I'm having a strange issue with my app in Google Play. I'm not able to update it from its page in the market. I always get the "Open" button instead of the "Update" one after uploading a new build from the console
Let's say I have a build with version code 230 installed on my device. Now, following google's official update guide, I generate a signed bundle with version code 238 (greater than the one in the market) and upload it through the console. After the new build is available I open my app's page in the Google Play app from my device. I expect to see the "Update" button under the rate section but I always get the "Open" one instead.
Am I missing something here? Is there anything I can do to overcome the issue? Or maybe my expectations are incorrect?
Related
I have an app that is released only as an "internal test" on the Google Play store
When I go to the Google Play store on my phone, the app does not show up at all, under "installed" or "updates" or any other tab
When I click the 'internal testing' link (the one that Google Play Console says to give to internal testers), it opens Google Play and shows my app's store page. The store page shows the correct latest version, but I'm unable to install it. My only options are "uninstall" and "open" (which opens the currently installed old version of the app)
I have "enable auto-update" enabled from the Google Play store page
I've waited two days
I've made sure the app is closed completely on the phone
As far as I can tell, there's no way to update the app without uninstalling it, which deletes all the app data. How can my testers update the app?
Updating seems to be broken for apps that Google has not reviewed yet, which they don't do for internal apps.
I released the app to closed beta, causing Google to review it, and stopped using "internal releases" altogether. I'm not sure which of the two was the fix, but now auto updates work.
I think I've found a workaround. It's now worked 3 times out of 3, so fingers crossed.
First, uninstall whatever version you have on your device.
Then visit the link provided from Google Play Console on a PC instead, and from there you click the 'If you don’t have the app installed, download it on Google Play.'-link.
Once there, press install, and choose your device.
This way, the latest version of the app is installed on your device, and not some random version; like seems to be the case, using the Play Store on the device.
Not ideal, but it works :)
Requirements for getting the Internal Update on Play store
Add your same email Account in internal testing which you used as in play store.
Join Beta Testing program which will be visible when you search the same app on play store.
Turn on internal-app-sharing on playstore - > PlayStore->Setting->About ->PlayStore-version(press 7 times), Turn On Internal App Sharing in General Settings of play store.
Wait for some days & Get the app link from play store console to get the update version
I have a problem in an app updated in play store.
Around 800 user could updated it without problem, but we have 3 users who get this message:
I've try install it with apk instead play store, with a similar result:
The min SDK is 16 and the SDK target is 28, and this devices have SDK 27 and 28.
One of these users had a device in which she couldn't install it. But last week buy new device, and she can't install it too. This new device has never had the application installed before.
How can I see any information about the problem?
I had such a problem, when tried to install a new version of my app. I found the reason for the problem when installing the new release version of my app using Android Studio. The error message has explained in detail what the problem is.
So if someone has such a problem I would suggest getting a device on which the error can be reproduced, then trying to install it using Android Studio and check the message.
The full story in my case was as the following: I had two different applicationId for "release" and "debug" configurations. In the new version of the app, I added a "provider" to the manifest. During my development I installed the debug version and then I deployed the new version to the Play Store. When I tried to install the deployed app on this device I got the message that it cannot be installed. The reason was that the release version had the same provider as the debug version, so they cannot be installed both. The solution is to change the authorities of the provider according to the applicationId.
This looks like a problem on the device, rather than a problem downloading from Google Play store. Logs from this should be in the users device logs, like you get for your app. You can ask your user for the logs, by asking them to send you a bug report. There are instructions here on taking bug reports.
When you look at the bug report, error messages from the Play store are tagged with "Finsky". You may also see errors from the device package manager.
When errors like this occured, it is recommended to read the link (see common ways to fix the problem). Most of the time cleaning Google Play Services cache and data will do the trick:
Clear the Google Play Store cache
1.Open the Settings menu on your device.
2.Go to Apps or Application Manager. (This option might differ depending on your device.)
3.Scroll to All apps and then scroll down to the Google Play Store app.
4.Open the app details and tap the Force stop button.
5.Tap the Clear cache button.
Repeat the steps above, but replace Google Play Store in step 3 with Google Play services.
Try to download the app again.
Clear the Google Play Store data
If cleaning the cache of the Google Play Store and Google Play Services doesn't resolve the issue, try clearing the Google Play Store data:
1.Open the Settings menu on your device.
