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One link for the App Store and Google Play: device targeting
You don't need two links or two QR codes for your app. With device rules, one short link sends everyone to the right store. How to set it up and what to test before it goes to print.
If your app is on both the App Store and Google Play, you don't need two links or two QR codes. With one short link and device rules, people who open it on an iPhone land in the App Store, Android users land on Google Play, and anyone on a computer sees your website. Here's how to set it up, how to order the rules and what to test before it goes to print.
In short:
- All you need is one rule for iPhone and iPad, one for Android and a main destination for everything else.
- The first rule that matches wins, so order matters.
- Make the main destination a page with both download badges: that's what computers and edge cases will see.
- A click is not an install: installs are measured in each store's own console.
- Test the link on an iPhone, an Android phone and a computer before you publish it.
The problem with two links
When an app lives in both stores, the usual move is to show two badges: "Download on the App Store" and "Get it on Google Play." That works on a website, but it gets messy everywhere else:
- In an Instagram or TikTok bio, space is tight and two download links compete with everything else you want to promote.
- On packaging, a poster or a business card, two QR codes take up twice the room and confuse people, who tend to scan whichever one they see first.
- In a text or an email, whoever taps the wrong link lands in a store their phone can't use, and often gives up.
A single link that picks the destination based on the device solves all three with one easy-to-remember address, such as an alias like "app" or "download."
How device targeting works
When someone opens the short link, their browser sends a description of the device and operating system it's running on. The link uses that to apply your rules before redirecting. In linko, country and device targeting is part of the Pro plan (see plans and pricing), and these are the device options:
- iPhone and iPad
- Android
- Any mobile
- Computer or desktop
Rules are checked in order and the first one that matches is applied. If none match, the link uses the main destination. You can mix device rules with country rules, which use two-letter codes like US, CA or MX.
Step-by-step setup
- Copy each store's URL. The App Store address starts with
https://apps.apple.com/and ends inidfollowed by your app's number. The Google Play address ishttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=followed by your package name, such ascom.yourcompany.app. Both show up when you tap Share on the store listing. - Prepare the main destination: a page on your site with both official download badges.
- Create the short link with that main destination and a clear alias.
- Add a device rule for "iPhone and iPad" that sends visitors to the App Store.
- Add another rule for "Android" that sends visitors to Google Play.
- Save and test from each kind of device.
| Order | If the visit comes from | Send to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | iPhone and iPad | App Store listing |
| 2 | Android | Google Play listing |
| Everything else | Main destination | Your page with both badges |
Rule order and edge cases
Since the first matching rule wins, order decides the outcome. If you put "Any mobile" at the top, it catches iPhones and Android phones alike, and the rules below it never fire. Always put the most specific rules first.
A few other cases to plan for:
- Your app isn't available in every country. Add a country rule at the very top that sends those visitors to a waitlist or to your web version.
- iPads. Recent iPads usually identify themselves as a Mac when browsing in Safari, so they get the desktop version of websites. That means they may land on your main destination instead of the App Store.
- Other systems. Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS don't match the mobile rules, so they go to the main destination.
It all points to the same idea: the main destination isn't filler. It's the link's safety net.
What to put on the main destination
The page that catches everyone who doesn't match a rule should make downloading the app effortless:
- Both official download badges, clearly visible.
- One sentence explaining what the app does.
- A QR code pointing to the same short link, so someone on a laptop can scan it with their phone and land in the right store. You can make one with the free QR code generator.
- A direct link to your web app, if you have one.
One note on expectations: this kind of link opens the store listing, not a specific screen inside the app. If the person already has the app installed, the listing will offer to open it.
How to measure what happens after the click
On the free plan, you see the link's clicks per day. With Pro, statistics break clicks down by operating system (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS…), by country and by source, and you can export them to CSV. That tells you, for example, whether the QR code on your packaging gets scanned more from iPhones or from Android phones.
Keep in mind that a click isn't an install. Downloads are measured in App Store Connect and Google Play Console, and both stores offer their own campaign attribution: App Store Connect lets you generate campaign links, and Google Play accepts a referrer parameter on the listing URL. You can use those tagged URLs as the destination of each rule and compare clicks per operating system with installs per store.
Frequently asked questions
What does someone see if they open the link on a computer?
They land on the main destination, which should be a page with both download badges and, ideally, a QR code to continue on their phone.
Can I change the store links after the QR code is printed?
Yes. The QR code points to the short link, so you can change the main destination or the rules whenever you want without reprinting anything.
Does it work when the link is opened inside Instagram or WhatsApp?
Rules are based on the device, not on the app the link was opened from, so an iPhone still counts as an iPhone. Still, test it from inside those apps before you launch a campaign.
Does a click on the link count as a download?
No. The link counts visits that reach the store; the install happens afterward and is measured in each store's console.
Do I need a paid plan for device targeting?
Yes, country and device rules are part of Pro. You can create a free account, set up the link and turn on the rules when you need them.