Keyword List Optimizer

Apple gives you just 100 characters to describe your app with keywords in App Store Connect. That's not a lot, but there are tricks to squeeze more value out of every character — and the Keyword List Optimizer does all of them automatically.

Paste your keyword list, hit Optimize, and the tool strips out wasted characters by splitting multi-word terms into individual words, removing duplicates, trimming spaces, de-pluralizing words, and more. The result is a cleaned-up list that fits more keywords into the same 100-character limit. Below the optimized list, you'll also see every keyword phrase combination the App Store could construct from your words, complete with Popularity and Competitiveness scores.

For a deep dive into the optimization techniques this tool applies, check out the 8 Tips to Optimize Your Keywords List in App Store Connect guide.

Getting Started

To get to the tool, go to Tools → Keyword List Optimizer in the left sidebar.

The tool doesn't require an app — it works purely with the keyword text you provide. Here's how to use it:

1. Paste your keywords — Copy your current keyword list from App Store Connect (or type in the keywords you'd like to rank for) into the Your Keyword List text area. The character counter shows how many of the 100 characters you've used.
2. Hit Optimize — The tool processes your list and outputs the optimized version in the Optimized List text area below.
3. Copy the result — Use the Copy button to copy the optimized list, then paste it directly into App Store Connect.

What the Optimizer Does

When you hit Optimize, the tool applies several optimizations to your keyword list:

1. Splits multi-word terms — Phrases like "buy sneakers" become separate words ("buy" and "sneakers") because the App Store automatically recombines individual words into phrases.
2. Removes duplicates — Any word that appears more than once is reduced to a single instance. Apple ignores repeated words, so duplicates just waste characters.
3. Strips spaces — Spaces between keywords are removed. As long as keywords are separated by commas, Apple reads them correctly — and each saved space is an extra character for more keywords.
4. De-pluralizes words — Apple's algorithm handles pluralization, so "sneaker" and "sneakers" are treated the same. The optimizer converts plurals to their singular form to save characters.
5. Removes stop words — Common words Apple ignores (like "the", "and", etc.) are removed automatically since they're ignored by the algorithm.

The heading above the optimized list shows how many characters were saved and how many are still free (e.g., "14 saved, 75 free"), so you know exactly how much room you have for more keywords.

The result is a keyword list that packs more unique, meaningful keywords into the same 100 characters.

Possible Combinations

Below the optimizer, the Possible Combinations section shows every keyword phrase the App Store could construct by combining the individual words in your list. This is where you see the real power of the optimizer — a short list of single words can generate dozens or even hundreds of searchable phrases.

Complexity

Use the complexity toggles to control how many words per combination:

• 1 word — Shows each individual keyword on its own.
• 2 words — Shows all two-word combinations (e.g., "ai chat", "smart assistant").
• 3 words — Shows all three-word combinations. This generates significantly more results but reveals long-tail phrases you might not have considered.

Country

Select a country to see scores relevant to that market. Popularity and Competitiveness vary by country, so the same keyword list can have very different potential depending on where your app is listed.

Scores

For each combination, the table shows:

• Popularity — A score from 0 to 100 indicating how often users search for that phrase in the App Store. Higher means more search volume. Learn more about Popularity.
• Competitiveness — A score from 1 to 100 showing how hard it would be to rank for that phrase. Higher means more competition. Learn more about Competitiveness.

These scores help you evaluate whether your keyword list is generating high-value combinations or if you need to swap in different words.

The table is paginated and sorted by Popularity (highest first), so the most valuable combinations appear at the top.

What You Can Do With It

• Maximize your 100 characters — Paste an unoptimized list and see how many characters you can save. Most lists shrink by 30–50%, leaving room for more keywords.
• Discover hidden combinations — The combinations table reveals keyword phrases you didn't explicitly enter but will rank for automatically. This is especially useful for finding long-tail keywords.
• Validate keyword quality — Use the Popularity and Competitiveness scores to check whether your keywords are generating combinations people actually search for.
• Compare across markets — Switch countries to see if your keyword list performs well internationally or if you need localized keyword lists.
• Iterate quickly — Swap a word, re-optimize, and instantly see how it affects your combinations and scores. This makes keyword testing fast and visual.

💡 Ariel's Top Tip

How to Get There

In Appfigures, go to Tools → Keyword List Optimizer in the left sidebar, or go directly to appfigures.com/reports/keyword-list-optimizer.

Updated on: 17/02/2026