Promotional text and the description are two separate App Store fields with a key practical difference: promotional text, up to 170 characters, appears at the top of your listing and can be changed anytime without submitting a new version, while the description, up to 4000 characters, is the main app text and can only be changed by submitting a new version. Neither is indexed for App Store search; that role belongs to your app name, subtitle, and keywords field. Use promotional text for timely, changeable messages like a sale or announcement, and the description for the full, evergreen explanation of your app.
Short answer
Promotional text is short and editable anytime; the description is long and tied to a version. Per Apple's app information reference, promotional text is up to 170 characters and can be updated without submitting a new app version, while the description is up to 4000 characters and changes only with a new version. Neither is used for App Store search indexing, which draws on your app name, subtitle, and keywords, per Apple's guidance on the product page. So put search terms in the name, subtitle, and keywords, use promotional text for timely messages you may change, and the description for the complete, lasting pitch.
What the description is
The description is the main body of text on your App Store product page, where you explain what your app does, its features, and why someone should use it. It allows up to 4000 characters, which is enough room for a full presentation, and it sits below the promotional text and the initial preview of your listing. It is the evergreen core of your listing.
The defining constraint is that the description is tied to your app version. You cannot edit it on a live app whenever you want; changing it requires submitting a new version of the app, which goes through review. So the description is where you put the stable, lasting explanation of your app, the parts that do not need to change between releases, since updating it is not a quick, independent action. Because a description change rides along with a version, it also means you can refine it with each release, but never on a whim between them.
What promotional text is
Promotional text is a short field, up to 170 characters, that appears at the very top of your description area on the product page. It is meant for a brief, current message, such as highlighting a new feature, an event, or a limited-time offer. Because it sits above the description, it is one of the first things a visitor reads.
Its defining feature is flexibility. Unlike the description, promotional text can be changed at any time without submitting a new version of your app, so you can update it independently of your release cycle. This makes it the right place for anything timely or changeable, since you can revise it the moment a promotion starts or ends, without waiting for a review or a new build.
Which is indexed for search?
Neither the description nor the promotional text is indexed for App Store search. This surprises many developers, but the App Store does not use the description or promotional text to determine search ranking, so stuffing keywords into either of them does not help discoverability. Their job is to inform and persuade a visitor who is already looking at your page, not to bring people there through search.
The fields that feed App Store search are different: your app name, your subtitle, and the dedicated keywords field. Those are where search-relevant terms belong, and they have their own character limits. So the practical takeaway is to write the description and promotional text for humans reading your page, and to place the terms you want to rank for in the name, subtitle, and keywords, which are the indexed fields. Time spent stuffing keywords into the description is time wasted, because it changes nothing about how your app ranks.
Can you change them without an update?
Promotional text, yes; the description, no. Promotional text can be edited at any time without submitting a new app version, which is its main advantage: you update it directly and the change appears without a release or review. This is why it suits messages that change, since you are never blocked by your update cycle. A common use is to add a short line about a current promotion at launch and remove it the moment the promotion ends, all without touching the app itself.
The description can only be changed by submitting a new version of the app, which goes through review before the new text is live. So if you need to correct or refresh the description, you do it as part of a version submission, not as a standalone edit. This difference is the single most useful thing to remember: promotional text for what you might change often, and the description for what stays put between releases.
When to use each
Use the description for the complete, stable story of your app: what it does, its main features, and the value it offers, written to persuade someone reading your page. Because it is long and version-tied, treat it as the durable centerpiece you update deliberately with releases, not something you tweak frequently.
Use promotional text for anything timely or short-lived: a current sale, a newly launched feature, a seasonal message, or an announcement. Because you can change it without a new version, it is the field to reach for whenever the message has a shelf life. Together they divide the work cleanly, with the description carrying the lasting pitch and promotional text carrying the current, changeable note at the top. Thinking of them as one permanent field and one flexible field is the simplest way to decide where any given sentence belongs.
Fields compared
Seeing the fields together clarifies the trade-offs. The table below compares them.
| Field | Length | Editable without a new version? | Indexed for search? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Up to 4000 characters | No | No |
| Promotional text | Up to 170 characters | Yes | No |
| Subtitle | Up to 30 characters | With a version | Yes |
| Keywords | Up to 100 characters | With a version | Yes |
Read the table to place each piece of your listing. The description and promotional text are for reading, not ranking, while the subtitle and keywords are the indexed fields, so search terms go in the latter and persuasion goes in the former.
Checklist
A short check keeps these fields working for you. The checklist below covers it.
| Check | Action | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Write the full, evergreen pitch for your app | [ ] |
| Promotional text | Use it for timely, changeable messages | [ ] |
| Search terms | Put keywords in the name, subtitle, and keywords field | [ ] |
| Edit flexibly | Update promotional text anytime, without a version | [ ] |
| Keep accurate | Ensure both are honest and not misleading | [ ] |
The most useful habit is matching the field to the message: put lasting content in the description, current content in promotional text, and search terms in the indexed fields. Doing that avoids the common mistake of keyword-stuffing the description, which does nothing for search. It also keeps your listing readable, since a description written for people converts better than one crammed with terms that were never going to rank anyway.
What to take away
- Promotional text is up to 170 characters and editable anytime without a new version; the description is up to 4000 characters and changes only with a version.
- Neither the description nor promotional text is indexed for App Store search; the name, subtitle, and keywords field are.
- Use promotional text for timely, changeable messages and the description for the full, evergreen explanation of your app.
- Put the terms you want to rank for in the name, subtitle, and keywords, not in the description or promotional text.
- These fields are metadata, not security; scan your build with PTKD.com for the security matters they do not touch.
