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How to set up deep links for iOS

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 starts from the Team Plan.

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.

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

Setting Up​

  1. Open your application in Xcode.

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

  3. Choose Signing and Capabilities.

  4. Select the Team of your Developer Account.

  5. Specify BundleID.

  6. Click on Capability and add Associated Domains.

  7. Add you short domain in the following format: applinks:yourshort.domain

  8. Sign in to your Short.io account.

  9. Open Domain Settings > Deep links for the short domain you have specified in Xcode:

  10. In the iOS app Package Name field enter the Apple Bundle Identifier and click on Save:

Now your deep links are all set.

Where to find Apple Bundle Identifier​

  1. Open your Apple Developers account.

  2. Choose Certificates, Identifiers & Profile.

  3. Open Identifiers:

  4. Choose your app from the list.

  5. There you will see your BundleID and also TeamID:

Here is a video demonstration on how deep links work in practice: