How to generate App Store promo codes in App Store Connect

Generating codes is the easy part — Apple's tooling for it is straightforward once you know where to look. The part that actually takes thought is picking the right code type and getting the codes in front of people who'll use them. This covers both.

Pick the right code type first

Apple gives you two distinct mechanisms — offer codes and classic promo codes — and they behave differently enough that picking wrong costs you real friction. If you haven't already, read our comparison of the two before generating anything. Short version: offer codes redeem through a direct link with no manual entry, which makes them the better choice for a public giveaway.

Where to generate them

1. Sign in to App Store Connect and open the app you want to promote.
2. Go to the app's pricing/distribution section and find the offer codes or promo codes tool for that app.
3. Choose the code type, set the redemption window, and specify how many codes to generate in this batch.
4. Apple generates the batch and gives you a downloadable list — export it before you close the tab.

The limits worth knowing about upfront

• Codes are generated in batches, not one at a time — plan your total giveaway size before you start generating, since each batch is its own campaign with its own expiration window.
• Every code is single-use. Once someone redeems it, it's gone — there's no shared/reusable code option.
• The redemption window is set at generation time and Apple enforces it strictly — a code that expires before someone claims it simply stops working, with no way to extend it after the fact.

What to actually do with them

A spreadsheet of unused codes sitting in App Store Connect does nothing for your app. Codes only work once they're in front of people actively looking for something to install — which is the entire premise of running a proper launch-week promo: concentrate the window, distribute where people are actually searching for deals, and track claims against ranking movement, not just the raw redemption count.

Once you've generated a batch, list your app on FreeAppDrop to put those codes in front of people who are specifically browsing for free app giveaways — listing is free, and codes update live as they get claimed. If this is your app's first real push, pair it with how to get your first 100 users for the other channels worth hitting at the same time.