If you see that Branch-reported Installs are noticeably lower than Apple Ads Tap-Through Installs (shown as Downloads in SplitMetrics Acquire), leading to an Install Rate (Tap-Through) under 62%, and this pattern appears in both your Branch and SplitMetrics dashboards, this article will guide you through possible reasons and how to address them.
💡 Reminder. Install Rate (Tap-Through) is calculated as Installs / Downloads (Tap-Through) × 100%.
❗Important. If you notice differences between Branch and SplitMetrics, this is a separate scenario. For guidance on understanding and addressing those discrepancies, reach out to our Support team via chat on the platform.
Below, we’ll go over the key Branch settings to check and adjustments you can make to ensure alignment with Apple Ads. Following these best practices will help keep your data accurate and give you a clearer picture of your true Install Rate.
1. Attribution Windows Settings
Apple Search Ads uses a fixed 30‑day click‑through attribution window, which means a user can be attributed to an Apple Ads campaign if they install the app within 30 days of tapping an ad. Each MMP has its own click‑through lookback setting, and in Branch, the default window is 7 days, shorter than Apple Search Ads. This difference can cause Branch to report fewer installs than Apple Ads.
To align Branch with Apple Search Ads and ensure more installs are attributed correctly, update the click‑to‑install window in Branch:
Go to Configure > Ad Partners in your Branch dashboard.
Select Apple Search Ads and open the Attribution Windows tab.
Toggle on Use Ad Partner Attribution Settings.
Set the Click-to-Install window to 30 days.
Save your changes.
2. Reinstall Settings
In Branch, attribution for both installs and reinstalls from Apple Search Ads is enabled by default. This means as long as you’ve set the click‑to‑install window to 30 days, the same window will apply to both new installs and reinstalls, and no extra configuration is required specifically for reinstalls.
💡 What is a reinstall?
Branch identifies a reinstall when a user who previously had the app installed uninstalls it and then installs it again. When this happens, Branch will classify that event as a REINSTALL rather than a new install, and it will attribute it according to the same logic used for normal installs within the configured attribution window.
The Installs metric in SplitMetrics Acquire includes both new installs and reinstalls, and the Install Rate (Tap-Through) is calculated based on this combined metric, giving a complete view of all installs from ad campaigns.