How to use Play Console

Register for a Google Play Developer account

To publish Android apps on Google Play, you'll need to create a Google Play Developer account.

Step 1: Sign up for a Google Play Developer account

You must be at least 18 years of age to sign up for a Google Play Developer account. 

  1. Using your Google Account, sign up for a developer account.
  2. Once you have a developer account, you can use the Play Console to publish and manage your apps.
Step 2: Accept the Developer Distribution Agreement

During the sign-up process, you'll need to review and accept the Google Play Developer Distribution Agreement.

Step 3: Pay registration fee

There is a $25 one-off registration fee that you can pay with the following credit or debit cards:

  • Mastercard
  • Visa
  • American Express
  • Discover (US only)
  • Visa Electron (Outside of the US only)

Note: Prepaid cards are not accepted. The types of cards accepted may vary by location.

Step 4: Complete your account details

Type your account details. Your 'Developer name' is displayed to customers on Google Play.

You can add more account information after you've created your account.

Note: To process your request for a Play developer account you may be asked for a valid government ID and a credit card, both under your legal name. If this information is determined to be invalid, your registration fee will not be refunded.

Develop Android apps

Find out how to design, develop and distribute your Android apps on Google Play.

Use the Play Console

Once you've selected an app, here are the navigation items, categories and the pages that you'll find in each:

  • Dashboard: Your app’s dashboard will guide you through all the most important steps to get your app available on Google Play, and show key metrics after you’ve launched.
  • Inbox: All your messages from Google Play Console are shown here.
  • Statistics: View customisable, detailed reports about the performance of your app.
  • Publishing overview: See an overview of the changes made to your app, and control when updates are published.

Release

  • Releases overview: See an overview of all of your releases across different tracks.
  • Production: Create and manage production releases to make your app available to all users in your chosen countries.
  • Testing: Open testing, closed testing, internal testing, pre-registration
  • Pre-launch report: Overview, details, settings
  • Device catalogue: View and manage the devices that are compatible with your app.
  • App bundle explorer: Inspect each app version, download artifacts and see what Google Play generates for dynamic delivery.
  • Setup: App signing, internal app sharing, advanced settings

Grow

  • Store presence: Main store listing, custom store listings, store listing experiments, LiveOps, store settings, translation service
  • Store performance: Store analysis, conversion analysis

Quality

  • Ratings and reviews: Ratings, reviews analysis, reviews, testing feedback
  • Android vitals: Overview, performance (insights, experiments), crashes and ANRs, app size

Monetise

  • Products: App pricing, in-app products, subscriptions
  • Promo codes: Give users a paid app, in-app product or subscription for free.
  • Financial reports: Overview, subscriptions (overview, retention, cancellations), revenue, buyers, conversions
  • Monetisation setup: Set up real-time event notifications and app licensing

Policy

  • Policy status: Check your app’s policy status and resolve policy issues.
  • App content: Let us know about the content of your app to make sure that it complies with Google Play policies.
  • Expert Approved: Help parents discover high-quality apps for children on Google Play

For more information on some of the most popular features, click the links below.

What's new

Here are some popular resources with the latest news and tips on developing Android apps and games for Google Play.

  • Check your inbox. Anything that you need to know about Google Play and your app is shown here. Messages are tailored to you and sorted by priority, so you never miss what's important.
  • Read the latest news and posts about Android and Google Play on the Android Developers Blog.
  • Find tips, trends and industry insights on the Google Play Apps & Games medium blog.

Troubleshooting

Need help publishing apps on Google Play? Here are a few places where you can go for additional support.

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