I have published an app in Google Play a few months ago. That app have some downloads and data from users in Console Google. I will release a new version, but while I'm finishing, I want remove it temporarily - keeping all that data and download numbers. Is it possible or when I cancel the publish all data will be deleted?
Please note that you unpublish (and this means just what name says, nothing more) not just APK - you hide all related stuff (app's page in Google Play etc). To end user it looks like the app is gone. For you - it is still in your console, you can edit description, images, see comments, stats or update APKs etc., but unless you publish it again, nobody will see these changes.
https://stackoverflow.com/a/13493065/7303462
You could do that by unpublishing your app. You can re-publish it by installing a newer apk of the app and all the data will remain the same, you'd not loose any of it.
PS: You cannot delete an app from your account. Published and unpublished apps will remain in your account.
Update 2022 :
You can go to "Google play console -> Release -> Setup -> Advanced Settings", but as google says :
Unpublished: New users cannot find and install your app. Existing users can still find it and will receive updates.
Published: New users can find and install your app
I found a solution so that you can restrict the region of your app if you do not want to delete and republish it. This prevents even existing users from finding your app. In the published list of your app, you should keep at least one country, and you can select the country with the lowest downloads.
Related
My apps are removed by Google Play, I hope to delete or hidden them from my app listings, how can I do? Thanks!
BTW, I can't unpublish the removed app from google play.
And more, I have read the article How to remove application from app listings on Android Developer Console
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No, you can unpublish but once your application has been live on the market you cannot delete it. (Each package name is unique and Google remembers all package names anyway so you could use this a reminder)
The "Delete" button only works for unpublished version of your app. Once you published your app or a particular version of it, you cannot delete it from the Market. However, you can still "unpublish" it. The "Delete" button is only handy when you uploaded a new version, then you realized you goofed and want to remove that new version before publishing it.
and after the update on may 2018 :
Delete an application or a game
You can permanently delete your draft apps or games from the Play
console. You can also delete:
published applications or games that have not been installed on any
device.
published applications or games that no user has the right to
reinstall.
In this case, contact our support team to request the final deletion
of your app or game data.
We recently released an app on google play and after a couple of beta versions I moved it from beta to production. However, some people cannot download the app. Here is an example from Vietnam:
I don't know Vietnamese, but I asked a colleague to translate it and it says:
"Another account, {{email}}, has joined the beta program of this app. The updates for this app could include many beta versions."
Does anybody know how to solve this?
Google Play Store seems to store the application and user account association information in the device's local storage. Clearing the data of the Google Play Store from its app info page should do the trick. Now simply switch the the account that you have joined the beta program with and you should be able to install / update the restricted app version.
If it still doesn't work, repeat the process but this time reboot the device.
Another option is to install the app remotely through google play's website. First remove the app from the device, visit the site with the required google account and install the app in the device of your choice remotely.
This should not block updates, it should only be a warning. The English version of the message is "Another account on this device, XXXX, joined this app’s beta program. Updates to this app might include beta versions."
(Good translation by your colleague).
This is a device with more than one gmail account associated with Google Play. It is probably either shared by multiple people or the user has multiple gmail addresses.
An android device can only ever have one version of an APK (with the same package name) on it installed at once, even with multiple users.
The warning is saying that the current account looking for an update is not enrolled in the beta program for the app. However, another account on the device is enrolled in the beta program. This means if this user does an update, they might get a beta version of the app (as the upgrade as to be appropriate for the other user too). The warning is displayed so the user doesn't unexpectedly get a beta version.
However, it should only be a warning, it shouldn't stop the user updating.
There's a way to bypass this guys, should you want to install the application. On the app list when you search for the desired application, click on the "..." symbol at the upper right corner of the application, there is an "Install" option for you.
There is a button on left top corner, for google play store options. There, change the user to a the one they say that can use the program (different e-mail adress), and you will be able to download the required app.
I'm using android studio. I have developed an app and now I want to upload it to Google Play. I have a license and I have uploaded an app before, but I didn't really know what I was doing at that time.
What I want is to upload my app to Google Play, and then upade it without losing the reviews and rating. How do I do that?
And, what is the best way to force a user to download an update? I am going to upload the app to Google Play and to Amazon Appstore (for android), so a link to Google Play or something similar is maybe not the best solution. I was thinking - a toast message "please update the app". What do you think?
Updating an existing apk on Google Play Store:
1) Go to your Google Play Developer Console
2) Select All applications in that select "Your Application"
3) Select Upload APK.
4) Choose from the Production, Beta, or Alpha channels and select Upload your APK.
It take few hours to publish update. more information about upload, publish, etc.
Forcing users to update: There are three things
1) It is not possible in Google Play Store, unless user have set automatic update on.
2) You can use external library like UpdateChecker, AppUpdater, etc.
3) You can change your application structure in that way that whenever user starts you application internal contents get update. (This is not a feasible option, I guess)
What is KeyStore?
It is used to build singed apk.
