Apple is preparing to give iPhone, iPad, and Mac developers a powerful new promotion tool. Developers can now create single-use offer codes that work with every type of in-app purchase, from one-time game currency packs to non-renewing subscriptions.
The feature appeared in Apple’s updated “What’s New” portal for App Store developers this week and is slated to roll out later this year. Until now, offer codes were limited to auto-renewable subscriptions.
Expanding support to consumables, non-consumables, and non-renewing subscriptions means a mobile game could email players a code for a free bundle of gems, while a photo-editing app might text users a discounted filter pack. Developers can create and track the codes directly inside App Store Connect once the change goes live.
The move arrives four years after Apple first introduced redemption codes for subscriptions in 2020. Bringing the same flexibility to every in-app purchase type removes a long-standing pain point for studios that rely on one-time or consumable items to drive revenue.
Alongside the broader code support, Apple is improving its testing pipeline. Sandbox purchases now require Face ID or Touch ID, giving developers a realistic checkout flow, and internal TestFlight users can reuse their Sandbox accounts across multiple builds. Apple also plans to let testers wipe their purchase history, a common request when fine-tuning paywalls.
For marketers, the changes open new playbooks. A studio could drop limited-time codes at a live esports event, reward newsletter subscribers with discounted upgrades, or partner with influencers to distribute freebies—all without altering the public price listed in the App Store. Apple’s updated analytics dashboard, arriving later this year with more than 100 new metrics, should make it easier to see whether those promotions actually move the needle.
Developers won’t have to wait for the iOS 26 public release to get started. Apple says the expanded offer codes can already be tested in Sandbox, and the App Store Connect web interface will add code-creation tools ahead of launch.
Apple has not given a firm release date, but the company typically ships App Store infrastructure updates alongside its major OS launches each fall. If that pattern holds, expect offer codes for all in-app purchases to land around the same time iOS 26 leaves beta. For developers eager to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace, that timeline can’t come soon enough.