App Store Localization Checklist: Launch in New Markets
Updated March 15, 2026 · 14 min read
Expanding your iOS app into international markets is one of the highest-ROI growth strategies available. But localization involves dozens of moving pieces — miss one, and you end up with rejected submissions, broken metadata, or underperforming listings in markets that should be driving revenue.
This checklist covers every step from initial market research through post-launch optimization. Use it as a working document: come back to it each time you add a new language or enter a new market. Each item includes context on why it matters and what "done" looks like.
Phase 1: Pre-Launch Research and Preparation
Before you translate a single word, invest time in understanding where the opportunity is and what each market demands. Skipping research leads to wasted localization budget on markets that won't move the needle.
Pre-Launch
Market Research
Identify target markets by revenue potential
Use App Store Connect Analytics to see where your impressions and downloads are already coming from. Countries with existing organic downloads but no localization represent immediate opportunity. Check
App Store statistics for market size data by country.
Analyze category competition per market
Search your primary keywords in each target App Store to see how saturated the market is. Less competitive markets offer faster ranking gains from localization. Use Apple's App Store in different regions (change storefront in iTunes/App Store settings).
Research local user expectations
Read competitor reviews in target markets to understand what local users value. Payment preferences, feature expectations, and design norms vary significantly — Japanese users expect detailed feature lists; Brazilian users prioritize social features.
Map Apple's supported localizations to your target markets
Apple supports 40 App Store localizations, but not every language maps 1:1 to a country. Simplified Chinese covers mainland China; Traditional Chinese covers Taiwan and Hong Kong. Portuguese (Brazil) and Portuguese (Portugal) are separate. See which
languages deliver the best ROI for your category.
Pre-Launch
Language and Content Preparation
Prioritize languages by expected impact
Rank your target languages into tiers. Tier 1 (5–8 languages) gets full localization with human review. Tier 2 (10–15 languages) gets AI-powered translation. Tier 3 (remaining) can be added incrementally. Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German, and French are almost always Tier 1 for revenue impact.
Finalize your source language metadata
Before translating, perfect your English (or primary language) listing. Your source content is the foundation — errors and weak copy propagate through every translation. Ensure your
description follows best practices before localizing it.
Prepare a localization glossary
List terms that should NOT be translated (brand name, feature names, technical terms) and terms that need specific translations. Share this with translators or configure it in your automation tool. Consistency across metadata and in-app strings matters.
Document character limits for all fields
App name: 30 characters. Subtitle: 30 characters. Keywords: 100 characters. Description: 4,000 characters. Promotional text: 170 characters. What's New: 4,000 characters. Verify your translations respect these
character limits — they're enforced strictly and are the #1 cause of submission failures.
Pre-Launch
Keyword Research Per Market
Research local search terms (don't just translate English keywords)
The #1 keyword in English is rarely the literal translation of the #1 keyword in Korean or Spanish. Users search differently in every language. Use ASO tools to find high-volume, low-competition terms in each target locale. This is where
keyword localization pays the biggest dividends.
Optimize keyword field per locale
You get 100 characters per locale for keywords. Don't waste them on duplicates, spaces after commas, or terms already in your app name/subtitle (Apple indexes those automatically). Each language should have a uniquely optimized keyword field.
Consider cross-locale keyword bonus
Apple indexes keywords from related localizations in certain markets. For example, English (US) keywords influence English (UK) and English (Australia) rankings. Spanish (Mexico) and Spanish (Spain) share some indexing. Factor this into your keyword strategy to avoid redundancy.
Pre-Launch
Visual Assets
Design screenshot templates with localization in mind
Separate text overlays from background imagery. Allow 30–40% extra space for text expansion (German, Russian). Use fonts with broad Unicode support. Plan RTL variants for Arabic and Hebrew. See our full guide on
localizing App Store screenshots.
Capture in-app screenshots in each language
If your app is internally localized, use Fastlane Snapshot or XCTest to programmatically capture screenshots with the device language set to each locale. This ensures the in-app UI shown matches the language of the listing.
Localize text overlays for all target languages
At minimum, translate the caption text on your screenshots. This is the most cost-effective visual localization step and has measurable impact on conversion rates.
