Application Submission

1. How do I submit my apps for Certification in the Windows Phone Marketplace?

Congratulations! We are excited to add your apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace! For a complete guide on submitting your app for Certification, see App Hub Application Submission Walkthough.

2. What do the fields mean in the application submission process?

The following table lists the information you’ll need when you want to submit an app to the Marketplace. For additional information about application submission, see the App Hub Application Submission Walkthrough.

Submission step	Field name	Information	Required?
Upload	App name for App Hub	The name of your app or game as you want it to appear on App Hub. Maximum of 15 characters.	Yes
Upload	Distribute to: (radio buttons)	Choose either: Public Marketplace, if this is an app or game that you want to sell or provide for free on the Marketplace. Private Beta Test, if you want to submit your app or game for private beta testing. To learn more about beta submission, see Beta Testing Your Application.	Yes (defaults to Public Marketplace)
Upload	Browse to upload a file	Use the Browse button to navigate to a valid XAP file for submission. The XAP file contains the executable file plus all the resources needed by the application. The maximum size that a valid XAP file can be is 225 MB. Make sure that you're submitting the Release version of the app.	Yes
Upload	App version number	If this is the first submission of the app, select 1.0. If you are submitting a revised or upgraded app, select an appropriate version number.	Yes (defaults to 1.0)
Upload	Requires technical exception? (check box)	Apps must meet strict technical requirements to pass certification. However, in some circumstances your app cannot meet these requirements and will need a technical exception. For examples of what may require a technical exception, see certification requirement 5.1.4 in Technical Certification Requirements. If your app requires a technical exception, select this check box and then fill in and submit a technical exception support ticket using the the online form. Note that you must be logged on to your App Hub account to use this form. Submitting a technical exception will add several days to the certification approval process. Exception requests aren't guaranteed to be approved, and should be used only in very rare circumstances.	No (defaults to blank)
Describe	Category (drop-down box)	The Marketplace category that best describes your application or game. There are multiple top-level categories and subcategories. See the complete list of Marketplace categories later in this topic.	Yes
Describe	Subcategory (drop-down box)	Many top-level Marketplace categories have multiple subcategories. If a category has subcategories, you must select a subcategory for your submission. See the complete list of Marketplace subcategories later in this topic.	Yes, if your submission is in a top-level category that has subcategories. Otherwise, no.
Describe	(language or languages)	The languages on this page are pulled programmatically from your XAP file.	Yes
Describe	(language) app name	The app name is filled in for you.	Yes
Describe	Short description	A brief description that can be used to merchandise your app in the Windows Phone Marketplace and featured app listings. There's a 25-character limit.	Yes
Describe	Detailed description	A detailed description of your app and its functionality. There's a 2,000-character limit.	Yes
Describe	Keywords	Keywords that can be used to assist users in finding your app in the Windows Phone Marketplace. To increase the chances of your app being found through relevant searches, make sure that the keywords best describe your app to potential customers. Important Note: When adding your keywords you should follow these guidelines: Each keyword must be relevant to your app’s content and purpose. A maximum of 5 keywords can be used. Separate each keyword in the list with a comma.	Yes
Describe	Legal URL	A URL links to legal terms, copyrights, or trademarks associated with your application.	No
Describe	Email address	An email address that consumers can use to contact you or your company with questions about this application.	No
Describe	Artwork	Your Marketplace application must include artwork for the application and for marketing purposes.	Yes
Describe		Large mobile app Tile (173 x 173 pixels) - Users see this Tile when they're browsing the application catalog before making a purchase.	No
Describe		Small mobile app Tile (99 x 99 pixels) - Users see this Tile in the Marketplace search results and catalog listing.	Yes
Describe		Large PC app Tile (200 x 200 pixels) - Users see this Tile in the Marketplace catalog.	Yes
Describe		Background art (1,000 x 800 pixels) - This image is optional. It is used if your application is chosen as a Windows Phone Marketplace featured application.	No
Describe		In-app screenshots (480 x 800 pixels) - You must provide at least one in-app screenshot. The screenshot should be a direct capture of the phone screen or emulator. You can provide up to eight screenshots of your application. Users see the screenshots on your app’s details page on Windows Phone Marketplace. Graphically enhanced screenshots aren't allowed. For more information, see How to: Create Screenshots for Windows Phone Marketplace.	Yes (minimum 1, maximum 8)
Set price and market availability	Select Price tier	Use the values in this drop-down to set the price of your app. Prices on this page are set in U.S. dollars (USD). To distribute your application for free, set the price to 0.00. The minimum price for selling an app is $0.99 USD and equivalent price points for other currencies. The maximum price for selling an app is $499.99 USD and equivalent price points for other currencies. For more information about app or game pricing, see Pricing.	Yes
Set price and market availability	Enable trials to be downloaded	This check box is available only if your application uses the IsTrial() method or the Guide.IsTrialMode() property.	No (check box; default is blank)
Set price and market availability		Use the following fields to instruct the Windows Phone Marketplace where to make your app available for sale or for free distribution. When you’ve selected the distribution you want, you’ll be asked to choose a rating for those markets. Each country or region has a check box and the corresponding price in that country’s or region’s currency.
Set price and market availability	Worldwide distribution	Selects all global markets in which Windows Phone apps can be downloaded.
Set price and market availability	Africa, Asia, and the Pacific	Australia, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan
Set price and market availability	Europe	Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Set price and market availability	North America and South America	Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States
App testing and certification	Test notes or instructions	Type notes or instructions that you think will help the testers test your app. For examples of what you might need to include in this field, see certification requirement 5.1.4 in Technical Certification Requirements.	No
App testing and certification	Publish options: choose how and when to publish your app.	You must select a publication option for your app.	Yes
App testing and certification		None - The default option. Your application cannot be submitted if you choose this option, but you can select Save and Quit and come back later to complete your submission.	No
App testing and certification		As soon as it's certified - Your app will be published in the Marketplace catalog as soon as it passes certification.	No
App testing and certification		As soon as it's certified, but make it hidden - This option can be used to make an application available for targeted distribution. Only people who have a deep link will be able to find your app in the Marketplace catalog; users who search for your app will not find it. For more information about targeted distribution, see Targeted Application Distribution.	No
App testing and certification		I will publish it manually after it has been certified - The option submits your application for certification, but after certification is complete the application will not appear in the Marketplace catalog until you manually submit it later. You can manually publish a certified but unpublished app by using a link inside your developer dashboard.	No

