This guide will walk you through the process of uploading an Android App Bundle (AAB) to the Google Play Console and publishing it on the Google Play Store. The Android App Bundle is the preferred format for publishing apps, as it allows more efficient APK generation and delivery.
Google Play Developer Account:You must have a registered account with a one-time registration fee of $25.
App Bundle (.aab) File:Ensure you have built your app from the releases section in project settings and downloaded the App Bundle file created.
App Information:You'll need details such as the app name, description, category, app icon, screenshots, privacy policy and more.
Go to the Google Play Console: https://play.google.com/console/
Log in using your developer account credentials.
Create a New App:
On the Play Console dashboard, click on Create App.
Fill in the required information, such as:
App Name:This is the public name that users will see.
Default Language:The primary language your app supports.
App Type:Choose between "App" or "Game".
Free or Paid:Specify whether your app will be free or paid).
Accept the Developer Program Policies and click Create App.
Now, you will need to fill out various sections for your app. Follow these steps:
In the newly created app dashboard, you'll see different tasks grouped into the following sections:
Set Up Your App:This section guides you through providing all the required information to make your app eligible for publication.
Under the App Content section, you'll need to provide important information, such as:
Privacy Policy: Add a link to your privacy policy.
App Access: Specify if any parts of the app require login credentials.
Ads: Indicate whether your app contains ads.
Target Audience: Specify the age group for your target audience.
Data Safety: Fill out the questionnaire related to how your app handles data.
Content Rating: Complete the questionnaire to get a content rating for your app.
In this section, you'll provide the details that users will see on your app's Google Play Store page.
Title & Description:Add a concise, engaging titleand a detailed descriptionof your app.
Graphic Assets:
App Icon:(512x512 px, PNG format)
Feature Graphic:(1024x500 px, JPG or PNG)
Screenshots:(at least 2 for each device type: phone, tablet, etc.)
Promo Video:(optional, YouTube link)
Categorisation:Select the category (e.g., education, entertainment) and define the tagsto help categorise your app.
Once your app information is complete, you can proceed to upload your app bundle.
Go to the "Production"track by selecting Production> Create New Release.
Click on Create New Release. You'll be guided through the steps:
App Signing by Google Play:If this is your first time, Google Play will ask if you want to enable app signing. It is highly recommended to use Google Play's app signing service to manage your app's keys.
In the
App Bundles and APKs section, click on
Upload to upload your
.aab file (you can drag and drop the file or browse for it on your computer). Once uploaded, it will show the
version codeand
version name.
Add release notes in the What's New field (this will be visible to users if it's an update).
Once you've filled out the information, click Save.
Review: Review the release details and make sure everything is correct. You will also receive warnings if any mandatory fields are missing.
Rollout: When ready, click Review Release and then Start Rollout to Production. This will make the app available to all users on the Google Play Store.
Rollout Percentage: Optionally, you can do a staged rollout (for example, release to 10% of users first to test for bugs).
Rollout Confirmation: Confirm by clicking Rollout. Your app is now being processed for publishing, which usually takes a few hours to a few days.
Publishing Status:In the Release Dashboard, you can monitor the status of your release. "Pending Publication"means your app is being reviewed by Google. Once approved, the status will change to "Published".
Track Metrics:After publishing, use the Statisticsand Analytics sections to monitor app installs, crashes and user ratings.
Whenever you need to update your app (e.g., fix bugs or add new features), follow these steps:
Build a new signed AAB file with an updated version number (this is automatically done every time you create a new release).
Go to Production> Create New Release.
Upload the new
.aabfile and complete the release notes.
Review the new release and rollout the update.
Internal/Closed Testing:If you want to test the app with a small group of users before a full rollout, use the Internal Testing, Closed Testing or Open Testingtracks.
Error Checking:Always check the Pre-launch Report in the Testingsection to identify potential issues with your app.