How to Upload Your Android App to Google Play Store
If you have developed an Android app and want to share it with the world, you need to upload it to Google Play Store, the official app store for Android devices. Google Play Store has over 2.5 billion active users and millions of apps in various categories. By publishing your app on Google Play Store, you can reach a large and diverse audience, test and improve your app quality, increase your revenue, and more.
But how do you upload your Android app to Google Play Store? What are the steps and requirements involved? In this article, we will guide you through the process of uploading your app using Google Play Console, the web interface that lets you manage your apps on Google Play Store. We will also show you how to test your app internally before publishing it, and how to update your app when needed.
apk upload
Before we begin, let's clarify what an apk file is and why you need to upload it.
Introduction
What is an apk file and why you need to upload it
An apk file is a compressed file that contains all the code, resources, and metadata of your Android app. It is the file format that Android devices use to install and run apps. When you build your app using Android Studio or another tool, you get an apk file that you can install on your device or emulator for testing.
However, if you want to distribute your app to other users, you need to upload it to Google Play Store or another app store. This way, users can easily find, download, and install your app on their devices. You also get access to various features and services that Google Play Store provides, such as analytics, monetization, updates, reviews, ratings, and more.
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What are the benefits of publishing your app on Google Play Store
Publishing your app on Google Play Store has many benefits for both you and your users. Here are some of them:
You can reach a large and diverse audience of over 2.5 billion active Android users across the world.
You can showcase your app with a customized store listing that includes screenshots, videos, descriptions, ratings, reviews, and more.
You can improve your app quality and performance by using tools such as pre-launch reports, Android vitals, Firebase Test Lab, and more.
You can monetize your app with various methods such as in-app purchases, subscriptions, ads, paid apps, and more.
You can engage and retain your users with features such as push notifications, in-app updates, instant apps, dynamic features, and more.
You can protect your app from unauthorized distribution and modification by using Play App Signing, which securely manages your signing keys for you.
You can update your app easily and efficiently by using Android App Bundle, which reduces the size of your app and generates optimized APKs for different device configurations.
Prerequisites
What you need to prepare before uploading your app
Before you can upload your app to Google Play Store, you need to prepare some things in advance. Here are the main ones:
A developer account on Google Play Console. You need this account to access the web interface where you can upload and manage your apps on Google Play Store. To create a developer account, you need to pay a one-time registration fee of $25 USD. You also need a Google account that is not associated with a Google Play developer account. You can create a new Google account or use an existing one. To sign up for a developer account, follow the instructions here.
A signed app bundle of your app. An app bundle is a new file format that replaces the apk file for uploading your app to Google Play Store. It contains all the code and resources of your app, but it allows Google Play to generate and serve optimized APKs for different device configurations, such as screen size, language, and CPU architecture. This reduces the size of your app and saves bandwidth and storage for your users. To upload an app bundle, you need to sign it with a signing key that identifies you as the developer of the app. You also need to enroll in Play App Signing, which securely manages your signing key for you and protects your app from unauthorized distribution and modification. To learn how to generate a signed app bundle and enroll in Play App Signing, follow the instructions here.
A store listing for your app. A store listing is the page that displays your app's information and features to potential users on Google Play Store. It includes elements such as title, icon, screenshots, video, description, category, rating, reviews, and more. You need to create a compelling and accurate store listing that showcases your app's value proposition and encourages users to download and install your app. To learn how to create a store listing for your app, follow the instructions here.
Steps to Upload Your App
How to create a developer account and a new app on Google Play Console
Once you have prepared the prerequisites, you are ready to upload your app to Google Play Store. The first step is to create a developer account and a new app on Google Play Console. Here are the steps:
Go to and sign in with your Google account that is associated with your developer account.
On the left menu, click All applications.
Click Create application.
Select a default language and type a title for your app. This title will appear on your store listing and can be up to 50 characters long. Click Create.
You will see a dashboard with various sections that you need to complete before publishing your app. You can navigate through these sections using the left menu or the progress bar at the top.
How to upload your app bundle and inspect it using bundle explorer
The next step is to upload your app bundle and inspect it using bundle explorer. Bundle explorer is a tool that lets you view the contents and details of your app bundle, such as the APKs generated by Google Play, the supported device configurations, the permissions required by your app, and more. Here are the steps:
On the left menu, click App bundle explorer.
Click Upload new.
Select the signed app bundle file that you generated earlier and click Open.
Wait for the upload to finish and click View details.
You will see a summary of your app bundle, such as the size, version code, version name, package name, and SHA-1 certificate fingerprint. You can also see the APKs generated by Google Play for different device configurations, such as screen density, CPU architecture, language, and SDK version. You can download these APKs for testing or inspection.
You can also see other information about your app bundle, such as the features and permissions required by your app, the assets and native libraries included in your app, the dynamic feature modules that you can deliver on demand or conditionally, and more.
You can use bundle explorer to verify that your app bundle is correct and complete before publishing it. If you need to make any changes or fixes, you can generate a new app bundle with a higher version code and upload it again.
