Link App Store
Connect accounts

If you want to promote an app with Apple
Search Ads, you must link to an App Store
Connect account

You can link App Store Connect accounts to Apple Search Ads when you first create your account or when you create new campaign groups. If you have multiple App Store Connect accounts, you can link each one to your Apple Search Ads account to promote the associated apps. Note that the payment method entered for the primary account will apply to all correlating campaign groups. Different payment methods can’t be entered for each campaign group.

If you don’t link to an App Store Connect account, you won’t be able to promote an app with Apple Search Ads.

If you’re an agency, you can simplify management by creating separate campaign groups and linking each one to an individual client’s App Store Connect account.

Note that to link or unlink accounts, you’ll need to be assigned the Account Holder, App Manager, Admin, or Marketer role in App Store Connect and the Account Admin, Campaign Group Manager, or Link Accounts role in Apple Search Ads. You’ll also need to use the same email address to sign in for both.

How to link or unlink App Store Connect accounts in Apple
Search Ads Advanced

Use the following steps to link or unlink an App Store Connect account with your Apple Search Ads account or a new or existing campaign group.

If you hold the Account Admin or Campaign Group Manager role in Apple Search Ads

  1. Sign in to your Apple Search Ads Advanced account to go to the Campaigns dashboard.
  2. Click the down arrow at the top left of the screen above Campaigns.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. If the campaign group doesn't have an App Store Connect account linked to it, click “Link accounts” to link one or more App Store Connect accounts to the campaign group. If the campaign group is linked to App Store Connect accounts and you need to link an additional account or unlink an account, click Change to see all available accounts you can link or unlink.
  5. After the accounts are linked or unlinked, clear your web browser cache and sign in again.

If you hold the Link Accounts role in Apple Search Ads

  1. When you receive your invitation to join the Apple Search Ads account, click the link to accept the invite and enter your verification code.
  2. You’ll automatically be taken to a web page where you can link Apple Search Ads campaign groups to your App Store Connect account. Click the toggle next to the campaign group you want to link to App Store Connect. To unlink an account, you’ll simply click the appropriate toggle back.
  3. Confirm your selection by clicking the Link Account button.

How to link a client’s App Store Connect account to an
agency account

To simplify management and restrict client access to a subset of your campaigns, you can create separate campaign groups within your agency account. Then invite your client as a Campaign Group Manager or Link Accounts role to link their App Store Connect account.

  1. Go to the Campaigns dashboard of your Apple Search Ads account. Click the down arrow in the upper-right corner next to the name of your account.

  2. Click Settings next to the account that you want to link.

  3. Select the User Management tab, then click Invite Users.

  4. Next to Account Information, enter the first name, last name, and Apple ID of the client’s App Store Connect account administrator.

  5. Next to User Access and Role, select Limited Access. Choose a campaign group from the menu, then choose one of the following roles:

    • Select the Campaign Group Manager role to allow your client to view reports and manage all campaigns and settings in a campaign group.
    • Select the Link Accounts role to link an Apple Search Ads account with an App Store Connect account only. The client will not be able to view reports or manage campaigns or settings in a campaign group.

If your agency has more than one campaign group associated with the same client, you can grant the client access to several campaign groups at once. Click the plus sign icon next to Role to add more campaign groups.

  1. Click Send Invite.

After your client receives the invitation to link accounts, they can follow the steps above that correspond with their account role.

How to link or unlink App Store Connect accounts in Apple
Search Ads Basic

  1. Sign in to your Apple Search Ads Basic account to go to your dashboard.
  2. Click the Edit Linked Accounts link in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select the App Store Connect accounts you want to link or unlink.
  4. Click Save.