Last updated on April 26th, 2023
Smartphones are one of the most important devices for people to have. No one can question how widespread and essential the Android App to Google Play Store account is in that range’s mobile apps and software.
Statistics from the Play Store show that there are about 3.48 million apps on Play Store, and about 3,739 apps are added daily. This makes the domain even stronger.
With numbers like these, it’s clear that the Play Store for Android is a great place to put your app.
Now, if you were looking for “how to put an app on Google Play Store,” you can stop looking. We’ve talked about how Google Play uploads work from beginning to end. Let’s start talking about Google play publish right away.
How do I add an Android app to Google Play?
Step 1: Sign up as a developer
You can do this right at the start of making an app. You can’t put your app on the Play Market unless you have a Google Developer Account.
You can sign up for a Google Developer Account with your existing Google accounts or make a new one. It doesn’t matter if it’s a personal or business account. In the future, it will be easy for you to move your app to another device.
Signing the Android App to the Google Play Store Developer distribution agreement, adding some personal information, and paying a one-time $25 registration fee are all parts of making an app. There’s nothing complicated about it. Just do what they tell you.
Google usually doesn’t take more than two days to say yes. Don’t stress out if you forget to add something. Your account can be changed later.
Step 2: Add a Merchant Account
You need an Android App for Google Play Store Merchant Account to sell paid apps or in-app purchases. There, you can manage app sales and get paid every month. You can also look at sales reports.
Once you finish making the Merchant profile, it is automatically linked to the developer account.
Step 3: Get the paperwork ready.
Paperwork is always a lot of work, but it’s demanding regarding legal documents. From what we’ve seen, it’s best to start working on the End User License Agreement (EULA) and Privacy Policy as soon as possible.
You can use the documents from similar apps as guides to make your own, or you can ask an attorney to start from scratch.
EULA is a contract between you as the owner of a product and the people who use it. In a few words, it has:
- What the app users can do and what they can’t do with it.
- Fees for a license
- information about intellectual property rights, etc.
Terms of Service or Terms and Conditions tell users what services you provide and how you want them to act in return. Even though Google doesn’t require Terms of Service, it’s best to make them public. You can create one document and put both the Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use.
Pay close attention to including the following in the Privacy Policy:
- A complete list of the app’s personal information collected, processed, and uses.
- Technical information about the device and the operating system (OS) is collected.
- The app’s features and whether they cost money or are free.
- Where the company is registered and where the person who owns the rights to the application is based.
- The chosen legal system and laws will be used to settle disputes and keep legal relationships in order.
- How to sign up for a service
- Citizenship (residence) of the vast majority of people who use the application
- Requirements about age and the presence of certain content
Step 4: Read Google’s rules for developers
We think you’ve already come up with an idea for your product. Now it’s time to ensure that all of the app’s features align with the Android App to Google Play Store Developer Policies. These documents explain how apps should be made, updated, and advertised to meet the high standards of the store.
If Google thinks your product breaks some of its rules, it could be rejected, blocked, or even taken off the Play Store. Also, the developer account could be closed if the same rules are broken repeatedly.
Read also: Why Google and Apple might take down your app and what to do about it.
So carefully read all the information you can find about:
- What does “restricted content” mean?
- List of stores and advertising
- Taking someone else’s name and intellectual property
- Rules for making money and putting up ads
- Regulation on privacy, security, and lying
- Spam and very few functions
Google is constantly changing its policies, so it’s essential to keep up with the changes even after your app is out.
Step 5: Technical Needs
You’ve gone through the development process, done countless tests, and fixed bugs, and now it’s “X-day.” Before you start the process of uploading, you need to check the following:
- Unique Bundle ID
The package name should work for as long as your application is used. You can’t change it once it’s been sent out. You can change the package’s name in the app’s manifest file.
- App Release with a Signing Certificate and a Signature
Every app should be digitally signed with a certificate from the developer. The certificate is used to find out who made an app, but it can’t be made again.
- Size of the App
Google put a limit on the file size that can be uploaded: 100MB for Android 2.3 and higher (API level 9-10, 14 and higher) and 50MB for older versions of Android.
If your app is more significant than this, you can always use APK Expansion Files instead.
- The Type of File
Google will accept app bundles and.apk as ways to release an app. But. aab is the one most people use. You need to sign up for app signing by Android App to Google Play Store to use this format. In the Developer Documents, Prepare for the release guide, you can find out more about the technical requirements for app files.
Step 6: Make the app on the Google Console
Now that you have the file, it’s ready to be sent. It’s time to start having fun. Let’s make a new app in your Developer Account:
- Reach to All applications tab in the menu
- Click on Create Application
- Use the drop-down menu to choose the app’s default language.
- Add a brief app description (you can change it later)
- Click Create
After that, you’ll be taken to the store entry page, where we’ll put all of the app’s information.
Step 7: List the store.
In this step, you must fill in information about your app to put it on the Play Store. You can either fill out the information all at once or save a draught and finish it later. I also think you should talk to your marketing and branding team about this step to make the perfect app profile for your business.
What you need to do is:
Add a title (up to 50 characters), a short description (up to 80 characters), and a full report (up to 4000 characters).
Add screenshots, images, icons, videos, and other visual content from the app.
Change your app so that it can be read in other languages. You can buy translations, or you can add your translation.
Sort your app into a type and category that makes sense.
Add your contact details so users can contact you. An email address is required, but you can also add your phone number and website.
You should add a link to your Privacy Policy if you want to see sensitive information. The privacy policy must clarify how user information will be used.
Users will think of the app as a person based on your information. It will help them decide if they want to download the app or not, so be careful!
Step 8: Rate the content
The app will likely be taken off the Google Play Store if it isn’t rated. Click on the app and Store Presence from the menu in the Play Console. The rating helps get the right people to download the app. But make sure you’re giving correct information and ratings.
A fake rating will not only lead users astray, but it could also get the app suspended or taken off the Google Play Store.
Step 9: Putting a price on the app
We’re getting close to the end of the process of putting an app on the Play Store. You can choose whether your app costs money or is accessible. You can change a paid app to a free one later on Google Play, but you can’t change a free app to a paid one. So, be careful about which pricing model you choose.
Once you’re done, pick the countries where you want your app to be sold. You can choose to distribute your app in or only in certain countries. You can also decide which Android apps and devices your app will work on.
Step 10: Send the APK to be looked at.
Finally, your app file is ready to be uploaded. That’s the most incredible thing that’s ever happened.
Go back and ensure you’ve done all the steps before hitting the “Publish Your App” button. You will be told about any warnings, information you missed, or other mistakes that could be a problem. Check, check, and check again before moving forward.
All of the countries you choose will be able to get the app.
Are You Looking for an Android App Development Company?
After putting your app on the Android App Google Play Store, you need to use active marketing to get people to download it.
So, for an app to be successful, developers must always try to stay ahead of the curve. Get in touch with us if you want to know more about how to make an app or market it. We are an app development company that helps businesses worldwide find the best app solutions.