Keep your keystore in a secure location. If you lose your keystore, you'll need to publish the app with a new package name and a new key. If you need to do this, you should also unpublish the original app and update its description
Please check out this library, actually it provides what you want with simple approach.
https://android-arsenal.com/details/1/3094
When you publish a new version of your app to the Play Store, you will not lose any of the prior ratings for that app.
You can't force users to update your app. It is fully under their control. Some people may have automatic updates turned on, but for those who do not, they have to choose to receive the update.
Google added this new feature you can add to your app to force in-app update based on if you want the update immediate or flexible
https://developer.android.com/guide/playcore/in-app-updates/kotlin-java
I have an unpublished app on Google Play which I want to update for my existing users, but not let new users download it.
The Google Play documentation seems to be saying that this can be done by simply uploading an updated apk (and not re-publishing the app):
Unpublished Apps
Existing app users will still be able to receive app updates, even if you unpublish your app. If you don't want new users to find and download your app but still want to provide updates to your existing users, set your app to Unpublished in the Developer Console.
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/113476?hl=en
But it seems unintuitive that an "unpublished" application would work that way. If the documentation is correct, how does Google Play tell the difference between an 'existing' user and a 'new' user?
Just a follow up: pushing an update to the unpublished app does make the update available to existing users only, but the app does not update automatically for these users. They must browse to the app page, where the app will have an "Update" button which can be triggered manually.
(This is just speculation, I'm not affiliated with Google in any way or anything)
The existing user probably has the app associated with the Google account they use to log in to the Play store.
If you look at your own profile in the store, there's a list of all the apps you've ever installed. I'm guessing the update would be available only for people who have your app in their lists, and the app will still be invisible for new users.
Whenever a user that has the app installed wants to update it, he requests an update of the app, it's different from re-installing the app as data from the app (a save from a game, or some saved preferences etc) are kept untouched, google play can easily detect that since it can detect what apps you have installed.
I create a new app in my Google play account. I did not publish it yet. It is just ready to publish.
Is there any way to delete it permanently from my account since it is not published yet?
I can not find any remove or delete button. I read here and here, but I couldn't find any delete button.
What about if the app is published only to alpha, or perhaps beta - in those cases can you reuse the package name?
There is not possible to delete an application from google console but you can request to delete an app.
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/contact/publishing
There is an unofficial delete which might possibly be a bug/glitch in the old android developer console. The instructions are below.
Switch back to old developer panel
Select application for deletion and make sure that it's description and all necessary publishing components are filled out. (you may use fake info)
Save application as a draft. DO NOT PUBLISH
Select the APK tab
Press delete on the current activated APK and your draft application should be deleted. You might need to press "Switch to advanced" for this screen to show.
CRUCIAL - Application must not have been published before.
You can delete an app anytime before it is published. Note this answer was given before the OP specified that his app had not yet been published.
After it has been published, it "owns" its unique packagename forever in the Google PlayStore app naming hierarchy like com.yourdomain.yourapp.
There is no "deleting" this packagename after publication. That would cause mayhem.
Google Analytics, for example needs this permanent unique id. Hostile developers could take over your packagename by forcing you to delete it with bad review attacks.
The package name itself is not really a public-facing asset. If all you want to do is "reboot" your app (ie start again with zero downloads and reviews) then just unpublish (retire) the old packagename and republish the apk under a new packagename.
The right way to publish your app is using the alpha and beta streams in the dev console which do not retain reviews.
The only problem with this is the rule about once an app (package) is priced as free, it remains forever free, meaning you have to republish under a new package name to price a free beta.
Paid betas are only possible if you already have successful apps.
PlayStore publication policies are in constant flux (there is now a manual review policy). You may wish to take your concerns to them directly - they do respond.
I am sure every developer wants to delete and republish an app after finding out that it won't run on device X, because device X manufacturer has tweaked Android, causing device X owners to give the app unfair reviews.
This is also a way to avoid giving people free upgrades to your apps forever, which is not realistic, esp. given piracy stats. Owners often reboot to start fresh after a major upgrade.
You may want to adopt a packagename with a major version codename baked in, like the big boys do it (mountainlion, xenial, marshmallow, etc) like com.yourdomain.yourapp.codename.
X is usually Samsung
Not. there is no way, you only can unpublish and make it invisible for users but in the developer console you will se ever and ever
The responses above are outdated. The Developer Console offers now a "Delete app" link, right below the name of the application (for applications that have never been published).
More info: How to delete the published app from developer console android
Try contacting google play support from the following link:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/contactflow?hl=en
Publishing apps on google play
Error when publishing an app
Email Support
Fill in the required fields, and tick the option for
Request for app deletion
As said earlier, app which has never been published only can be deleted.
If you wish to release a new version in the same name, go to All Applications -> Select (old) App -> Go to Store Presence -> Go to store listing. Towards the top field rename your old version. Submit the changes and you are good to create an app using the existing name.
If you app hasn't been published then you can click the Delete button on the All Apps page. It looks like a trash can.
Just to test it out again I created a new app called "Delete me" and the icon showed to to allow me to delete it. None of my published apps are deleteable, though.