Prepare app preview videos (if applicable)
If your previews contain narration or prominent text, create localized versions for your Tier 1 markets. For visual-only previews with minimal text, the same video can often work across all markets.
Pre-Launch
Pricing Strategy
Set territory-specific pricing
Apple offers 900+ price points with territory-specific pricing. Don't use the same USD-equivalent price everywhere — $4.99 in the US is a different purchasing decision than the equivalent in India or Brazil. Implement
purchasing power parity pricing for maximum revenue per market.
Review subscription pricing by market
If your app uses subscriptions, set locale-appropriate price points for each territory. Apple's auto-renewable subscription pricing supports different prices per storefront. Consider that willingness to pay for subscriptions varies dramatically between markets.
Configure availability for target territories
Ensure your app is available in all territories you're localizing for. Check for any content restrictions or regulatory requirements that might affect availability in specific countries (gambling, health claims, encryption).
Phase 2: Launch Execution
With your preparation complete, it's time to submit everything. This phase is where attention to detail prevents rejection and ensures a clean launch across all markets simultaneously.
Launch
Submit Translations
Upload all localized metadata to App Store Connect
Submit app names, subtitles, descriptions, keywords, promotional text, and What's New text for every target locale. If doing this manually, triple-check you're pasting into the correct language tab. Better yet,
automate the submission via the App Store Connect API to eliminate paste errors.
Upload localized screenshots and previews
Upload the correct screenshot sets for each locale and device size. Verify that the right language screenshots are uploaded to the right localization — mixing up Japanese and Chinese screenshots is more common than you'd think.
Set localized support and marketing URLs
If you have localized landing pages or support sites, set the appropriate URL for each locale. Even linking to a Google Translate version of your support page is better than sending Japanese users to an English-only site.
Launch
Verification and Testing
Verify all character limits are respected
Run a final check on every translated field against Apple's limits. Pay special attention to app names and subtitles (30 chars each) — these are the most common failure point because many languages express the same concept in more characters than English.
Check keyword fields for formatting errors
Keywords should be comma-separated with no spaces after commas. No hashtags, no duplicate terms, no terms already in the app name/subtitle. Each wasted character in the 100-character keyword field is a missed ranking opportunity.
Test deep links and Smart App Banners per locale
If your marketing uses deep links or your website shows Smart App Banners, verify they work correctly for users in different storefronts. A deep link that works for US users but 404s for German users undermines your launch.
Preview your product page in each locale
Use App Store Connect's preview feature to see exactly how your listing looks in each language. Check for text truncation, screenshot ordering, and visual consistency. What looks great in English might have layout issues in Thai or Arabic.
Verify in-app language matches the listing language
Nothing kills trust faster than a perfectly localized App Store page that opens to an English-only app. Ensure your app's internal localization is shipping in the same update as your App Store metadata localization.
Launch
Submission
Submit for review with all localizations active
Apple reviews all localizations as part of the app review process. If any localization contains content that violates guidelines, the entire submission can be rejected. Ensure compliance across all languages — common issues include unsubstantiated claims, missing privacy descriptions, and screenshots that don't match app functionality. See our guide on
avoiding localization-related rejections.
Coordinate release timing across markets
Decide whether to release simultaneously worldwide or do a phased rollout. Simultaneous releases maximize impact for marketing pushes. Phased rollouts let you learn from early markets before investing in localization refinement for others.
Phase 3: Post-Launch Optimization
Launching is the beginning, not the end. The real value of localization compounds over time as you iterate based on data. Most developers skip this phase entirely — it's your competitive advantage.
Post-Launch
Performance Tracking
Monitor conversion rates by storefront
In App Store Connect Analytics, compare conversion rates (impressions to downloads) across localized and non-localized markets. A localized market with lower conversion than your English listing suggests the translation quality needs improvement.
Track keyword rankings per locale
Use ASO tools to monitor where you rank for target keywords in each market. New localizations typically take 2–4 weeks to fully index. If rankings aren't improving after 4 weeks, revisit your keyword strategy for that locale.
Compare download velocity before and after localization
Measure the lift in downloads per market after localization goes live. This data helps you justify (or deprioritize) further investment in each market and refine your Tier 1/2/3 language prioritization for future updates.