3. What file formats are accepted for apps?

Only .xap files are accepted.

4. Can I include ads in my apps?

Yes. You can now monetize your Windows Phone apps and games by including ads from Microsoft Advertising or other third-party providers. For more information on in-app advertising, see Advertising in Windows Phone Applications.

Tip:
The Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows Phone is now installed as part of the Windows Phone SDK. However, to ensure you have the most up-to-date version of the SDK, see Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows Phone For a current list of countries/regions that the Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows Phone supports, see List of Available Markets.

Tip:

The Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows Phone is now installed as part of the Windows Phone SDK. However, to ensure you have the most up-to-date version of the SDK, see Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows Phone

For a current list of countries/regions that the Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows Phone supports, see List of Available Markets.

5. What types of icons and screenshots are required to be included with my submission?

For information about icons and screenshots, see Windows Phone Application Certification Requirements.

6. Can I submit my application to multiple markets?

You can submit your application to multiple markets even if it is not localized into those markets.

For multilingual apps, we recommend that you create one .xap file for the app with the multiple languages included. App Hub will detect the languages when the app is uploading and provide screens to input metadata that is specific to the language. For more information, see How to: Build a Localized Application for Windows Phone.

7. What categories are available for my app?

The following list includes all of the app categories for the Windows Phone Marketplace. Currently, there are 17 categories with 42 subcategories. Review the entire list before selecting a category in which to place your app.

