What is deferred deep linking?
Deferred deep linking is a technology that lets a user click a link, install your app, and then be taken to the specific content they originally intended—even if they didn't have the app when they first clicked. The deep link action is "deferred" until after installation is complete.
Only works if the app is already installed.
User clicks link → App opens (if installed). Fails if app not installed.
Works whether the app is installed or not, with attribution.
User clicks link → Install app → Navigate to content. Always works with attribution.
Deferred vs regular deep linking
Regular deep linking opens your app and routes the user to a screen when they already have the app installed. Deferred deep linking adds two things: (1) redirecting users without the app to the store, and (2) after install, matching the user back and routing them to the intended content. That second part requires storing the link intent and matching the device after install—which is what services like Redirectly provide.
- Regular: link works only when app is installed.
- Deferred: link works always; if not installed, user goes to store, then after install they land on the right content.
- Deferred also gives you install attribution: you know which link or campaign drove the install.
How deferred deep linking works (step by step)
The flow is the same across providers: capture the click, store the intent, redirect to the store, then match and route after install.
User clicks link
User taps a link from email, social, ad, or QR code. The link points to your subdomain (e.g. yourapp.redirectly.app).
Attribution tracking
The service creates a device fingerprint and stores the intended destination (e.g. product ID, campaign ID) linked to that fingerprint.
App Store redirect
If the app isn't installed, the user is redirected to the App Store or Play Store. The link intent is stored server-side.
User installs and opens app
User installs the app and opens it for the first time.
Attribution match
The app SDK checks with the service. The service matches the device to the stored click and returns the original link data.
Deferred navigation
Your app routes the user to the specific content they originally intended—product page, campaign landing, etc.
Use cases and benefits
Deferred deep linking powers better conversion, attribution, and retention across marketing and product flows.
Campaign attribution
Know which ads, emails, or referrals drove each install. Optimize spend and creative based on real data.
Seamless onboarding
Send users from a link to a specific screen after install—product page, promo, or signup flow—so first-run experience matches intent.
Referral and sharing
Referral links and social shares that survive install so you can credit the referrer and route the new user correctly.
How Redirectly does it
Redirectly provides deferred deep linking for Flutter and React Native with pure Dart and TypeScript SDKs—no native code required for basic setup. You get a subdomain (e.g. yourapp.redirectly.app), configure Universal Links and App Links once, and create links via API or dashboard. After a user clicks, we handle fingerprinting, store redirect, and match on first open so your app receives the original link data and can route the user.
For a full explainer with examples, read What is Deferred Deep Linking? on our blog. See also our deep linking guide and Firebase Dynamic Links alternative.