We won't get the data from the link without the pasteboard or fingerprinting. The app is a blank slate on first open after installing: we lose the context from which we came.

It's important to note that this is not an issue for apps that are already installed: we get those links and their data; this is just a first-ever launch issue.

It’s been a while since I’ve worked with universal linking, but doesn’t Apple’s APIs allow you to carry context? Or at least preserve the URL so you can take the user to where they were? I don’t think you need to hijack the pasteboard just to continue the users flow.

You definitely do for the first launch post install.

The flow is click link, copy data or finger print, redirect to the App Store, install, user opens app for the first time, route to experience from finger print.