Apple plans more advertising in App Store search starting in 2026

Apple will increase advertising in the App Store starting next year. Specifically, this will affect search results, which play a crucial role in app discoverability. The company has confirmed that more ads will appear there in the future. The goal is to give developers additional ways to make their apps more visible and achieve more downloads.

Search is the primary way users discover new apps. Apple itself states that almost 65 percent of all app downloads occur directly after a search query. Against this backdrop, Apple is further expanding its advertising offerings in the App Store. The changes affect only the placement of ads, not their format or billing.

More ads in App Store search results

According to an update on the official Apple Ads website, additional ad placements will be introduced in App Store search results starting in early 2026. Ads will then appear not only at the very top above the organic results, but also further down within the search list.

Apple says it wants to increase the chances for advertisers to generate more downloads through search queries. Existing ads will not be replaced, but rather supplemented. This means that multiple ads can be displayed for each search query.

No changes for existing campaigns

For developers and advertisers, the switchover requires no additional effort. Existing search result campaigns do not need to be adjusted or set up anew. Anyone already using Apple Ads is automatically eligible for all available ad positions.

However, it's not possible to select specific ad placements. You can't bid on a particular position, nor can you determine whether an ad appears at the top or further down in the search results. Ad placement is entirely automated by Apple.

Ad format and billing remain the same

Apple is not changing the basic ad format. Ads will still consist of a standard product page or a custom product page. Optionally, a deep link can be used to direct users to a specific area within the app.

The billing model remains unchanged. Apple continues to use the cost-per-tap principle. Costs are only incurred when a user actually taps on an ad. The selection of which ad is displayed is based on a combination of the bid amount and the app's relevance to the specific search query.

Start date and technical requirements

The new App Store ads will be rolled out starting in early 2026. A device running iOS 26.2 or later is required to view the additional ad placements. The expanded search results ads will only be visible starting with this iOS version. Apple provides further details on the Apple Ads website.

Apple is further expanding its advertising system in the App Store

With the expansion of advertising in App Store search results, Apple is further strengthening its own advertising system. Developers gain additional opportunities to increase visibility without having to adjust existing campaigns. At the same time, Apple retains full control over placement, automation, and billing. Starting in 2026, advertising in the app search results of the Apple ecosystem will play a significantly larger role than before. (Image: Primakov / DepositPhotos.com)