Connect Apple Ads
A one-time setup (about 5 minutes) that unlocks Apple's official search popularity as a source in RespectASO, through the Apple Ads Platform API. Free - no campaigns, no spend required. Works in every edition: desktop, browser, and Docker.
Step 1: Get an Apple Ads account (skip if you have one)
Go to ads.apple.com and sign up with your Apple Account. Choose the Advanced plan when asked - it's the free self-service tier, and creating the account costs nothing. You need the Admin role in it (you have it automatically on your own account).
You do NOT need to create a campaign or spend anything. The connection only lets RespectASO read Apple's search-popularity data on your behalf.
Step 2: Give your account an API user (one time)
Apple only shows the API key-upload field to users holding an API role - an Admin login alone sees a different page (the third-party "Manage API Access" list). To get the role:
- In the Apple Ads UI, open Account Settings → User Management and click Invite Users.
- Enter a name and an Apple Account email that is not already in this Apple Ads account - a second email you own works (it must be, or become, an Apple Account).
- Under User Access and Role, choose API Account Manager. (With the read-only API role, Apple does not display the key-upload field.)
- Send the invite, open the email, follow the secure link, and enter the code to activate.
- Sign in at ads.apple.com as that API user for step 3.
Step 3: Generate your key in RespectASO and upload it at Apple
In Settings → Popularity Source, click "Start - generate my key pair". RespectASO creates a secure key on your computer and shows you the public half.
Signed in as the API user, open Account Settings → API at Apple, paste the public key into the Public Key field (including the BEGIN/END lines), and save.
The private key stays in your local data folder with owner-only permissions and never leaves your computer - Apple only ever receives the public key and signed requests.
Step 4: Paste the three ids and verify
After saving, Apple shows three values right above the key field: clientId, teamId, and keyId (Client ID and Team ID are often identical - that's normal). Paste them into RespectASO and click "Save & verify connection". Verification makes a real API call, picks your ad account, and starts the first data sync immediately.
That's it, forever: the key does not expire, weekly data refreshes automatically, and you only ever return here if you rotate or revoke the key at Apple.
What to expect
- Weekly, automatic: Apple publishes each completed week on Mondays; RespectASO picks it up in the background (just keep the app running) and backfills up to 65 weeks of history for keyword trends.
- Top terms only: Apple reports each category's top 500 most-searched terms (roughly 500+ weekly searches). Keywords outside them show the
EST*badge and score from the calibrated estimate, capped just below their category's reported range - a bound on their popularity, not an error. Hovering the badge explains the exact cap for that keyword. - Coverage: 29 of RespectASO's 30 storefronts have Apple data (Apple Ads does not operate in Russia); uncovered storefronts use the estimate unchanged.
- Extras included: the Top Search Terms browser (Apple's full ranking, with movers - part of RespectASO Pro), weekly trend arrows on your keywords, and - if you run Apple Ads campaigns - your ads' impression share per search term on the dashboard.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | What it means / what to do |
|---|---|
| "Apple rejected these credentials" | An id was mistyped, or the public key at Apple doesn't match the one generated in RespectASO. Re-check the three values against Account Settings → API, or generate a fresh key pair and re-upload. |
| "No ad account is visible" | The API user's role is too limited. Use API Account Manager (step 2). |
| No Public Key field at Apple | You are signed in as an Admin without an API role - the API page then only lists third-party providers. Complete step 2 and sign in as the API user. |
| Many keywords show EST* | Expected: most long-tail keywords are below Apple's roughly-500-searches bar. The Simulator and AI tabs explain this in their results when it affects aggregate scores. |
| A storefront shows no Apple data | Apple Ads doesn't operate there (e.g. Russia), or its first sync hasn't run yet - storefronts sync automatically once you track keywords in them. |
| What does Disconnect do? | Deletes the key from your computer and stops syncing. Your scores keep the last-synced Apple data; reconnecting later needs the full setup again (Apple-side key upload included). |
How the two popularity sources work
Once connected, you choose whether Apple's official values or RespectASO's calibrated estimate power your scores - switching is one click and fully reversible. The Methodology page explains both sources, the calibration, and the EST* cap in detail. Don't have RespectASO yet? Download it free.