Release app updates with staged roll-outs

You can release an app update to production and test tracks using a staged roll-out. With a staged roll-out, your update reaches only a percentage of your users, which you can increase over time.

Staged roll-outs can only be used for app updates, not when publishing an app for the first time.

User eligibility and targeting

• New and existing users are eligible to receive updates from staged roll-outs and are chosen at random for each new release roll-out.
• When you halt and then resume the roll-out of your release, you'll be affecting the same set of users.
• When you do a staged roll-out of a new release before completing the roll-out of the previous release, the new release will use the same group of users as the previous release (depending on the percentage of the roll-out).
• Your app update will be available to the percentage of users in your staged roll-out, but it may take time for the full group to receive the update.
• Users won't be notified if they receive a version of your app in a staged roll-out.
• If you choose specific countries for your staged roll-out, the upgrade will be limited to users with Google Play accounts in those locations.

Set up and maintain a staged roll-out

Select staged roll-out percentage

When you roll out a release, you select the percentage of users who will receive your roll-out. For more information, go to prepare and roll out a release.

Bear in mind that your app's staged roll-out percentage won't increase automatically. To include a larger percentage of users in a staged roll-out, follow the instructions below.

Release a staged roll-out to specific countries

When you're releasing an app using a staged roll-out, you can start with a limited set of countries.

• By default, your staged roll-out country availability matches the locations that you've set up for your app's production track.
• Once a staged roll-out has started, you can't remove any countries.

To set up country targeting:

1. Open Play Console and go to the Production page if you want to update a production release. If your app is in testing, go to the Open testing or Closed testing page.
   • If you can’t see or access the Production page, make sure that you have permission to manage production releases.
2. Select the Releases tab.
3. For the release that you want to update, click Edit.
4. If you don’t want to make any other changes to your release, you don’t need to make any changes in the 'Prepare' section on the Create production release page. You can click Review release at the bottom of your screen to move on to the 'Review and release' section.
5. Scroll to the 'Staged roll-out' section.
6. Enter a roll-out percentage.
7. Under 'Country availability', select Select specific countries/regions, tick the box next to any country/region that you want your app to be available in as part of your staged roll-out. 'Country availability' options are available only when updating a production release.
8. Click Start roll-out to production.

Increase your staged roll-out percentage

1. Open Play Console and go to the Production page if you want to update a production release. If your app is in testing, go to the Open testing or Closed testing page.
   • If you can’t see or access the Production page, make sure that you have permission to manage production releases.
2. Select the Releases tab.
3. Under the release that you want to update, select Manage roll-out > Update roll-out.
4. Update the roll-out percentage.
5. Click Confirm update.

Halt a staged roll-out

If you discover an issue, you can halt a staged roll-out to help minimise the number of users who experience the issue with your app.

When you halt a staged roll-out, no additional users will receive the app version in your existing staged roll-out. Users who already received the app version in your staged roll-out version will remain on that version.

Halt using the Play Console website

1. Open Play Console and go to the Production page if you want to update a production release. If your app is in testing, go to the Open testing or Closed testing page.
   • If you can’t see or access the Production page, make sure that you have permission to manage production releases.
2. Select the Releases tab.
3. Under the release that you want to halt, select Manage roll-out > Halt roll-out.

Resume a staged roll-out

If you find that your existing Android App Bundle doesn't have any issues, you can resume a halted staged roll-out.

Using the Play Console website

1. Open Play Console and go to the Production page if you want to update a production release. If your app is in testing, go to the Open testing or Closed testing page.
   • If you can’t see or access the Production page, make sure that you have permission to manage production releases.
2. Select the Releases tab.
3. Under the release that you want to halt, select Manage roll-out > Resume roll-out.
4. Update the roll-out percentage.
5. Click Confirm update.

Using the Play Console app

1. Open the Play Console app .
2. Select an app.
3. On the 'Active releases' card, tap the track for the release that you want to resume.
4. Tap Staged roll-out > Resume roll-out > Resume.

Tip: If you find an issue with your existing app bundle, create and roll out a new release with a fixed app bundle.

Tips for live staged roll-outs

• If your app update requires changes to the store listing, we recommend updating your store listing after your release rolls out to 100% of users.
• During a staged roll-out, it's a good idea to closely monitor crash reports and user feedback. Users receiving the staged roll-out can leave public reviews on Google Play. Learn how to view your ratings and reviews with Play Console.

Related content

• Learn more about releasing updates progressively with staged roll-outs in Play Academy.