS keyword field are the most leverage-per-character real estate in your listing. Research 15–20 candidate keywords, calculate their search volume and difficulty, then prioritise the highest-volume terms not covered by your title or subtitle. Build the keyword string as a comma-separated list without spaces: `scanner,converter,pdf,ocr,reader,editor,documents,files,word,excel`. That string is 68 characters — leaving 32 for additional terms. Use all 100.
Google Play keyword integration
With no keyword field, Google Play requires keywords to appear naturally in your title, short description, and long description. The primary keyword should appear in the title (highest weight), be referenced in the short description, and appear 2–3 times in the long description. Secondary keywords should appear in the long description once each. Avoid keyword stuffing — Google's algorithm penalises unnatural repetition, and users convert less from listings that read like keyword lists rather than product copy.
- Title: primary keyword + brand name; 30 chars; highest algorithm weight on both platforms
- iOS Subtitle: secondary keyword + brief value prop; 30 chars; second-highest iOS ranking signal
- Play Short Description: primary keyword + value prop; 80 chars; shown in search results
- Long Description opening: hook + primary keyword; first 250 chars visible without expanding
- iOS Keyword Field: all 100 chars; no spaces; no repeats from title or subtitle
- What's New / Release Notes: user-facing changes only; 500 chars (Play), 4,000 chars (iOS)
Common mistakes and edge cases with character limits
The most frequent character limit errors fall into three categories: miscounting Unicode characters, repeating keywords across fields that Apple already indexes together, and failing to validate localised versions before submission.
Emoji and Unicode characters
Emoji are visually one character but can comprise multiple Unicode code points. Most emoji count as 1–2 characters in App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Skin tone modifier sequences (e.g. 👍🏽) count as 2 characters. Regional flag emoji (🇬🇧) count as 2. ZWJ sequences (family emoji) can count as 4–6. If you use emoji in your description or title, count them explicitly in the Character Counter rather than estimating, since emoji can silently push a field over the limit.
Wasting the iOS keyword field with repeats
A common iOS ASO mistake is putting keywords in the keyword field that already appear in the app name or subtitle. Apple indexes both together — repeating them in the keyword field does not increase ranking but does waste characters that could be used for additional coverage. Audit your title and subtitle first, list every word in them, then build the keyword field exclusively from terms not already present in those fields.
Google Play title truncation in certain views
Even within the 30-character limit, Google Play truncates app titles in some views — particularly on smaller screen sizes and in widget displays — at around 20–23 characters. Front-load the most important word (usually your brand name or primary keyword) in the first 20 characters so the truncated version still communicates clearly. Test how your title looks truncated before finalising.
Warning
Key takeaways
- Both App Store and Google Play cap long descriptions at 4,000 characters — but app name (30 chars) and subtitle/short description (30–80 chars) carry more ranking weight.
- iOS indexes app name, subtitle, and keyword field for search; the long description is primarily conversion copy for users, not ranking signal.
- Google Play indexes title, short description, and long description for search — there is no separate keyword field, so keywords must be woven naturally across all three.
- The first 250–255 characters of the long description are visible before the user expands it on both platforms — lead with your strongest hook and primary keyword.
- iOS keyword field: use all 100 characters, comma-separated without spaces, and never repeat words already in your title or subtitle.
- Pre-validate every field with the Character Counter on Quasar Tools before entering text into App Store Connect or Play Console.
- Character limits apply independently per locale — always check translated versions for overages before submission, as translated text is often longer than the English original.