How to Enhance iOS App User Journey Using Deep Links

Deep linking in iOS allows you to direct users to specific content within an app, making your app more accessible and enhancing the user experience.  In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to set up deep linking using the Info.plist file and bundleURLSchemes to extract the correct URL schemes and create meaningful deep links to enhance the user journey.

Step-by-Step Guide

One crucial part of setting up deep linking is finding the correct URL scheme for your app. This information is stored in the Info.plist file of your app.

1. Locate the Info.plist File

The Info.plist file is a configuration file that contains key-value pairs related to the app’s settings.

• Find the file named Info.plist associated to the app.
• If opening the project, it’s usually located in the Supporting Files group or directly in the project root.
• If you are wanting to reference an already downloaded app's Info.plist file, usually found by searching in the search bar or right-clicking each item to "Show Package Contents" until the Info.plist file is located.

2. Open the Info.plist File

You can open the Info.plist file using a text editor or a dedicated plist editor. Some examples of text editors include Notepad++, Xcode, Visual Studio Code.

3. Find the CFBundleURLTypes Key

The CFBundleURLTypes key contains an array of dictionaries, each representing a URL scheme that the app supports. This key is used to define custom URL schemes that the app can handle.

• In the Info.plist editor, look for the CFBundleURLTypes key. Expand it to see the array of URL schemes.
• In in XML format, search for the CFBundleURLTypes key. It will look something like this:

<key>CFBundleURLTypes</key>
<array>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleURLSchemes</key>
        <array>
            <string>myapp</string>
            <string>myapp2</string>
        </array>
    </dict>
</array>

4. Identify the URL Schemes

Within the CFBundleURLTypes key, look for the CFBundleURLSchemes key, which lists the URL schemes. Each scheme is a string that represents a custom URL scheme your app can handle.

In the example XML snippet above:

• The app supports the URL schemes myapp and myapp2.

5. Formulate the Deep Link

A deep link to your app is created using these URL schemes. You can format a deep link like this:

myapp://some/path

or

myapp2://another/path

The URL scheme (myapp or myapp2) is followed by a path, which could be specific to what you want to link to within the app.

Testing the Deep Link

To test the deep link, you can:

• Use a web browser: Enter the URL scheme in Safari’s address bar (e.g., myapp://some/path or simply myapp://), and it should open the app if it’s installed and correctly handles the scheme.
• Use the window.open Method: You can programmatically test the deep link using the window.open method.

const appDeepLink = 'app://';
window.open(appDeepLink, '_blank');

Finding and utilizing deep links in iOS apps involves identifying the correct URL schemes from the Info.plist file.

Conclusion

Mobile app deep linking can be tricky—there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Following the steps outlined above, you can efficiently locate the CFBundleURLTypes key in your app’s configuration, extract the URL schemes, and create meaningful deep links to enhance app navigation and user engagement.

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We'd love to hear from you. Happy deep linking!