Apple to show multiple ads in App Store search from March on iPhone, iPad

Sponsored apps will no longer be limited to the top slot, with Apple adding more ad placements further down App Store search results across markets starting March 2026

Apple has confirmed that App Store search results will soon show more than one ad, expanding sponsored placements beyond the single promoted result at the top. The ad placement change will roll out from March 2026 and will be supported on both iPhones and iPads. The company updated its Apple Ads website to outline how the expanded ad placements will work and when users and developers can expect to see the change.

What is changing in App Store search

Until now, App Store search results have included just one sponsored app at the very top of the page. Starting in March, Apple will begin inserting additional ads further down the search results list, mixed in with organic results.

 

According to Apple, the rollout will begin on March 3 in markets such as the UK and Japan, before expanding to all Apple Ads markets by the end of the month. The new ad placements will be supported on iPhones running iOS 26.2 and later, and iPads running iPadOS 26.2 and later.

  Developers running search ads do not need to create new campaigns or make changes to existing ones. If a search results campaign is active, Apple will automatically make it eligible for all available ad positions. Advertisers will not be able to select or bid for a specific slot, as placement will be decided by Apple’s ad ranking system. 

Ads may become harder to spot

Alongside the increase in ad placements, Apple is also testing changes to how sponsored results are displayed. As reported earlier, some users running beta versions of iOS 26.3 have seen Apple remove the blue background that traditionally highlights search ads.

 

In those tests, the only visual indicator separating an ad from an organic result is a small “Ad” label next to the app icon. Apple has not confirmed whether this design will roll out more widely, but the timing suggests it may be linked to the upcoming increase in search ads.

 

  With multiple sponsored results appearing on the same page, blending ads more closely with organic results would make them feel more integrated into the list. However, it could also make it harder for users to quickly identify which results are paid placements.

 

For now, Apple has not commented on whether the new design will become the default once multiple ads begin appearing in search results from March.