App clips were introduced with iOS 14 as a new way to experience specific parts of an app without downloading it completely to your iPhone or iPad. While users have already been able to try app clips via URLs, NFC tags, or QR codes, Apple now also offers custom app clip codes.
As we discussed earlier 9to5MacWith App Clips, you can access parts of an app without installing it on your device, thanks to a small binary file that provides quick tasks so you can get a better idea of how that app works.
iOS users can access the new app clips via NFC tags, QR codes, Safari app banners, links in posts, and place cards in Maps. All you need to do is tap the link or scan a valid QR code to access the App Clip on your device without even downloading and installing the full version of the app from the App Store .
Starting today, developers can generate custom app clip codes for their apps, providing a “fancy and distinct” way to access these app clips by simply pointing the camera at the code or even turning it into an NFC tag .
Easy to find and quick to launch when you need it, an App Clip is a small part of your app that allows users to start and end an experience in seconds. While you can offer users several ways to discover your App Clip, the best way is with an App Clip Code. Visually beautiful and distinctive, each App Clip Code encodes a URL and can include an NFC tag. Users can hold their iPhone by the code or scan it with the camera to open your App Clip and quickly complete a task before downloading your app.
According to Apple, the new App Clip Codes can be generated in the App Store Connect or with the new command line App Clip Code Generator. This, of course, requires the app to already support app clips.
You can now try an App Clip on your iPhone or iPad with the code generated by my 9to5Mac colleague and developer Guilherme Rambo. Just open the Camera app and point your device to the code below:
As noted by Rambo, App Clip Codes require iOS 14.3 or iPadOS 14.3 to work.
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