Note:
Your app can be placed in only one of these categories.

Category	Subcategory	Description
entertainment		This top-level category consists of novelty apps designed for fun and enjoyment. Examples include titles such as Random Facts, X-ray Scanner, and Horoscope.
music + videos		This top-level category consists of apps associated with music, sound, and video. Examples include apps that allow users to stream music, tune a guitar, create a short movie, or set their movie rental queue or home DVR.
tools + productivity		This top-level category consists of apps to help with or enhance personal productivity, and includes all tools and utilities apps. Examples include task organizers, mileage trackers, project managers, calculators, levels, and compasses.
lifestyle		This top-level category is for lifestyle activities.
	arts + entertainment	Apps that pertain to the fine arts. Examples include apps for museums, ballet, symphony, and art.
	automotive	Apps related to cars and automobiles. Examples include apps for automotive maintenance scheduling, fuel economy, automotive repairs, and auto shopping.
	community	Apps that focus on community activities. Examples include apps for community fundraisers, local bulletin boards, and religious apps.
	food + dining	Apps related to food and dining. Examples include apps for finding restaurants, cooking, and mixing beverages. This category doesn’t include Diet + Nutrition apps; for those, look in the Health + Fitness category.
	out + about	Apps that help users to find leisure and entertainment activities. Examples include apps for movie times, concert tickets, museums, and art exhibits.
	shopping	Apps that help users with shopping, both online and in-store. Examples include apps for shopping lists, online purchasing, finding coupons, and performing price comparisons.
	style + fashion	Apps related to style and fashion. Examples include apps for clothing, cosmetics, and contemporary fashion.
kids + family		This top-level category consists of apps for children and families. Examples include children's television programming apps or toddler entertainment apps.
news + weather		This top-level category consists of news and weather apps. Examples include apps that provide top news stories, entertainment news, and weather forecasts.
	local + national	Apps that cover local and national or regional news and weather. Examples include apps for local television station news and local newspapers.
	international	Apps that cover international news and weather. Examples include apps for world or global news, events, and weather.
travel + navigation		This top-level category consists of eight subcategories for apps that help users when traveling.
	city guides	Apps that provide users with regional travel information and city guides. Examples include apps that provide information on tourist destinations or points of interest in a city.
	hotels	Apps that help travelers find lodging and make reservations.
	languages	Apps that help users with languages. Examples include apps such as language converters and dictionaries.
	mapping	Apps for local attractions and travel.
	navigation	Maps, navigation, and local search apps. Examples include online maps, GPS navigators, and Internet yellow pages.
	planning	Apps that help users with trip planning. Examples include apps to make travel reservations and view flight status.
	travel tools	Miscellaneous travel tools. Examples include currency convertors, metric converters, and world clocks.
	traveling with kids	Apps that help people who travel with kids.
health + fitness		This top-level category is divided into three subcategories: Diet + Nutrition, Fitness, and Health.
	diet + nutrition	Apps that help users achieve and maintain diet and nutrition goals. Examples include calorie counters, diet monitors, and food nutrition guides.
	fitness	Apps that help users achieve and maintain fitness goals. Examples include personal trainers, fitness counters, and physical activity monitors such as pedometers.
	health	Apps about health and medicine. Examples include apps that measure stress, count contractions, or monitor health conditions.
photo		This top-level category consists of photography and digital imaging apps. Examples include apps that allow users to take, view, or edit photos or images.
games		This top-level category for mobile video games is divided into multiple subcategories.
	action + adventure	Action and adventure titles including side-scrollers, first-person shooters, fighting, and others.
	card + board	Poker, blackjack, roulette, and all other card and casino games.
	classics	Popular board games and classic arcade titles.
	educational	Educational and learning development games.
	family	Kid- and family-oriented titles.
	music	Music and dance titles.
	platformer	Games that require the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles.
	puzzle + trivia	Puzzles, crosswords, trivia, and other related brain games.
	racing + flying	Vehicle racing and flight-simulation games.
	role playing	Role playing, MMORPG, and simulation games.
	shooter	First-person shooter games.
	sports + recreation	Sports and recreational activities.
	strategy + simulation	Strategy, simulation, and role-playing games (RPGs).
	xbox companion	A non-game application that enhances your experience of Xbox games.
social		This top-level category consists of apps that connect users with social networking sites and help users stay connected with and communicate with their important networks. Examples include apps for social networking sites, alumni networks, and SMS communications.
sports		This top-level category covers all sports-related apps, including sports news. Examples include apps that provide sports scores, manage fantasy football leagues, or assist users with playing sports, such as a golf range finder.
personal finance		This top-level category includes apps that address personal finance. Examples include mortgage calculators and online banking. Apps that focus on enterprise or small businesses are in the “Business” top-level category.
business		This top-level category consists of business apps that address inventory, CRM, documentation, data collection, field services, finance, accounting, manufacturing, and real estate.
books + reference		This top-level category includes eReaders, Fiction, Non-fiction, and Reference.
	ereader	Electronic book readers.
	fiction	Fiction book titles.
	non-fiction	Non-fiction book titles.
	reference	Reference aids such as encyclopedias.
education		This top-level category consists of educational apps and learning tools, as well as apps for educational institutions. Examples include test prep apps, learning flash cards, and university apps.
government + politics		This top-level category consists of apps that address civic organizations and activities. Examples of apps include apps for city and national/regional government, courts, and voting.
	commentary	Political and government commentary.
	government resources	Apps that help users perform civic activities, such as reporting potholes or graffiti, or contacting government organizations for useful information.
	legal issues	Apps that help users with legal matters.
	politics	Apps that pertain to political issues such as voting and elections, government referendums and policies, and miscellaneous political events and discussions.

