App Clips

App Clips are small, focused parts of an iOS app that let users experience a specific feature without downloading the full app. Apple introduced App Clips in iOS 14 as a way to reduce the friction between discovering an app and using it.

How App Clips Work

A user encounters an App Clip through a trigger: scanning a QR code, tapping an NFC tag, clicking a link in Safari or Messages, or finding a business in Apple Maps. iOS loads just the App Clip module (under 15 MB) and presents it as a native experience within seconds.

The user completes their task (ordering food, paying for parking, checking into an event) and can then choose to install the full app or simply move on. Data created in the App Clip can transfer to the full app through shared App Groups.

App Clips and App Discovery

For ASO, App Clips represent a discovery channel that exists entirely outside the App Store. Users find your app at the exact moment they need it, in the physical or digital context where it delivers immediate value. This context-first discovery model typically produces higher conversion rates to full app installs than traditional store search.

Technical Requirements

• Binary size under 15 MB uncompressed
• Must be associated with a full app in App Store Connect
• Requires Universal Links and domain verification through an AASA file
• Each App Clip experience is tied to a specific invocation URL
• Supports up to 500 registered URL patterns per app

Invocation Methods

App Clips can be triggered through QR codes, NFC tags, Apple App Clip Codes, Safari Smart App Banners, Apple Maps place cards, Messages link previews, and Siri suggestions.