An install is the process of downloading and setting up an application or software on a device so it can be used. In the context of mobile marketing, an install specifically refers to when a user downloads an app from an app store, completes the installation, and opens it for the first time.
For developers and marketers, the install is a key event that signals successful user acquisition. It is often the first measurable step in a user’s lifecycle within a mobile app.
When a user finds an app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, they click “Get” or “Install.” The store downloads the app package (APK or IPA) to the device, verifies it, and then adds it to the user’s home screen or app drawer. Once the user opens the app for the first time, the install is registered.
From a marketing and analytics perspective, an install is not just a download — it is counted when the app is opened, signaling that the user has completed the setup successfully.
Installs are one of the core metrics in mobile marketing. They show how many users have successfully reached the first milestone of adopting your app. Tracking installs helps you:
However, an install alone does not mean success. It only tells you that the app was downloaded and opened, not that it will be used again. This is why marketers often look at installs together with retention, activation, and lifetime value (LTV) to understand long-term impact.
1. Organic installs
Users discover and install the app without paid promotion — through word of mouth, search results, or organic app store traffic.
2. Paid installs
Users download the app after engaging with an advertisement such as a display ad, social campaign, or influencer post. These installs can be tracked through mobile measurement partners (MMPs) using attribution links.
3. Reinstalls
When a user deletes and later reinstalls the app on the same device. This event can be important for measuring re-engagement campaigns.
4. Deferred installs
When a user clicks on an ad but installs the app later, often through deep linking and deferred attribution systems.
Tracking installs accurately requires attribution technology. A mobile measurement partner (MMP) attributes installs to their source by analyzing user clicks, impressions, and device identifiers such as IDFA (for iOS) or GAID (for Android).
Because privacy frameworks like App Tracking Transparency (ATT) have limited access to user identifiers, modern attribution also relies on SKAdNetwork data and probabilistic modeling to estimate campaign performance while respecting user privacy.
A download is the act of retrieving an app file onto a device. An install occurs only when the user opens the app and it successfully initializes. This distinction is important because some users download apps but never launch them.
An install is typically counted when a user downloads and opens the app for the first time, not just when it’s downloaded from the store.
Organic installs come without paid promotion. Paid installs result from a marketing campaign or ad spend.
Attribution systems might not track every install due to privacy restrictions, ad blockers, or users declining tracking permissions under ATT.
No. Once uninstalled, the app stops sending data unless the user reinstalls and reopens it.
It varies by industry and region. A high click-to-install conversion rate typically ranges from 20 to 40 percent, depending on ad format and store experience.