Universal Links vs. App Links: How do they work?

Universal Links (iOS) and App Links (Android) allow you to connect to deep links in your iOS or Android apps.

Universal Links

Universal Links allow you to connect to deep links in your iOS app and are supported in iOS 9.2 or later. When a Universal Link is accessed, iOS redirects the link directly to the deeplink in your app. If your app is not installed, it opens a URL for your website in a browser instead. For more information about Universal Links, see Support Universal Links.

App Links

App Links allow you to connect to deep links in your Android app and is supported in Android 6.0 or later. When an App Link is accessed, Android redirects the link directly to the deeplink in your app. If your app is not installed, it opens a URL for your website in a browser instead. For more information about App Links, see the Handling Android App Links.

Create a Marketing Link by using a Universal or App Link

You can create a Marketing Link that uses a Universal or App Link.

Configure a Universal Link

1. To set up Universal Links in your iOS app, go to Handling Universal Links in Apple.

2. In Adobe Mobile Services, set up the site-association documents:

   a. In the Mobile Services home page, select the app for which you want to set up Universal Links.

   b. Click Manage App Settings.

   c. Ensure the iOS app that handles the Universal Links is added to the Add App Store Apps section.

   TIP

   If the Add App Store Apps section does not display, click the Add App Store App link.

   d. In the Universal Links and App Links Options section, select an iOS app and type the App ID.

   f. Click Save.

   You must provide at least one iOS app selection and one App ID, or you will receive an error.

   IMPORTANT

   You can update the documents by clicking Update from the Universal Links and App Links Options section. However, when you click Update, a warning notifies you that all Universal Links or App Links that you created in the past will be affected.

Use a Universal Link

1. In Adobe Mobile Services, create a Marketing Link that uses Universal Links:

   a. Select the app from the Mobile Services home page, click Acquisition > Marketing Link Builder.

   b. Click Create New.

   c. Under Marketing Link Options, select Use Universal Links or App Links.

   d. If you configured the site-association documents in the Setting up site-association documents in Adobe Mobile Services section above, this option is selected by default.

   If you did not configure the documents, the Use Universal Links or App Links option is disabled and Use Interstitials is selected by default.

   e. If the Use Universal Links or App Links option is selected, the Custom Path field is displayed.

   This allows users to define the URL path after the domain with any query parameter. For example, if you type my/universal/link?os=9.2, your full Marketing Link URL becomes https://[marketing link domain]/my/universal/link?[AMS default query parameters]&os=9.2.

   f. Click the Decisions tab and configure your decision tree.

   h. If the iOS app is installed, the app handles the deeplink with its logic. The final destination serves only as the fallback when the app is not installed. Since the app is not installed, the final destination can only be a web link or app store.

   i. Click Save.

Configure an App Link

1. To set up App Links in your Android app, go to Add Android App Links.

2. In Adobe Mobile Services, set up the site-association documents:

   a. In the Mobile Services home page, select the app for which you want to set up App Links.

   b. Click Manage App Settings.

   c. Ensure the Android app that handles Universal Links or App Links is added to the Add App Store Apps section.

   TIP

   If this section does not display, click the Add App Store App link.

   d. Scroll to the Universal Links and App Links Options section.

   e. Click the App Links (Android) tab.

   f. Select an Android app and type a SHA-256 certificate fingerprint.

   g. Click Save.

   You must provide at least one Android app selection and one SHA-256 certificate, or you will receive an error.

   IMPORTANT

   You can update the documents by clicking Update from the Universal Links and App Links Options section. However, when you click Update, a warning notifies you that all Universal Links or App Links that you created in the past will be affected.

Use an App Link

1. In Adobe Mobile Services, create a Marketing Link that uses App Links:

   a. Select the app from the Mobile Services home page, click Acquisition > Marketing Link Builder.

   b. Click Create New.

   c. In the Marketing Link Options section, select Use Universal Links or App Links.

   d. If you configured the site-association documents from step 2, this option is selected by default.

   If not, the Use Universal Links or App Links option is disabled, and Use Interstitials is selected by default.

   e. If Use Universal Links or App Links is selected, the Custom Path field is displayed.

   This allows users to define the URL path after the domain with any query parameter. For example, if you type my/app/link?os=6.0, your full Marketing Link URL becomes https://[marketing link domain]/my/app/link?[AMS default query parameters]&os=6.0.

   f. Click the Decisions tab and configure your decision tree.

   g. If the Android app is installed, the app handles the deeplink with its logic.

   The final destination serves only as the fallback case for when the app is not installed. Since the app is not installed, the final destination can only be a web link or app store.

   h. Click Save.

Using Marketing Links

You can now use these Marketing Links in messaging and other areas in your app.

Business.Adobe.com resources

Mobile Optimization Cms Cloud Dynamic Content Mobile App Analytics Target Market Segmentation Web Analytics