Apple is finally equipping App Store developers with a long-awaited feature that allows for better promotion of in-app purchases, including those for games. Starting later this year, developers will be able to create and share promo codes for all kinds of in-app purchases, not just subscriptions. Here’s how it will function.
From Subscriptions to Consumables and Beyond
Previously, Apple’s App Store promo code system was primarily limited to enabling free downloads or allowing developers to distribute promo codes for discounted trial periods on auto-renewable subscriptions.
With this upcoming update, that system is being extended to include what Apple refers to as consumables, non-consumables, and non-renewing subscriptions. This means that mobile games can start offering codes for free gems or extra lives during live events, while indie productivity apps could send users one-time codes for discounted unlocks via email.
Apple outlined these changes during a WWDC25 session titled “What’s New in StoreKit and In-App Purchase,” detailing that the new redemption process will be implemented within apps using the existing offerCodeRedemption API, or through the system UI for apps built with UIKit utilizing presentOfferCodeRedeemSheet.
Developers focusing on iOS 16.3 and later can utilize this feature, meaning that even if an iPhone is not running iOS 26, it will still be capable of redeeming these new in-app purchase promo codes. The same capability will extend to other platforms such as iPadOS, macOS, and more.
Apple has not specified which iOS 26 release will introduce this feature, stating only that it will arrive “later this year.” However, given the context, it is reasonable to expect this will be included as part of iOS 26, fulfilling one of the most requested StoreKit enhancements from developers in years.