8. Can I show my app in multiple application categories?

No. You can list your application in only one category.

9. How do I cancel an application submission?

After your application is submitted, it is in the Certification queue for testing and cannot be canceled or modified.

When the certification process is complete, you have the option to unpublish, update, or delete your app.

10. How do I modify my submission?

After your application is submitted, it is in the Certification queue for testing and cannot be canceled or modified. When the certification process is complete, you have the option to unpublish, update, or delete your app.

Note:
Deleting an app from the App Hub Dashboard will remove all instances of the app and is not reversible.

11. Can I charge for updates or upgrades to my app?

The Windows Phone Marketplace currently supports automatic free updates for users who have previously purchased an application.

Upgrades that require existing users to purchase the new version of that application are not supported.

12. How do I get help if I have an issue submitting my app?

The App Hub forum provides answers to common questions and help for known issues. When signed in, you can post a thread if you need answers that are not already provided.

For further App Hub assistance, developers who have App Hub memberships can use the online form in the Windows Phone Dashboard to submit a ticket to the Windows Phone Marketplace Support Team.

Note:
This online form is available only for assistance with submitting apps and games for Windows Phone Marketplace.

13. When submitting my application, what distribution options are available to me?

For information about what distribution options are available, see Application Distribution Options.

14. Before submitting my application, is there anything I should consider for 256-MB devices?

Yes. The Technical Certification Requirements document states that an application must not use more than 90 MB of RAM, except on devices that have more than 256 MB of memory. For 256-MB devices, you should consider the responsiveness of your application. With the release of Windows Phone SDK 7.1.1 Update, you can determine at run time whether a device is a 256-MB device, and then adjust your application to stay within the 90-MB memory limit. If you think the responsiveness of your application would be suboptimal on 256-MB devices, you can prevent your application from being available to these devices in Marketplace. For more information, see Developing for 256-MB Devices.

15. How do I update my application to be published in new Windows Phone Marketplace countries or regions?

You can submit an update for your app to publish to new markets as they become available. This involves updating the catalog details for your app. You do not have to provide an updated app, but simply change the list of countries or regions to which your app will be published. For more information, see How to: Publish an Existing App to new Windows Phone Marketplace Countries or Regions.