Upload Android app

How do I upload my Android app on my Google developer account?

Once your developer account is set up, you can upload your Android app using this guide:

Step 1: App- testing requirements on Google Play Console

In November 2023, Google changed the requirements for publishing new apps on Google Play, to help developers test their apps, identify issues, get feedback, and ensure that everything is ready before they launch. These changes will require developers with personal accounts created after November 13, 2023, to meet specific testing requirements before they can make their app available on Google Play.

Testing requirements for newly created personal accounts

By running tests against your app consistently, you can verify your app's correctness, functional behavior, and usability before you release it publicly. This minimizes the impact of any technical or user experience issues and helps you to release the best version of your app.

Developers with personal accounts created after November 13, 2023, will need to test their apps before those apps are eligible to be published for distribution on Google Play. Certain features in Play Console, such as Production (Release > Production) and Pre-registration (Release > Testing > Pre-registration), will be disabled until developers meet these requirements.

Closed testing

With closed testing, you can share your app with a wide group of users that you control. This allows you to fix issues and ensure that your app complies with Google Play policy before you launch. You must run a closed test before you can apply to publish your app to production. At least 20 testers must be opted-in to your closed test when you apply for production access. They must have been opted-in for the last 14 days continuously. You can start a closed test once you're finished setting up your app.

Production

Where you make your app available to billions of users on Google Play. Before you can apply to publish your app to production, you need to run a closed test that meets our criteria. When you apply, you must also answer some questions about your closed test. When you apply for production access, at least 20 testers must be opted-in to your closed test. They must have been opted-in for the last 14 days continuously.

Running closed test

Create a closed testing release to test pre-release versions of your app with a wider set of testers to gather more targeted feedback. Once you've tested with a smaller group of colleagues or trusted users, you can expand your test to an open release. On your Closed testing page, a Closed testing track will be available as your initial closed test. If needed, you can also create and name additional closed tracks.

If you're testing an existing app that you've published before, only users in your test group will receive an update for your closed version.

Apply for access to production

Once you've met the closed testing requirements, you can apply for production access. To begin:

• Go to the Dashboard.

• Click Apply for production.

You must then answer the following questions about your closed test, your app, and its production readiness. These questions are divided into three sections:

• About your closed test

• About your app/game

• Production readiness

You can find guidance for providing information for each section by expanding the sections below:

Step 2 - Prepare and roll out a production release

With a release, you can manage your app's Android App Bundle and then roll out your app to a specific track.

Create a release

A release is a combination of one or more app versions that you'll prepare to launch an app or roll out an app update. You can create a release on three different testing tracks or to production:

• Open testing: Open testing releases are available to testers on Google Play. Users can join tests from your store listing.

• Closed testing: Closed testing releases are available to a limited number of testers that you choose, who can test a pre-release version of your app and submit feedback.

• Internal testing: Internal testing releases are available to up to 100 testers that you choose.

• Production: Production releases are available to all Google Play users in your chosen countries.

At the top right of the page, click on Create New Release. If the Create New Release option is disabled, you may have outstanding setup tasks to complete. These may be listed on the Dashboard page.

Prepare your app's release

• Add your app bundles.

• Name your release.

• Enter release notes.

For more information on any of these fields, select the matching section heading under “Prepare” below.

• To save any changes you make to your release, select Save as draft.

• When you've finished preparing your release, select Next.

Apps created before August 2021 can add app bundles or APKs for app updates. You will not be able to use any previously uploaded app versions. You will need to re-upload app versions.

Review and roll out your release

Once you're ready to roll out your app:

• Open Play Console and navigate to the Releases Overview page.

• Next to the release you want to roll out, select the right arrow to open the Release details page. Use the search bar if you can’t find your release.

• In the “Release Overview” section, select View release Dashboard.

• Select the Releases tab, and then select the Edit option.

• Review your draft release, make any necessary additional changes, and select Next. You'll be taken to the "Preview and confirm" screen, where you can ensure there aren't any issues with your release before rolling it out to users.

• If you see the heading “Errors summary” at the top of the page, click Show more to review the details and resolve any problems.

• Select Start rollout. If you're rolling out your app's first release on production, clicking Start rollout to production will also publish your app to all Google Play users in the countries you selected.

When available, you can also view the recommended or required resolution. You can’t publish your app until errors have been resolved. If you only have warnings, minor issues, or a combination of the two, then you can still publish your app, but we recommend addressing them before publishing.

Step 3: Review release details

Once you've created a release, you'll see the following information for the latest app release you rolled out to each track in a table under “Latest releases” on your Releases overview page.

• Release: Name to identify release in Play Console only, such as an internal code name or build version.

• Track: The track that the release has been rolled out to.

• Release status: The current status of your release.

• Last updated: A date and timestamp indicating the last rollout event for your release.

• Countries/regions: The number of countries/regions the last rollout of your release is available. After you roll your app release to Production, Open testing, or a Closed testing track, you can target your release in each track to users in specific countries.

Your app will now be reviewed and you’ll be notified via email by Google Play as soon as it goes live. Google takes a minimum of seven business days to either approve or reject your app.