2.Go to Apps or Application Manager. (This option might differ depending on your device.)
3.Scroll to All apps and then scroll down to the Google Play Store app.
4.Open the app details and tap the Force stop button.
5.Tap the Clear data button.
6.Clear data button
I've successfully completed the publishing process for an APK to the Internal Test Track.
But when I try to view the App for download on the Google Play Store using the "VIEW ON GOOGLE PLAY" link in the screenshot below...
...it opens a new window with the following error:
I've also tried using the testers link "download it on Google Play." below...
...but it results in the same message stating the App can't be found.
This is the first time the App has been published and it's being done on the Internal Test Track.
The automated testing picked up a few warning and minor issues but no errors:
Has anyone experienced this issue before? I've contacted Google support for advice but I thought it would be worth trying here too and seeing if anyone had any suggestions on what to try next.
Thanks.
If this is the first time your app is being published on a track, it will take a couple of hours to be processed. This is only a one-time thing though, for future updates, the availability will be immediate on the internal test track.
Once the app is available, you'll also need to follow the opt-in link to be eligible for the download of the app.
Please delete cache and data of google play app on your device, then new updated version will be available
For Android App Bundles (AAB)
On the left menu, select Release > Devices and versions > App bundle
explorer.
Select the artifact filter near the top right of the page.
On the “Choose an artifact” table, select the right arrow on the
artifact you want to view.
Select the Downloads tab.
To share a link to install a specific APK: In the “Internal app
sharing link” section, select Copy shareable link.
As of today, the format of the shareable link:
https://play.google.com/apps/test/<package.name>/<version.number>
For Both APKs and AABs
You can use Internal app sharing instead.
Upload an APK or app bundle on the internal app sharing upload page
Then you can make your app available to anyone by sharing a download link.
Before anyone can download, they need to turn on internal app sharing on their Google Play Store app.
Open the Google Play Store app Google Play.
Tap Menu Menu > Settings.
In the “About” section, tap the Play Store version 7 times.
After the Internal app sharing setting appears, tap the switch to turn on
internal app sharing.
More information can be found here.
Answer for latest play console 2021
I was having same problem but since play console is lot different I didnt found any suitable solution but after trying a bit, this was solution that worked for me.
Play Console > Setup > Internal App Sharing > Email Lists > Make sure your email list is checked and saved.
In uploader and tester section make sure 'Anyone you shared link with can download' is selected.
Thats it.
I also created video on how this problem can be solved:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAiu76l4-7s
I just went through this completely unintuitive process, so let me clear up some myths:
Internal testing does NOT require the app be publicly released
The review process for your app apparently needs to complete before the app is available, as others pointed out, but the Play Console gives no indication this is a prerequisite, and happily states in several places that the App is available to internal testers when it is not. In my case the review took about a month to complete, which is why the "We are experiencing longer than normal review times" message was appearing in the console. This was the initial creation of my app, so I don't know which items-under-review were actually required, as the whole backlog completed at the same time (also with no notice to me).
Even at this point, if I follow the 'join' link on my phone, I still have the same issues the OP had. Clearing Play Store cache and other tricks did nothing. Instead, I had to click it from a PC, follow the prompts, and choose to install to a specific device (which requires the 7-tap developer mode on the device mentioned by others)
My case, hope it help. (Internal testing)
Make sure:
Change your version code for new release.
Add tester emails.
After upload and share link, must do these steps to download:
Open the Google Play Store app Google Play.
Click the Menu icon Menu > Settings.
In the "About" section, tap the Play Store version 7 times.
Once the Internal App Sharing setting appears, tap the switch to enable internal app sharing.
Click Enable.
Hours on this.
In my case the missing step was to enable Managed Google Play, which "Manage your private app and make it available to specific organisations". You don't need to apply an organisation filter, and simply use the internal test tracks.
The setting is found in Setup > Advanced Settings > Managed Google Play
#pierre was right. But that was some time ago, and now that link is not called Opt-in URL, but Join on the web. Just ask your testers to open it before they download the application.
We just had a related issue in this completely horrible process - documenting here because it burned a week for us.
Problem: We got approved on closed and production 2x but no one could see our app in internal, closed, public test tracks or on the public store.
