App Store Release Notes Generator
Paste your raw changelog, pick a tone, get three What's New versions ready for App Store Connect or the Play Console
Your three release note versions will appear here
Fill the form and hit Generate
Why release notes affect installs and updates
Release notes do two jobs that most teams underestimate. The first is convincing existing users to tap update, which keeps your active base on the build that actually has the bug fixes and the new features. The second is selling the app to browsers who are still deciding, since the latest What’s New shows on the listing page next to screenshots.
A vague note like “bug fixes and improvements” wastes both opportunities. Existing users on the fence about updating get no reason to commit, and browsers see a team that does not bother to communicate. Specific, benefit-led notes lift update rate by a measurable amount on most listings, and update rate is one of the cleanest predictors of long-term retention.
Major vs minor vs patch, how messaging should differ
Major releases earn a hero treatment. Lead with the headline feature in plain language, dedicate the first two lines to the user benefit, then list secondary changes as bullets. Skip technical detail, save that for the changelog blog post. The goal is to make a casual user think “oh, that’s actually useful, let me update”.
Minor releases reward grouping. Three to five bullets, each starting with a verb, each tied to a user-visible change. Patches and hotfixes can be one or two lines, name the bug class without naming the engineer or the line of code that broke. “Fixed a crash on iOS 18 launch” beats “fixed a NSInvalidArgumentException in AppDelegate” every time.
Writing for users vs writing for App Review
App Review reads release notes alongside the build, so unsubstantiated claims raise flags. If you say “now 3x faster”, expect the reviewer to test it. If you say “AI-powered”, expect a guideline 5.1 review on data handling. Stay specific to what shipped, avoid future-tense promises, and never reference competitor apps by name in this field.
For users, the rule flips. You want benefit-led, slightly informal copy that mentions the friction point users actually had. “Search now finds notes by content, not just title” sounds like a fix to a real problem. “Enhanced search functionality” sounds like a press release nobody asked for.
Localizing release notes for multiple markets
App Store Connect lets you write a different What’s New per locale, and Google Play does the same. For markets that drive meaningful install volume, machine translation is a starting point but not a finish line. Hire a native speaker for at least the lead line in your top three non-English markets, the rest of the bullets can stay translated.
Watch for length expansion. German release notes often run 20 to 30 percent longer than English, Japanese can run shorter but uses a different sentence rhythm. Re-check character counts after translation, and keep the lead line tight enough that the most important change still appears above the “more” fold on every locale.
Frequently asked questions
How long should App Store release notes be?
Under 1,000 characters performs best. Apple allows up to 4,000 characters in the What's New field, but most users only see the first 3 to 4 lines without tapping "more". Lead with the most valuable change, group small fixes at the bottom, keep the whole note scannable in 10 seconds or less.
Does the App Store reject release notes for marketing language?
App Review rarely rejects for tone, but they do reject release notes that promise things the build does not deliver, that mention competitor names, or that include external links. Stay specific to what shipped, avoid superlatives like "world-class" or "revolutionary", and never link out from the field.
Should I localize my release notes?
Yes, for any market that drives more than a few percent of installs. Apple lets you localize What's New per locale in App Store Connect. Translation alone is fine for short notes, but for major releases consider rewriting the lead line per market, idioms and emphasis differ. Japanese users respond to different framing than US users.
Do release notes affect rankings?
Indirectly. Release notes do not feed the search algorithm, but they do affect update conversion rate. A clear note that explains a real benefit makes more existing users tap update. Higher update rate keeps your active user base on the latest build, which reduces support load and bumps your average rating, both of which feed ranking.
Can I use emojis in release notes?
Yes, App Store allows emojis in the What's New field, unlike the title and subtitle. Use them sparingly as section markers or to draw the eye to a feature, never as decoration. One emoji per bullet is fine, three per line looks like spam. This generator avoids emojis by default since most apps perform better without them.
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