> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.branch.io/llms.txt).

# Onboarding Guide (New)

> Go from your first sign-in to your first campaign in new Branch. Set up your account, connect your app, track events, and launch in an order that avoids rework.

> **Note: this guide is for new Branch**
>
> This guide covers the [new Branch experience](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/new-branch-overview.md). For legacy Branch, see the [legacy guide](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/onboarding-guide.md).

This guide takes your team from your first sign-in to Branch Links that open your app and measure how your users interact with it. Work through the four steps in order, because each builds on the one before it:

| Step | Who usually does it | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Set up your account](#_1-set-up-your-account) | Admin | Your team in Branch and a link domain |
| [Connect your app](#_2-connect-your-app) | Mobile and web developers | Branch Links that open your app on a real phone |
| [Measure what matters](#_3-measure-what-matters) | Marketers and developers | Tracked events, attribution settings, and a released app |
| [Launch your first campaigns](#_4-launch-your-first-campaigns) | Marketers | Campaigns running in the channels you use |

The **Branch setup** list on your Home page tracks many of these tasks. Some settings in this guide appear only if your account includes them, so your Home page might list fewer tasks than this guide covers.

## Before you begin

To complete this guide, you first need people in these roles:

- An admin for your Branch account.
- A developer for each platform your app runs on, and a web developer if you plan to add Branch to your website.
- A marketer to choose your events and run your campaigns.

## 1. Set up your account

An admin usually does this step.

### Sign in for the first time <Badge type="info" text="Admin" />

How you sign in the first time depends on how your account started.

- If you signed up on the Branch website, Branch asks you to verify your card.
- If Branch or a teammate set up your account, use the link in the email we sent you to set your password.

### Invite your team <Badge type="info" text="Admin" />

Add your teammates now, so each of them can start on their part of setup. To invite each person, go to **Configuration > Security & Access > Team** and select **Add team member**. For the full steps, see [Team (New)](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/team-new.md).

When you choose each person's **Access level**, give developers and marketers **Admin**, or choose **Custom** and select the permissions they need.

> **Give an outside company access**
>
> If you have an enterprise account, give agencies and other outside companies access from **Configuration > Security & Access > Third Party** instead of adding their people to your team. Each third party works from its own Branch account. You choose which of your apps it can access. If you plan to have the third party add Branch to your app or change app settings, give it **Full access**. See [Manage Third Party Access](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/manage-third-party-access.md).

### Check your time zone <Badge type="info" text="Admin" />

Your app has one time zone that your whole team shares. If you signed up on the Branch website, it starts as America/Los Angeles. To change it, go to **Configuration > App Settings > General** and use the **Your time zone** setting.

### Choose your link domain <Badge type="info" text="Admin" />

Your link domain is the first part of every Branch Link. It looks like `yourapp.app.link` unless you use your own domain. Choose it now, because your developers add it to your app in the next step.

> **Caution**
>
> If you change your link domain later, existing links on the old domain stop redirecting.

> **If your account uses Advanced Compliance**
>
> Advanced Compliance limits which link domains you can use. Before you choose, read the [Advanced Compliance](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/advanced-compliance.md) guide.

To set your link domain, go to **Configuration > Link Controls > Link Appearance**. In the **Link Domains** section, select **Change App.link Domain**, or select **Add a Custom Domain** to use your own domain. For the full steps, see [Link Appearance (New)](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/link-appearance-new.md#link-domains).

You're done with this step when your teammates have joined and your link domain shows the name you want.

## 2. Connect your app

Your mobile developers usually do this step, with help from a web developer if you're adding Branch to your website. To connect your app, you first need these details:

- For iOS, your app's URI scheme, App Store link, Bundle ID, and Apple App Prefix.
- For Android, your app's URI scheme, Google Play link, package name, and SHA256 certificate fingerprints.
- Your website's address.

Your account has a live app and a test app. Each has its own Branch Key, link routing rules, and Liveview events. To work in the test app, select **Testing** in the app menu at the top of the sidebar. If you see a **Test mode** switch at the top of the page, you can turn it on instead. If you build with the test key, set the link routing rules in the test app too.

### Set your link routing rules <Badge type="info" text="Developer" />

Branch needs your app's details before a link can open it. Fill in the settings for each platform your app runs on, and skip the rest.

1. Go to **Configuration > Link Controls > Link Routing Rules**.
2. Under **Web Routing**, enter your **Default URL**. Links go there when no other redirect applies.
3. Under **Mobile Routing**, enter the Android and iOS details you gathered. To show the fields for your SHA256 certificate fingerprints, Bundle ID, and Apple App Prefix, select **Enable App Links** and **Enable Universal Links**.
4. Select **Save Changes**.

For what each setting does, see [Link Routing Rules (New)](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/link-routing-rules-new.md).

### Add the Branch SDK <Badge type="info" text="Developer" />

The Branch software development kit (SDK) lets your app open from Branch Links and send events to Branch.

You'll need your Branch Key, which is in **Configuration > Security & Access > Credentials**.

Add the Branch SDK to each platform your app runs on, using that platform's guide:

- [iOS](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/ios-basic-integration.md)
- [Android](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/android-basic-integration.md)
- [React Native](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/react-native-basic-integration.md)
- [Flutter](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/flutter-sdk-basic-integration.md)
- [Web](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/web-basic-integration.md), on every page where you plan to track visits or show banners
- [Other plugins and wrappers](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/category/plugins-and-sdk-wrappers.md)

> **If your account uses Advanced Compliance**
>
> Complete the required steps in [Advanced Compliance](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/advanced-compliance.md) before you release, including the step you ask Branch Support to complete.

### Route users in your app <Badge type="info" text="Developer" /> <Badge type="info" text="Marketer" />

When someone opens your app from a Branch Link, the Branch SDK passes your app the link's data. Your app uses that data to show the right screen.

1. Agree with your marketers on what data your links will carry, such as a product ID or the screen to open.
2. Follow [In-App Routing](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/in-app-routing.md) to open the matching screen from that data.

For the link data keys Branch supports, see the [Deep Linking Full Reference](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/deep-link-reference.md).

### Test on a real device <Badge type="info" text="Developer" />

Check that a Branch Link opens your app on a real phone. If your build uses the test key, switch to the test app before you start.

1. Install your build on your phone.
2. Open your app once.
3. Add your phone in **Configuration > Testing & Monitoring > Test Devices** with its advertising ID. To find the ID, see [Add and Manage Test Devices (New)](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/add-and-manage-test-devices-new.md).
4. Create a Short Link with the link data your app uses to choose a screen, as described in [Create links and QR codes](#create-links-and-qr-codes).
5. Go to **Configuration > Testing & Monitoring > Liveview**.
6. Set the event type to **open**, and then select **Update Query**.
7. Open the link on your phone.
8. Check that your app opens to the right screen and that Liveview shows an **open** event.

> **Test a new install**
>
> Branch counts only one install per device. Unless you refresh your test device first, Branch records a reinstall instead of an install. To test a new install:
>
> 1. In **Test Devices**, select the three-dot icon for your phone, and then select **Refresh device**.
> 2. Uninstall your app.
> 3. Set the event type in Liveview to **install**, and then select **Update Query**.
> 4. Open the link on your phone.
> 5. Install your build.
> 6. Open your app.
> 7. Check that the install shows in Liveview.

Each platform has its own testing guide for deeper checks. See [iOS SDK Testing](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/ios-testing.md), [Android SDK Testing](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/android-testing.md), or [Web SDK Testing](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/web-testing.md). If a link doesn't open your app, see [iOS SDK Troubleshooting](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/ios-troubleshooting.md) or [Android SDK Troubleshooting](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/android-troubleshooting.md).

You're done with this step when a Branch Link opens your app on your phone and an open event shows in [Liveview](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/liveview-new.md).

## 3. Measure what matters

Marketers and developers usually do this step together.

### Choose and track your events <Badge type="info" text="Marketer" /> <Badge type="info" text="Developer" />

Marketers choose the actions that matter to your business, such as sign-ups or purchases. Developers then use the Branch SDK to track each one in your app and on your website. For the kinds of events Branch supports and how to track them, see [Track Branch Events](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/track-branch-events.md). To trigger web events from Google Tag Manager (GTM), see [GTM Web Setup](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/gtm-web.md).

### Set attribution windows <Badge type="info" text="Marketer" />

An attribution window is how long Branch keeps crediting a link or ad for an install or event after someone clicks the link or sees the ad. Each window has a default length. To change one, go to **Configuration > Attribution > Attribution Windows**.

The same tab also has these settings:

- (Recommended) Turn on Predictive Aggregate Measurement (PAM) to attribute more of the iOS installs that would otherwise show as unattributed. PAM is Branch's attribution model for iOS.
- (Optional) Add your website's host names in the **SEO** section to attribute sessions that start from search engines and AI chat agents.

> **Add host names for search attribution**
>
> Enter each host name exactly as it appears in search results, without the `https://` prefix. For example, `www.example.com` matches, but `https://www.example.com` doesn't. For your app to get credit, your developers need to set up Universal Links and App Links on those hosts. For search engine optimization (SEO) and AI optimization (AIO) setup, see [SEO + AIO Implementation](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/seo-aio-implementation.md).

For details on these settings, see [Attribution (New)](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/attribution-page-new.md). If you run iOS ad campaigns, also set up SKAdNetwork (SKAN) on the **SKAN** tab. SKAN is Apple's framework for measuring installs from iOS ads.