How to test your app internally using Firebase App Distribution or internal app sharing
Before you publish your app to all users on Google Play Store, you may want to test it internally with a limited group of testers. This way, you can get feedback and identify any issues or bugs that need to be fixed before releasing your app publicly. There are two ways to test your app internally using Google Play Console: Firebase App Distribution and internal app sharing. Here are the differences and steps for each method:
Firebase App Distribution
Firebase App Distribution is a service that lets you distribute pre-release versions of your app to testers via email invitations. You can use Firebase App Distribution to test both APKs and app bundles. You can also integrate Firebase App Distribution with your continuous integration (CI) system to automate the distribution process. To use Firebase App Distribution, you need to have a Firebase project that is linked to your Google Play Console project. Here are the steps:
Go to and sign in with your Google account that is associated with your developer account.
If you don't have a Firebase project yet, click Add project and follow the instructions to create one. Make sure to link your Firebase project to your Google Play Console project.
If you already have a Firebase project, select it from the dropdown menu.
On the left menu, click App Distribution.
Click Get started and follow the instructions to add your app to Firebase App Distribution. You need to provide your app's package name and SHA-1 certificate fingerprint.
Once your app is added, you can upload your APK or app bundle file by clicking Upload a new build. You can also use the Firebase CLI or Gradle plugin to upload your build from your terminal or Android Studio.
After uploading your build, you can add testers by entering their email addresses or selecting them from a list. You can also create tester groups for easier management.
Click Review and distribute and confirm the distribution details. Your testers will receive an email invitation with a link to download and install your app.
You can monitor the distribution status and feedback from your testers on the Firebase App Distribution dashboard. You can also update your build or testers at any time.
Internal app sharing
Internal app sharing is a feature that lets you share test versions of your app with anyone by generating a download link. You can use internal app sharing to test both APKs and app bundles. You don't need to sign up for any service or create a tester list. However, you need to enable internal app sharing on Google Play Console and on each tester's device. Here are the steps:
Go to and sign in with your Google account that is associated with your developer account.
On the left menu, click Settings.
Click Internal app sharing.
Turn on the switch for Internal app sharing.
Under App testers, add the email addresses of the people who will test your app. You can also use a Google Group or a mailing list.
Under App uploads, upload your APK or app bundle file by dragging and dropping it or clicking Browse files.
Wait for the upload to finish and copy the download link that appears.
Share the download link with your testers via email, chat, or any other method.
Ask your testers to enable internal app sharing on their devices by following these steps:
Open the Google Play Store app on their device.
Tap the profile icon on the top right corner.
Tap Settings.
Tap About.
Tap the Play Store version seven times until a message says "You are now a developer".
Go back to Settings and tap Developer options.
Turn on the switch for Internal app sharing.
Your testers can now open the download link on their devices and install your app. They will see a warning message that says "This is an internal test version of this app".
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to upload your Android app to Google Play Store using Google Play Console. We have also explained what an apk file is and why you need to upload it, what are the benefits of publishing your app on Google Play Store, what are the prerequisites for uploading your app, how to create a developer account and a new app on Google Play Console, how to upload your app bundle and inspect it using bundle explorer, how to test your app internally using Firebase App Distribution or internal app sharing, and how to update your app bundle and increase the version code.
We hope that this article has helped you understand the process of uploading your Android app to Google Play Store and motivated you to share your app with the world. Publishing your app on Google Play Store is a great way to reach a large and diverse audience, improve your app quality and performance, monetize your app, engage and retain your users, protect your app, and update your app easily and efficiently. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us via email or chat. We would love to hear from you and help you with your app development journey.
FAQs
What is the difference between an APK and an app bundle?
An APK is a compressed file that contains all the code, resources, and metadata of your Android app. It is the file format that Android devices use to install and run apps. An app bundle is a new file format that replaces the APK for uploading your app to Google Play Store. It contains all the code and resources of your app, but it allows Google Play to generate and serve optimized APKs for different device configurations, such as screen size, language, and CPU architecture. This reduces the size of your app and saves bandwidth and storage for your users.
How much does it cost to upload an app to Google Play Store?
To upload an app to Google Play Store, you need to pay a one-time registration fee of $25 USD. This fee is charged when you create a developer account on Google Play Console. You don't need to pay any additional fees for uploading or updating your apps. However, you may need to pay other fees depending on how you monetize your app, such as transaction fees for in-app purchases or subscriptions, or revenue share for ads.
How long does it take to upload an app to Google Play Store?
The time it takes to upload an app to Google Play Store depends on several factors, such as the size of your app bundle, the speed of your internet connection, and the processing time by Google Play. Generally, it takes a few minutes to upload your app bundle and a few hours to process it. However, it may take longer if there are any issues or errors with your app bundle or store listing. You can check the status of your app upload on the App bundle explorer section of Google Play Console.
How can I update my app on Google Play Store?
To update your app on Google Play Store, you need to generate a new app bundle with a higher version code and upload it on Google Play Console. You can also update your store listing information, such as screenshots, description, rating, and more. Once you upload your new app bundle and update your store listing, you can publish your app update to all users or to a specific group of users using staged rollouts or testing tracks. You can also use in-app updates to prompt your users to update your app without leaving it.
How can I delete my app from Google Play Store?
To delete your app from Google Play Store, you need to unpublish it first. To unpublish your app, go to the Production section of Google Play Console and click Manage. Then click Unpublish and confirm your action. This will remove your app from the store listing and prevent new users from installing it. However, existing users who have already installed your app will still be able to use it and receive updates. To delete your app completely, you need to contact Google Play support and request them to delete your app data permanently. This will remove all the information and files associated with your app from Google Play servers. 44f88ac181
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