DeepLink - Understand Deep Links

Last updated February 11, 2026

Learn how deep linking works and which methods Airbridge supports to use your tracking links effectively.

Understand deep links

A deep link is a URL that sends users to a specific page within your app. Deep linking means sending users to such specific destinations. Apply deep linking when creating tracking links to send users who click your ads or content to target pages instead of your home screen. See the user scenarios below.

All ads and content in the scenarios below use tracking links. The differences are whether deep linking is applied and whether users have the app installed.

`#{"width":"120px"}` Deep linking applied?	`#{"width":"200px"}` Users without app	`#{"width":"200px"}` Users with app
No	1. User clicks ad or content. 2. User is sent to the app store or website set as the destination. 3. When the user installs and opens the app for the first time, they land on the home screen.	1. User clicks ad or content. 2. User is sent to the app store or website set as the destination. 3. When the user opens the app, they land on the home screen.
Yes	1. User clicks ad or content. 2. User is sent to the app store because they don’t have the app. 3. When the user installs and opens the app for the first time, they’re deep linked to the specific app page set as the destination.	1. User clicks ad or content. 2. User is deep linked to the specific app page set as the destination because they have the app.

#{"width":"120px"}

Deep linking applied?

#{"width":"200px"}

Users without app

#{"width":"200px"}

Users with app

1. User clicks ad or content.

2. User is sent to the app store or website set as the destination.

3. When the user installs and opens the app for the first time, they land on the home screen.

1. User clicks ad or content.

2. User is sent to the app store or website set as the destination.

3. When the user opens the app, they land on the home screen.

Yes

1. User clicks ad or content.

2. User is sent to the app store because they don’t have the app.

3. When the user installs and opens the app for the first time, they’re deep linked to the specific app page set as the destination.

1. User clicks ad or content.

2. User is deep linked to the specific app page set as the destination because they have the app.

Supported deep linking methods

Different deep linking methods work best on different operating systems. Airbridge supports URL scheme deep links, App Links, and Universal Links, and selects the best method when the app opens based on the operating system, browser, app installation status, and more.

`#{"width":"100px"}` Method	`#{"width":"100px"}` OS	`#{"width":"180px"}` Description	`#{"width":"120px"}` Standard link structure
URL scheme deep link	Android, iOS	Deep linking method that uses URL schemes. Users are sent to a specific app page based on the URL scheme in the deep link.	`appScheme://host/path`
App Link	Android	Android-exclusive deep linking method supported by Google.	`https://host/path`
Universal Link	iOS	iOS-exclusive deep linking method supported by Apple.	`https://host/path`

#{"width":"100px"}

Method

#{"width":"100px"}

#{"width":"180px"}

Description

#{"width":"120px"}

Standard link structure

URL scheme deep link

Android, iOS

Deep linking method that uses URL schemes. Users are sent to a specific app page based on the URL scheme in the deep link.

appScheme://host/path

App Link

Android

Android-exclusive deep linking method supported by Google.

https://host/path

Universal Link

iOS

iOS-exclusive deep linking method supported by Apple.

https://host/path

When using URL scheme deep links, note that different apps can share the same URL scheme. On iOS this needs special attention. If a device has more than one app with the same URL scheme, Android lets the user choose which app to open, but iOS opens one randomly.

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`#{"width":"120px"}` Deep linking applied?	`#{"width":"200px"}` Users without app	`#{"width":"200px"}` Users with app
No	1. User clicks ad or content. 2. User is sent to the app store or website set as the destination. 3. When the user installs and opens the app for the first time, they land on the home screen.	1. User clicks ad or content. 2. User is sent to the app store or website set as the destination. 3. When the user opens the app, they land on the home screen.
Yes	1. User clicks ad or content. 2. User is sent to the app store because they don’t have the app. 3. When the user installs and opens the app for the first time, they’re deep linked to the specific app page set as the destination.	1. User clicks ad or content. 2. User is deep linked to the specific app page set as the destination because they have the app.

#{"width":"120px"}

Deep linking applied?

#{"width":"200px"}

Users without app

#{"width":"200px"}

Users with app

1. User clicks ad or content.

2. User is sent to the app store or website set as the destination.

3. When the user installs and opens the app for the first time, they land on the home screen.

1. User clicks ad or content.

2. User is sent to the app store or website set as the destination.

3. When the user opens the app, they land on the home screen.

Yes

1. User clicks ad or content.

2. User is sent to the app store because they don’t have the app.

3. When the user installs and opens the app for the first time, they’re deep linked to the specific app page set as the destination.

1. User clicks ad or content.

2. User is deep linked to the specific app page set as the destination because they have the app.

`#{"width":"100px"}` Method	`#{"width":"100px"}` OS	`#{"width":"180px"}` Description	`#{"width":"120px"}` Standard link structure
URL scheme deep link	Android, iOS	Deep linking method that uses URL schemes. Users are sent to a specific app page based on the URL scheme in the deep link.	`appScheme://host/path`
App Link	Android	Android-exclusive deep linking method supported by Google.	`https://host/path`
Universal Link	iOS	iOS-exclusive deep linking method supported by Apple.	`https://host/path`

#{"width":"100px"}

Method

#{"width":"100px"}

#{"width":"180px"}

Description

#{"width":"120px"}

Standard link structure

URL scheme deep link

Android, iOS

Deep linking method that uses URL schemes. Users are sent to a specific app page based on the URL scheme in the deep link.

appScheme://host/path

App Link

Android

Android-exclusive deep linking method supported by Google.

https://host/path

Universal Link

iOS

iOS-exclusive deep linking method supported by Apple.

https://host/path

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Understand deep links

Deep linking and user scenarios

Supported deep linking methods

DeepLink - Understand Deep Links