Android - Publish your app in Google Play

The process below is the Solo process, meaning you're the one in charge of submitting your app to Google Play store.
If you'd rather our team to take care of it, you can subscribe to the GoodBarber Takes Care Service .

Solo Mode:

You have generated the native Android application  and tested the AdHoc version on your Android device.

Go to the menu Publish > Android App > Publish   

After clicking on Submit my app, you will land on the page "Submission to Google Play". 

1. Click "Retrieve my .aab file" to download the binary file of your Android app.
2. Save the file where you can easily find it later. 

1. Login to your Google Play console
2. Select your app

Your app's store listing is displayed on Google Play and includes details that help users learn more about your app. 
Note: Only the mandatory information will be mentioned in this online help, the rest is optional.

A. Go to Menu Store Presence > Main Store listing

1. Fill in the App details (App name, Short description and Full description)
More details on Google's documentation .

2. Upload your Graphics:
- App icon: your app icon shown on Google Play. This doesn’t replace your app’s launcher icon.
512 px by 512 px
- Feature graphic: Shown at the top of your store listing. May also be used to promote your app in other places on Google Play.
1,024 px by 500 px
- Phone screenshots: Upload between 2 and 8 phone screenshots
Between 320 px and 3,840 px
- 7-inch tablet screenshots: Upload up to 8 7-inch tablet screenshots
Between 320 px and 3,840 px
-10-inch tablet screenshots: Upload up to 8 10-inch tablet screenshots
Between 320 px and 3,840 px
More details on Google's documentation .

3. Click "Save"

B. Go to Menu Store Presence > Store settings

Manage how your app is organized on Google Play, and how users can contact you.

1. App Category:
App or Game: Select "App"
Category: select the category of your app, its main topic (News, Lifestyle, Entertainment,...).

2. Store listing contact details
This information is shown to users on Google Play (Email address is mandatory, phone number and website are optional).

3. Click "Save"

Let Google know about the content of your app. This is to make sure your app complies with Google Play policies.
You must complete the full To do list.

A. Go to the menu Policy > App Content

1. Privacy policy
- Click "Start"
- Fill in your privacy policy URL.
For your app to be compliant with the most recent Google Play guidelines, you must provide a link to the privacy policy of your app.
If you don't already have a privacy policy URL, we provide a default document that you can customize in this online help Android - Google Play Privacy Policy . 
- Click "Save"
- Click at the top of of your page next to the arrow "App content"

2. Ads
- Click "Start"
- Select "Yes, my app contains ads" or "No, my app does not contain ads"
- Click "Save"
- Click at the top of of your page next to the arrow "App content"

3. App Access
- Click "Start"
- Select "All functionality is available without special access" if you didn't make any of your app content private
or
- Select "All or some functionality is restricted" if some of your content require to login into your app .
- Click "Add new instructions" to fill in your test user information
- Select "No other information is required to access my app"
- Click "Add"
- Click "Save"
- Click at the top of of your page next to the arrow "App content"

4. Content Ratings
- Click "Start"
- Click "Start Questionnaire"
- Fill in a valid email address in the corresponding field
- Select the category of your app
- Click "Next"
- Complete the questionnaire and click "Save"
- Click "Next"
- Click "Submit"
- Click at the top of of your page next to the arrow "App content"

5. Target audience and content
- Click "Start"
- Choose any of the age boxes above 13-15 that best fit your app content (see example below).
- Click "Next"

- The following question asks if you think your store listing could unintentionally appeal to children. Learn more .
Answer 'Yes' if you think certain elements of your store listing may appeal to children.
or
Answer 'No' if you're unsure, prefer not to answer, or think your store listing doesn't unintentionally appeal to children.
- Click "Next"
- Click "Save"

6. News apps
- Click "Start"
- Check if your app follows Google's requirements to declare itself as a 'News' app on Google Play: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9949730
- Select No or Yes whether your app is a news app.
An app that declares itself as a 'News' app on Google Play must be able to show clear ownership of the app and provide ownership information about in-app news content.
- Provide information to help Google verify your credentials as a news publisher. Explain how you source the news content that is shown in your app.
- Click "Save"
- Click at the top of your page next to the arrow "App content"

7. COVID-19 contact tracing and status apps
- Click "Start"
- You must let Google know whether your app is a COVID-19 contact tracing or status app, select all of the statements that apply to your app.
- Click "Save"
- Click at the top of your page next to the arrow "App content"

8. Data safety
Please follow the instructions of this online help  to answer questions about how the data is used and handled in your app.
Then come back to this online help to continue your Android app submission.

9. Advertising ID
If you're using the External Advertising Network extension, you must declare to Google that your app uses an Advertising ID.

- Select "Yes" to the question "Does your app use an advertising ID?"
- Next, you must declare for which purposes your app needs to use an Advertising ID. Select the options "App functionality" and "Advertising or marketing".
- Click "Save" and continue the publication process.

If you are not using the External Advertising Network extension, just select "No" to the question "Does your app use an advertising ID?".

10. Government apps
- Click "Start"
- Tell Google if your app is for use by a government of any kind. This includes national, state and city governments, and local authorities. 
- Click "Save"

11. Financial features
- Click "Start"
- Select "My app doesn't provide any financial features"
- Click "Next"
- Click "Save"

12. Foreground service permissions
This will only be asked if you use an audio section in your app and if you enabled the Audio playback in your app compilation settings
- Click "Start"
- Select "Media playback"
- Create a video screen of your app showing the following actions:
Launch your app
Play a sound from your sound section
Pass the app in background without closing it completely
Pause / Play the sound while the app is in background via the player shown on your device
- Add the video to your file manager
- Add the link of your video to Google Play
- Click "Save"

1. Go the menu Release > Production 

2. Click "Edit release"
3. Click "Upload" to upload your .aab file downloaded previously  from your GoodBarber back office.
4. Click "Save" at the bottom of the page

This is the country or region where the user's Google account is registered, not their location.
1. Go to the menu Release > production
2. Select the tab "Country / regions"
3. Click "Add countries / regions"
4. Select all of them or just the countries / regions where you want your app to be available.
5. Click "Add countries / regions" and confirm in the pop up by clicking "Add"

Publish your app to real users on Google Play by releasing it to your production track.

1. Go to the menu Release > Production
2. Select the tab "Releases"
3. Click "Edit"

4. Click "Review release" at the bottom of the page
5. Click "Start rollout to Production"
6. Confirm in the popup by clicking "Rollout"

Your app will be reviewed by Google, due to adjusted work schedules at this time, you may experience longer than usual review times for your app.
It can take to Google up to more than 7 days to review new apps.

Check your emails as Google might contact you regarding the publication of your Android app on their store.