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Connect App Store Connect API

⚡
Free plan — no setup required

Start monitoring right now

You don't need an API key to get started. On the free plan AppWatch scrapes the public App Store and gives you useful data straight away.

  1. 1Open Settings → App Store
  2. 2Enter your Apple developer name (as it appears on the App Store)
  3. 3Save — AppWatch starts capturing on the next cycle

What you get for free:

✓ Current rating and review count✓ App name and description✓ Price, category and markets✓ Current version and last-updated date

Want exact downloads, sessions, crashes and active devices? Connect the API below →

App Store Connect Analytics API

Connecting your App Store Connect account unlocks real app metrics: downloads, active devices, sessions, crashes and product page views.

Completely freeNo credit card~5 min setup
MetricNot connectedWith API
Total downloadsEstimated (rating count)Exact by day
Active devices—Yes (with ATT consent)
Sessions—Yes
Crashes / Errors—Yes
Page views—Yes
Impressions—Yes

Setup steps

ℹ️ You need to be the Account Holder or Admin in App Store Connect to access API keys.

1

Go to Users and Access → Integrations → App Store Connect API

Top menu → Users and Access → Integrations tab → in the left panel under the Keys heading, click App Store Connect API

🔗 https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/access/integrations/api

App Store Connect
PeopleSandboxIntegrationsXcode Cloud

Keys

App Store Connect API
In-App Purchase
Shared Secret

Alternative Distribution

App Store

Permission is required to access the App Store Connect API. You can request access on behalf of your organization.

You'll see the "App Store Connect API" page with a blue "Request Access" button if you don't have access yet, or the Issuer ID and keys table if you already do.

2

Request access (if you haven't already)

If you see the "Request Access" button, click it:

  • Click "Request Access"
  • Read and accept the API License Agreements
  • Individual accounts: access activates immediately
  • Organization accounts: may take 1-2 business days
  • Once approved, reload the page — the "+" button will appear

✅ If you already have access, the page shows the Issuer ID and a key table directly. Skip to step 3.

3

Create a new API key

With access granted, click the "+" button in the keys table:

  • Name: appwatch (or any descriptive name)
  • Access: choose Admin — it's the only level with full access to analytics reports
  • Click "Generate"

⚠️ If you choose a lower access level than Admin (Developer, Sales, etc.), the Analytics Reports API will not work.

4

Copy the Issuer ID and Key ID

After creating the key, on the keys page you'll see:

The Issuer ID appears at the top of the page, above the table. It\'s a UUID with this format:

57246542-96fe-1a63-e053-0824d011072a

The Key ID appears in the first column of the table, next to the key name. It\'s a 10-character code:

2X9R4HXF34

Copy both values and save them temporarily (in a text editor, for example).

5

Download the .p8 file — only possible ONCE

🔴 Apple only allows downloading the .p8 ONCE. If you close the page without downloading it, or lose it, you'll need to revoke the key and create a new one. Don't lose it!

Click the "Download API Key" button (or download icon) next to the newly created key:

  • A file called AuthKey_XXXXXXXXXX.p8 downloads
  • Open it with any text editor (TextEdit, VS Code, Notepad…)
  • The content starts with -----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY----- and ends with -----END PRIVATE KEY-----
  • Copy the full content including those header and footer lines
-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----
MIGHAgEAMBMGByqGSM49AgEGCCqGSM49AwEHBG0wawIBAQQg...
(varias líneas de caracteres en base64)
...Vu8GtRMkzlW3QJ7VmFkfC7kKCUBCQ==
-----END PRIVATE KEY-----
6

Enter the three credentials in AppWatch

Go to Settings → App Store → App Store Connect API and enter:

  • Issuer ID: the UUID from step 4 (e.g. 57246542-96fe-1a63-e053-0824d011072a)
  • Key ID: the 10-character code from step 4 (e.g. 2X9R4HXF34)
  • Private key (.p8): paste the full content of the .p8 file, from -----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY----- to -----END PRIVATE KEY-----

⚠️ After saving in AppWatch, you can delete the .p8 file from your computer. AppWatch stores it encrypted with AES-256.

✅ Analytics data will appear in the next snapshot (up to 1 hour on Pro plan). Apple may take up to 24h to activate access the first time.

Frequently asked questions

▶I see "Request Access" instead of being able to create keys. What do I do?

Click "Request Access". For Individual accounts access is usually granted immediately after accepting the terms. For Organization accounts it may take 1-2 business days. Once granted, return to the same page and the "+" button to create keys will appear.

▶What access level should I choose when creating the key?

Choose "Admin". This level grants access to analytics reports. Lower levels (Developer, Sales and Reports) do not have access to the Analytics Reports API.

▶Do I need a credit card or pay anything?

No. The App Store Connect API is free. You only need an Apple Developer account ($99/year), which you already have if you have published apps.

▶Are active device numbers accurate?

Active device data requires user consent (ATT - App Tracking Transparency on iOS 14.5+). Only users who accepted tracking or did not opt out are included. This may be a subset of the real total.

▶Does data take time to appear?

Apple generates reports with ~24 hours delay. The first time you create a key, Apple may also take up to 24h to activate reporting access. Once active, each AppWatch snapshot will download the latest available data.

▶Is it safe to paste the private key into AppWatch?

Yes. The .p8 file content is encrypted with AES-256-GCM before being stored in the database and is never sent to the browser. AppWatch only uses it server-side to sign authentication JWTs.

▶What if I lose the .p8 file?

Apple only allows downloading it once. If you lose it, you must revoke the key in App Store Connect and create a new one. Then update the credentials in AppWatch Settings.