Test Adjust deep links

Before going live with your deep links in a campaign, it's important to test them. This will ensure they are set up correctly, deliver the user to the intended content, and that Adjust is recording them. Here, you can find testing instructions to follow for a new user and an existing user.

If during testing you encounter problems, read our Deep link FAQs for more information.

Testing checklist

  • Use Campaign Lab to create the correct deep links for the environment you are testing.
  • Test the correct version of the app. For example: If you have only implemented universal links in a debug version of the app, run your tests on that version.

Additional points for testing attribution

Build a test site

You need to host your deep links in a web environment for testing. We recommend clicking the deep link on an HTML page when testing. Use a free website builder to set up a simple test site, and then embed the deep link URL as a link on the test site.

You can create a page with the following HTML:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
   <head>
      <style>
         a {
         font-size: 100px
         }
      </style>
   </head>
   <body>
      <a href="https://app.adjust.com/abc123?deep_link=myamazingapp%3A%2F%2Fsuper%2Fexclusive%2Fpromotion">Deep Link</a>
   </body>
</html>

How to test

The test process is determined by the type of link and scenario it is used in. For example, your link should behave differently for a user who already has the app installed compared with someone who does not.

Below, you can find instructions on how to test your link as an existing user, a new user, and to test reattribution via your deep link.

As an existing user // direct deep links

To test your deep link as an existing user with the app installed, follow these steps:

  1. Build a test site.
  2. Add your deep link to the test webpage.
  3. Install the app on your test device, and open it at least once.
  4. On your test device, open a web browser and navigate to your test web page.
  5. Click the deep link URL.

Upon click, your app will launch and deep link you to the specific location written in your custom URI scheme. This means that your Adjust setup is complete, and you're ready to measure campaigns with the deep link.

If your app doesn’t open in the correct place within the app, this means your app can’t properly handle the deep link content. Speak with your development team to check paths within the app are set up properly.

As a new user // deferred deep links

To test a deep link as a new user without your app installed, follow these steps:

  1. Ensure you don't have the app installed. If you do:
    1. Uninstall the app completely from the device (empty app trash, if applicable).
    2. Forget your device via the Testing Console.
  2. On your test device, open a web browser and navigate to your test web page. Wait to be redirected to the app store.
  3. Download the app and open it - this will trigger an install in Adjust.
  4. At app open, you will be deep linked to the specific location written in your custom URI scheme.

If you are deep linked to the correct place after opening the app, then your Adjust setup is complete. 

If you are not deep linked to the correct place after opening the app, run the test again as an existing user and check to see if you are attributed to the click. If you are attributed, but still not deep linked to the correct place, then there may be a problem with how your deep link was passed. This may be because the deep link parameter was cut off or due to an encoding error. Reach out to your dedicated support team or contact support@adjust.com.

Reset your device between tests

If you run deferred deep link tests multiple times, it's important to reset your device between tests. Always follow these steps to ensure your device is reset.

  1. Uninstall the app from your test device.
  2. Clear the advertising ID from our system.
  3. Install the app without clicking any links.
  4. Check the Testing Console to make sure the install is shown as organic.
    • If it is not, repeat steps 1-3 until this is the case.
  5. Uninstall the app from your test device.
  6. Clear the advertising ID from our system.

Reattribution

To test reattribution via your deep link, follow these steps:

1. Set the reattribution inactivity period to 0 days on your test link

To set your reattribution inactivity period to 0 days on your test link, follow these steps in Campaign Lab.

Important:
If you changed the inactivity window at the app level, don't forget to revert this setting to your preferred inactivity window period after completing the test.

2. Set up your deep link and device, and test your deep link

To set up your Adjust deep link and device, and test your deep link, follow these steps:

  1. Create a deep link without an advertising ID parameter.
    • For example: https://app.adjust.com/abc123?deep_link=myamazingapp%3A%2F%2Fsuper%2Fexclusive%2Fpromotion
  2. Clear your test device's advertising ID from our system.
  3. Install the app without clicking any links.
  4. On your test device, open a web browser and navigate to your HTML testing page.
  5. Click the deep link.
  6. Use the Testing Console to check that your device is now reattributed to the test link.