How it happens: As far as I can tell when you start a Closed Test Track an organization gets auto-selected on Setup > Advanced Settings > Managed By Google and/or you can (irreparably!) set one yourself on the Closed Testing page. This means that only people in your org will be able to access it.
Solution: If Internal/Closed/Production is not showing up the solution may be: In Setup > Advanced Settings > Managed By Google you UN-check your org for it to be publicly available, as in the helpful alert in the screenshot below.
Duh. Worst default ever? :)
For me, i clicked the link play console gave me on phone
https://play.google.com/apps/internaltest/***********
But it didn't work, i clicked the link with pc, got the play store link, and clicked link on phone, and it worked !
For me, the issue was that of the version X.Y.Z, Google Play Console uses Z to determine the newest version of the app. So if, for example, the previous version of your app was 1.70.170, then 2.1.171 would work, but 2.1.1 would not show up for you as it would be considered older than 1.70.170.
Once you got the application from google play store link will be available on internal testing page inside.
Click on Internal testing
Step 1: Click copy link and use any browser
Step 2: after that it will show Accept Invitation already you are opened your added mail id from the google play developer console for internal tester on this application.
Step 3:
finally click on download it on google play
thats all. enjoy your coding...
Go to settings --> then internal app testing and add your testers there. Follow the instructions in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAiu76l4-7s
I have a dev version of my app that is not published in the Play Store. I would like to test dynamic links with it, but whenever I click a dynamic link, it opens the play store, and I get a not found error (because there is no corresponding package in the Play Store).
What's the recommended way of testing this? It would also apply to staging environments, etc... that are not published.
I was able to test it like this:
I published a closed alpha version of an app - open only to my email (beta should work just the same)
Opted in via the opt-in link in the developer console (it's on the APK section)
After that, clicking the dynamic link I created on the Firebase console worked as expected, without having my app out in the open.
Caveats:
Connected Google users - might cause a problem if only one is on the alpha group list
It takes a bit of time to get started. Make sure you can see the app in Google Play before trying to click the link
Updates, fixes and changes take time until they actually appear on Google Play. Google Play now offers internal testing, a level below alpha that propagates updates quicker.
The other answer above is technically correct, but you can get close to simulating the real behavior without putting anything on the Google Play Store.
If your application is installed, the dynamic link will open your application. This is true even if your app is not listed on the Play Store. If this is not working for you, your app is not properly set up to receive dynamic links.
If your application is not installed, you will be taken to the Play Store and you will see app not found. After, you can sideload the app to simulate a Play Store install.
I've pushed a beta version of my app to the play store and am now trying to see it in the play store on my device. It's not showing up.
How can I tell whether it has been published?
When I go to the play store on my laptop and search for my app, only the production version shows. If I click on the search result, it goes to the app store page with a warning "you don't have any devices". That part is fine. But should the search results also show my beta version?
I've set up a google group of which I'm a member.
I'm assuming that if the play store shows it on my laptop and doesn't show it on my device, then I have some sort of configuration problem - that is what I'm trying to debug in the first place. However, without knowing if the beta version is published, I'm in the dark.
Any one know how to deal with this situation?
The best way to verify that the Beta app is installed on your device is to actually install the app on your device from the Google Play store using the account with which you have opted-in to the Beta Test group. You can then verify that the Version Code of the Apk is indeed the Version Code of the BETA Apk that you have uploaded. You might want to print the version code to logcat as your app stats so that you can verify it easily. You can then also opt-out of the BETA test and reinstall the app through the Play Store and verify that it is NOT the Beta Apk by once again looking for the version code.
The Play Store now allows open and closed beta testing, although this was not always the case. If your application is in open beta testing, then it should be in the search results, given you've got a version in production. (I'm lead to believe that if your app is in open beta but you don't have a production version, it will not be in the search results).
In order to test to see if your application is available in the search results, you must disassociate yourself with your developer Google account to do your search. This will remove the association that your Google account has already with the application. It sounds like you've done that "on your laptop" since it says you say it says you have no devices. If your computer is logged into Google, you'll need to open a private browsing window or log out of that Google account, then do your search. If the search returns no results, the application will not be discovered by new users. But those same new users could still be in the beta by using the beta link that you have the option of distributing.