Apple Finally Let You Design Your Own Ads. Complete Guide to How It Works.

Name: Intent+
Rating: 4.8 (32 reviews)

By Intent+ Team · June 9, 2026 · 7 min read

For years, every ad you ran on the App Store was assembled by Apple from your product page metadata — your screenshots, your app icon, Apple's layout. Creative was the one lever you never fully controlled. WWDC 2026 changed that. Creative Assets is Apple's new capability that lets you upload your own images and video to serve in Today tab and search results ads, with no build submission required.

What Are Apple Ads Creative Assets?

Creative Assets is a new ad format announced at WWDC 2026 that allows advertisers to design and upload custom images and video for use in Apple Ads placements, without requiring an App Store build update.

Before vs Now: How Ads Changed

Previously, Apple automatically assembled ads from your App Store product page assets. Now, you can upload purpose-designed creatives that override the auto-generated format for Today tab and search results placements.

Supported Formats and Specifications

Custom images and video assets for Today tab and search results ads. Specific dimension requirements, file size limits, and content guidelines apply.

How to Get Started with Creative Assets

Prepare your creative assets, ensure they meet Apple's specifications, upload via Apple Ads dashboard, and assign to campaigns. No Xcode or build submission required.

Day-One Readiness Checklist

A six-point checklist for iOS growth teams to be ready when Creative Assets goes live: creative briefs, spec compliance, A/B test planning, budget allocation, tracking setup, and measurement framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Apple Ads Creative Assets, eligibility requirements, rollout timeline, and how custom creatives affect auction performance.