Deep links redirect users to the app after clicking a short link. If users have your mobile app installed, they are redirected to the app. If not, they are routed to the app page on a mobile browser. Deep linking is available for both iOS and Android.

Note: Deep linking requires the Team Plan.

Here's a detailed instruction on how to enable deep linking for iOS on Short.io.

Deep Linking in iOS: Universal Links via Apple App Site Association (AASA)

Apple introduced Universal Links in iOS 9. Universal Links are standard web links that point to both a web page and a piece of content inside an app. When a user clicks a short link, iOS checks if the app is installed on a device. If so, the app is launched immediately without loading the web page. If not, the web URL is loaded in Safari.

How to Set Up iOS Deep Links on Short.io

  1. Open your application in Xcode.

  2. Open settings by clicking on the name of your app.

ios-deep-links-shortio

  1. Choose "Signing and Capabilities."

  2. Select your Team of your Developer Account.

  3. Specify BundleID.

ios-deep-links-shortio
  1. Click on Capability and add Associated Domains.
ios-deep-links-shortio
  1. Add you short domain in the form like - applinks:yourshort.domain
ios-deep-links-shortio

  1. Go to Short.io.

  2. Open Deep links for the short domain you have specified in Xcode.

ios-deep-links-shortio
  1. Add Apple Team Identifier and Apple Bundle Identifier = > Save
ios-deep-links-shortio

Now your deep links are all set.

Where to find Apple Team Identifier and Apple Bundle Identifier

  1. Open your Apple Developers account.

  2. Choose Certificates, Identifiers & Profile.

ios-deep-links-shortio
  1. Open Identifiers.
ios-deep-links-shortio

  1. Choose your app from the list.

  2. There you will see your TeamID and BundleID.

ios-deep-links-shortio

Here's how deep links work in theory

The article is about:

  • deep links for short links
  • how to configure unoversal links for short URLs on iOS
  • universal links

Read also: