The full mobile app testing checklist (50 checks)

One list for the whole app, in the order a user meets it. Every check has a reason and a way to verify it. Area tags let you filter: [INSTALL], [ONBOARD], [FLOW], [ERROR], [DEVICE], [PRIVACY], [WORDING], [RELEASE]. For depth in one area, follow the links at the end.

Use a real device where you can. Tick a check only when you saw the result, not when you assume it.

Install and first start

1. [INSTALL] Clean install works. Why: first impressions are made here. Check: delete the app, install the build, open it.
2. [INSTALL] Update over an older version keeps data. Why: users who update lose trust fast if data vanishes. Check: install the previous build, add data, install the new one.
3. [INSTALL] Uninstall and reinstall behave sensibly. Why: stale local data causes odd states. Check: reinstall and sign in again.
4. [INSTALL] App starts without a network. Why: launch crashes on missing data are common. Check: airplane mode, cold start.
5. [INSTALL] Launch time feels acceptable. Why: slow starts get the app closed. Check: time a cold start on your oldest device.

Onboarding and account

6. [ONBOARD] Every onboarding screen can be completed and skipped. Why: a stuck first run ends the session. Check: tap through both ways.
7. [ONBOARD] Back navigation works in onboarding. Why: users misread screens. Check: go back at each step.
8. [ONBOARD] Permission prompts appear when needed, not all at once. Why: early denial hurts later features. Check: first run, note when each prompt shows.
9. [ONBOARD] Denied permissions have a usable fallback. Why: denial is common. Check: deny each permission, use the feature.
10. [ONBOARD] Interrupted onboarding resumes. Why: users get calls and switch apps. Check: kill the app mid-way and reopen.
11. [FLOW] Sign-up accepts valid input and rejects invalid input clearly. Why: sign-up is the first gate. Check: see the sign-up checklist.
12. [FLOW] Login, wrong password and reset work. Why: lockouts create support work. Check: see the login checklist.
13. [FLOW] Logout clears the session. Why: shared devices. Check: log out, press back, restart.
14. [FLOW] Expired session sends users to sign-in without losing work. Why: tokens expire. Check: wait out or invalidate a token.

Core flows

15. [FLOW] The main task works start to finish. Why: this is the reason the app exists. Check: do it as a new user, no shortcuts.
16. [FLOW] Each form validates on the field and on submit. Why: bad data enters silently otherwise. Check: empty, too long, wrong format.
17. [FLOW] Lists, search and filters return correct results. Why: wrong results look like a broken app. Check: known data, no match, many matches.
18. [FLOW] Create, edit and delete update everywhere. Why: stale screens confuse. Check: change an item, open every screen showing it.
19. [FLOW] Back button and gestures behave consistently. Why: unexpected exits annoy. Check: go back from every screen.
20. [FLOW] Settings save and apply. Why: settings that don't stick feel broken. Check: change, close, reopen.
21. [FLOW] Payment success, cancel, failure and restore work. Why: money bugs are the costliest. Check: see the payment checklist.
22. [FLOW] Uploads, camera and files handle large and denied cases. Why: media is where memory runs out. Check: big file, cancel mid-upload.
23. [FLOW] Deep links and shared links open the right screen. Why: broken links waste campaigns. Check: tap links with the app closed and open.
24. [FLOW] Notifications arrive and open the right place. Why: they are a re-entry point. Check: send one, tap it, with the app closed.
25. [FLOW] Account deletion works and says what happens. Why: users expect it. Check: delete a test account and try to log in.

States and errors

26. [ERROR] Empty states explain what to do next. Why: blank screens look broken. Check: new account, every list.
27. [ERROR] Loading states appear and end. Why: endless spinners drive uninstalls. Check: slow the network.
28. [ERROR] Server errors show a helpful message and a retry. Why: raw errors scare people. Check: block the server or return an error.
29. [ERROR] Offline mode fails gracefully. Why: phones lose signal. Check: switch networks and go offline mid-action.
30. [ERROR] Double taps don't create duplicates. Why: impatient users tap twice. Check: tap submit and buy buttons rapidly.
31. [ERROR] Error messages say what to fix. Why: "Something went wrong" helps nobody. Check: read each message aloud.
32. [ERROR] Long text, emoji and non-Latin input don't break layouts. Why: real names vary. Check: paste long and unusual strings.

Devices and environment

33. [DEVICE] Smallest and largest supported screens look right. Why: clipped buttons block flows. Check: run both.
34. [DEVICE] Oldest supported OS version runs the app. Why: crashes there are silent for developers. Check: install on it.
35. [DEVICE] Portrait and landscape behave as intended. Why: rotation reloads state. Check: rotate mid-flow.
36. [DEVICE] Dark mode and large text stay readable. Why: accessibility and comfort. Check: switch both in system settings.
37. [DEVICE] Interruptions (call, alarm, app switch) recover. Why: they happen daily. Check: interrupt each core flow.
38. [DEVICE] Low battery and low storage don't crash the app. Why: real devices are never ideal. Check: low power mode; fill storage if you can.
39. [DEVICE] Date, time zone and number formats are right. Why: wrong dates break trust. Check: change region and time zone.
40. [DEVICE] Screen reader and touch targets work for basics. Why: some users depend on it. Check: turn on the screen reader, finish one flow.

Privacy and wording

41. [PRIVACY] The app asks only for permissions it uses. Why: extra requests reduce trust. Check: list permissions against features.
42. [PRIVACY] Consent choices are respected after restart. Why: a remembered "no" must stay no. Check: decline, restart, check.
43. [PRIVACY] Privacy policy and store data answers match the app. Why: mismatches cause rejections and complaints. Check: list SDKs and data, compare. Not legal advice; check the current store rules.
44. [PRIVACY] No secrets or test data in logs and screenshots. Why: leaks happen in debug builds. Check: review logs and store images.
45. [WORDING] Text has no typos or leftover placeholders. Why: "Lorem ipsum" in production shows. Check: read every screen.

Release

46. [RELEASE] The tested build is the one you submit. Why: rebuilds differ. Check: compare version and build numbers.
47. [RELEASE] Crash reporting is on and receives a test crash. Why: you can't fix what you can't see. Check: trigger one and find it.
48. [RELEASE] Known issues are written down and accepted. Why: surprises hurt more than known flaws. Check: list open bugs, decide each.
49. [RELEASE] There is a rollback or fix plan. Why: the first bad day needs a plan. Check: write who does what.
50. [RELEASE] Someone outside the project completed the main flow. Why: you can't see your own blind spots. Check: watch or ask for structured feedback.

Go deeper

• Hub: Mobile app testing checklist hub
• Sign-up flow testing checklist
• Login and password reset testing checklist

Check 50 is where AppReviewX helps: private, structured feedback from other developers, one feedback you write earns one credit. See how AppReviewX works.