### Release your app and website <Badge type="info" text="Developer" />

Before you release, ask your marketers whether they plan to use Branch Links in [email](#use-branch-links-in-email), send data to [data partners](#share-and-export-data), or attribute [search traffic](#add-host-names-for-search-attribution). Each can require changes to your app or website.

Check that each event you track shows in [Liveview](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/liveview-new.md). If your build uses the test key, switch to the test app first. Before you trigger each event, set the event type to its category and select **Update Query**, because Liveview shows only events that arrive after the query starts.

Then release:

1. If your build uses the test key, switch it to the live key.
2. Release a version of your app that includes the Branch SDK and the events you track.
3. If you added the Branch Web SDK, deploy your website.

You're done with this step when your test events show in Liveview and your release includes them.

## 4. Launch your first campaigns

Marketers usually do this step. Set up the channels you use, in any order, and skip the rest.

### Create links and QR codes <Badge type="info" text="Marketer" />

A Short Link is a Branch Link you can share in any channel. Each one has its own QR code. To create one, go to **Campaigns > Links**, select **Create**, and then select **Short Link**. On the **Link Data** tab, add the keys and values your app uses to choose a screen. For the full steps, see [Create Short Links (New)](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/create-short-links-new.md).

For other ways to create links, see [Create Links (New)](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/category/create-links-new.md). To brand your QR codes, go to **Configuration > Link Controls > Link Appearance** and use the **QR Code** section. See [Link Appearance (New)](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/link-appearance-new.md#qr-code).

### Run paid campaigns <Badge type="info" text="Marketer" />

In **Configuration > Integrations > Ad partners**, connect each ad network you buy ads from. See [Ad Partner Integration Guide (New)](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/ad-partner-integration-guide-new.md).

After you connect a partner, check these settings on its page:

- Each partner uses your app's attribution windows unless you turn on **Override global app settings** on the partner's **Attribution windows** tab.
- To see ad spend next to your results, connect cost data on the partner's **Cost Import** tab. See [Ad Partner Cost Import Overview (New)](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/ad-partner-cost-import-overview-new.md).

To tag or block suspicious traffic with rules, go to **Dynamic Defense**. See [Dynamic Defense Overview (New)](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/dynamic-defense-overview-new.md).

### Move website visitors into your app <Badge type="info" text="Marketer" />

A banner shows website visitors a call to action that opens your app. Create a banner campaign in **Campaigns > Banners**. Make sure your website already has the Branch Web SDK. See [Banners Overview (New)](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/banners-overview-new.md).

### Use Branch Links in email <Badge type="info" text="Developer" /> <Badge type="info" text="Marketer" />

Email service providers send links through a click tracking domain, which stops Branch Links from opening your app. For most providers, your developers need to fix this before you connect the provider. They point your click tracking domain to Branch and add it to your iOS app's associated domains. See [Email Integration for Developers](https://help.branch.io/developer-hub/email-integration-for-developers.md).

Then connect your email service provider:

1. Go to **Configuration > Integrations > Email**.
2. If Branch asks how email links behave when your app is installed, choose the option that matches your app's in-app routing, and then select **Confirm & continue**.
3. Select your email service provider.
4. Select **Enable**.
5. Enter your click tracking domain.
6. If the dialog asks for it, enter your provider's domain or IP address.
7. Under **When the app isn't installed**, choose where links go.
8. Select **Confirm & enable**.

### Share and export data <Badge type="info" text="Marketer" />

To send Branch data to your analytics tools, connect them in **Configuration > Integrations > Data**. Some partners need extra Branch SDK setup. For details, see [Data Integration Implementation Guide (New)](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/data-integration-implementation-guide-new.md). To check that data reaches a partner, view its webhook records in Liveview. See [Liveview (New)](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/liveview-new.md#_5-view-webhook-records).

To download raw data, go to **Configuration > Exports**. To pull Branch data into your own systems, choose one of the [Data APIs](https://help.branch.io/apidocs/index.md#data-apis).

## Check that it's working

After people start using your links, these tools show what's happening and alert you to changes.

- [Liveview](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/liveview-new.md) shows clicks, installs, opens, and events as they arrive.
- [Analysis dashboards](https://help.branch.io/marketer-hub/analysis-dashboards-overview-new.md) show how your links and campaigns perform over time.
- With [Alert Notifications](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/alert-notifications-new.md), subscribers get an email about postback failures, ad partner connections that lose access, and changes to partner or account settings.

## Get help

If you get stuck, [submit a ticket to Branch Support](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/submit-a-ticket.md). For live training and courses, see [Branch University](https://help.branch.io/account-hub/branch-university.md).