Apple to expand advertising inventory in App Store search results starting 2026

Apple is preparing to increase the number of advertisements shown within App Store search results, broadening its advertising footprint as early as 2026. The company disclosed the changes through updates to its Apple Ads documentation, outlining new placements designed to appear alongside existing search result ads.

At present, App Store searches display a single sponsored listing at the top of results. Under the updated approach, additional ads will also appear further down the search results page. Apple said the expansion is intended to create more inventory within search, which it describes as the primary way users discover and download apps.

The company stated that nearly two-thirds of App Store downloads occur after a user performs a search, making search results a key surface for app discovery. Existing search ad campaigns will automatically be eligible for the new placements once they launch, without requiring advertisers or developers to modify their campaigns.

Advertisers will not be able to choose or bid for a specific ad position. Instead, ad placement will continue to be determined by Apple’s auction system, which factors in bid amounts and an app’s relevance to the search query. As a result, the same campaign may surface in different positions across searches.

Apple said the ad format itself will remain unchanged. Ads will continue to use either a default App Store product page or a custom product page, with optional deep links directing users to specific in-app destinations. Billing will also follow existing pricing models, including cost-per-tap and cost-per-install, depending on the campaign setup.

The expanded ad placements are expected to roll out on devices running iOS and iPadOS 26.2 or later, beginning in 2026. Apple has positioned the update as part of a broader effort to scale App Store search advertising, which already reaches hundreds of millions of weekly visitors.