App Store phased release: how the 7-day rollout really works
Updated 3 July 2026
A phased release rolls an app update out to users with automatic updates enabled over seven days, on a fixed schedule: 1% on day one, then 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 50%, and 100% on day seven. You can pause the rollout for up to 30 days in total or jump straight to everyone at any point. The catch people miss: phasing only throttles automatic updates – any user who opens your App Store page can update manually from day one, and new downloads always get the new version.
The schedule
| Day | Users on automatic updates receiving the update |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1% |
| 2 | 2% |
| 3 | 5% |
| 4 | 10% |
| 5 | 20% |
| 6 | 50% |
| 7 | 100% |
What you can and cannot control
- Enable phased release per version, before you submit it (in the version's release options). It applies to updates only – a brand-new app always releases to everyone.
- Pause any day, resume any day: pauses can total up to 30 days, and the schedule resumes where it left off. Pausing does not pull the update from users who already have it.
- Release to everyone early with one click once you are confident.
- You cannot roll back. There is no undo on the App Store – if the update is broken, pausing limits the damage while you fix forward with a new version (expedited review exists for exactly this).
- Users are chosen randomly by Apple ID; you cannot pick regions or user segments. For that you would phase by shipping to selected storefronts first.
- Manual updates ignore phasing entirely: anyone can grab the update from your product page immediately, and all new downloads get it.
Reading the first 48 hours
The point of the 1%-2% days is to catch disasters while they are cheap: watch crash rates on the new version against the old one, and watch reviews mentioning the update. A crash-free rate that drops half a point at 1% rollout is a pause-and-investigate signal – at 100% it would have been a support fire and a ratings hole.
The annoying part on the App Store Connect website is that this monitoring spans three slow sections (analytics, crashes, reviews) checked several times a day for a week. A dashboard that puts version-level crash rates and fresh reviews on one screen – Itsyconnect does, for free – turns the daily check into a glance.
When to skip phasing
Skip it when the update must land for everyone at once: a server API migration with a hard cutoff, a critical security fix, or a launch synchronized with marketing. And remember it only delays automatic updates – if your backend change breaks old clients, phasing does not protect the 99% still on the old version; only backwards-compatible servers do.
Frequently asked questions
What are the App Store phased release percentages?
1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 50%, and 100% of users with automatic updates on, stepping up once every 24 hours over seven days. The schedule is fixed – you can pause it or release to everyone early, but you cannot customize the percentages.
Can users get the update during a phased release even if they're not selected?
Yes. Phasing only staggers automatic updates. Any user who visits your App Store product page and taps Update gets the new version immediately, and everyone who downloads the app fresh gets the new version.
How long can I pause a phased release?
Up to 30 days in total, across any number of pauses. When you resume, the rollout continues from the day it stopped. Pausing does not remove the update from users who already received it.
Can I roll back a bad App Store release?
No. The App Store has no rollback – once users have an update, the only path is forward. Pause the phased release to stop the bleeding, fix the bug, and submit a new version (request an expedited review if it is critical).
Related guides
- TestFlight explained: testers, groups, beta review, and the 90-day expiry
- App downloads dropping? How to diagnose it in App Store Connect
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