Monitor revenue by territory
Downloads are vanity; revenue is reality. Some markets drive high downloads but low monetization. Others convert at lower volumes but with higher ARPU. Use this data to adjust your pricing strategy and localization investment per market.
Post-Launch
Ongoing Iteration
Iterate keywords based on ranking data
Keywords aren't set-and-forget. Every update is an opportunity to swap underperforming keywords for better ones. Track which terms are driving impressions and optimize quarterly. Seasonal terms (back-to-school, holidays) rotate throughout the year.
Respond to reviews in the user's language
Responding to reviews in the reviewer's language dramatically increases the chance they'll update their rating. Even a short translated response shows you care about that market. AI tools can help draft responses, but personalize them.
Update seasonal and promotional content
Promotional text (updatable without a new version) is perfect for seasonal messaging — Lunar New Year for Asian markets, Ramadan for Middle Eastern markets, Carnival for Brazil. Localized seasonal content shows market awareness and boosts engagement.
Keep What's New text localized with every release
Stale What's New text in a non-English language signals abandonment. If you're releasing updates, localize the release notes every time. This is one of the strongest cases for automation — writing unique What's New text in 40 languages every 2 weeks isn't feasible manually.
Refresh screenshots when your UI changes
Every significant UI redesign should trigger a screenshot refresh across all localized markets. Outdated screenshots that don't match the current app erode user trust and can lead to negative reviews.
Expand to additional markets based on data
Use your performance data to identify the next wave of markets. Countries with growing organic traffic but no localization are prime candidates. Gradually expand your language coverage, moving previous Tier 2 markets to Tier 1 as revenue justifies deeper investment.
Tools That Make This Manageable
This checklist has 30+ items. Doing them all manually for 40 languages is impractical for most teams. Here's how to streamline each phase:
- Metadata translation and submission: AppStoreLocalization.com handles AI-powered translation across 45+ languages with App Store Connect API integration, respecting character limits and optimizing keywords per locale automatically.
- Screenshot capture: Fastlane Snapshot automates device-language screenshot capture across all locales.
- Keyword tracking: AppTweak, Sensor Tower, or App Radar provide locale-specific keyword ranking data.
- Pricing optimization: AppStoreLocalization.com's PPP pricing engine covers 175+ territories with purchasing-power-adjusted price points.
- Review management: AppFollow or AppBot aggregate reviews across markets and help with translated responses.
The 80/20 of this checklist: If you can only do five things, do these: (1) localize your keywords for your top 10 markets, (2) translate your description, (3) localize screenshot text overlays, (4) set territory-appropriate pricing, and (5) keep What's New text localized every release. These five actions capture the majority of the localization revenue uplift.
For a deeper dive on the revenue case for localization, see how app localization increases revenue. And if you're evaluating the difference between basic translation and true localization, our guide on localization vs. translation clarifies where the value lies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many languages should I localize my App Store listing for?
Start with the languages that cover your largest addressable market. For most apps, localizing into 10–15 languages covers roughly 80% of global App Store revenue. The top languages by revenue impact are English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, and Russian. From there, expand based on your app category and analytics data.
How long does it take to localize an app for the App Store?
With manual translation, expect 2–4 weeks for a full localization pass across 10+ languages. With AI-powered automation tools, you can complete metadata localization in under an hour. The biggest variable is screenshot localization, which depends on whether you use automated capture, template-based text swaps, or custom designs per market.
What's the difference between App Store localization and in-app localization?
App Store localization covers your product page: app name, subtitle, description, keywords, screenshots, and previews. In-app localization means translating the actual UI strings, content, and features within your app. Ideally you do both, but App Store localization alone can increase downloads since it affects discoverability and conversion before users even install.
Should I localize my app name for different markets?
It depends on your brand. If your app name is a recognizable English word or brand name, keeping it consistent globally aids brand recognition. If your app name describes functionality (e.g., "Photo Editor Pro"), localizing it helps with search discovery in non-English markets. Many successful apps keep their brand name in English but localize the subtitle for keyword coverage.
How do I track which localized markets are performing well?
App Store Connect Analytics provides impressions, product page views, conversion rates, and downloads broken down by storefront (country). Compare conversion rates across localized vs non-localized markets to measure impact. Third-party ASO tools like App Annie, Sensor Tower, and AppTweak provide deeper keyword ranking data by locale.