The Mobile App Testing Checklist

Testing is a critical part of the mobile app development process as the finished product must meet a long list of user expectations. The application must be quick, easy to use, responsive and compatible with a number of different devices. Rigorous testing is needed before deploying an app to ensure any problems or bugs are fixed. It can prove to be the difference between constantly using the app and deleting it immediately.

Test the app on physical devices

A great place to begin testing is by identifying the major operating system platforms that your app supports and testing it on the relevant devices.

Physically testing it on a number of compatible devices will ensure any bugs or missing features will be identified quickly.

UI on various screen sizes and resolutions

It’s important to test the application’s user interface on different screen sizes. The app must perform consistently on every device and every screen size and this can prove to be a big challenge.

Mapping out all the various devices and models that will support the app can be very useful when it comes to testing the UI.

Lose Connection

Developing a robust app that can deal with lost connections is vital. Losing connection to the internet is a common occurrence but the app’s user experience shouldn’t suffer because of it. The app will always encounter one or two problems but these should be kept to a minimum.

In terms of completing forms, if the app loses connection it should do one of two things. It should be robust enough to complete the transaction or at the very least notify the user that the transaction cannot be completed due to the lost connection. This includes switching from a WiFi connection to mobile data.

Battery Consumption

Users can easily check which apps are eating away at their battery life, so testing for battery consumption is very important. Users won’t continue to use an app that constantly drains their battery.

How it works with other smartphone features

It is essential that when the application is open, other features on the device continue running as normal. The app shouldn’t hinder other features, for example, accepting and receiving phone calls. If it does have a negative impact on other features, the likelihood is the app will be deleted.

Full data load

Judging how the app performs with a full data load is an important step. If the application is pulling limited amounts of data during testing, vital features may be missed when more data is needed. The primary goal of load testing is to define the maximum amount of work the app can handle without significant performance degradation.

Does it actually work?

Ensuring that the app actually works properly when you download it is the final process during testing. It needs to make a good first impression and be an app that users keep coming back to on a regular basis. If it doesn’t function properly, chances are the app will go straight in the bin!

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Andy Floyd

Head of Communications and Content|B60 Limited