I have an app on Google Play Console. Atm the testing method is set to Closed Beta Testing and we have a list of users to test it. Looks like this:
I have my mail in the list of testers and shared myself a link. When I follow it, this page is presented:
When I follow the link, I can see the app on Google Play. The page contains also 2 messages:
Your administrator has not given you access to this item
You're a beta tester for this app. Future updates will include beta versions
There is no install button. As I understand, the issue is with the first message about access. How can I fix it?
This error message is displayed if you're using Managed Google Play to distribute your app privately, targeting it to organisations - this can be verified by navigating to Store Presence > Pricing & distribution > User programs. When distributing a private app using a closed track you also have to add the organisations under the "Manage testers" section - these aren't automatically added when you create a track.
I need to test some features of my app like the "In App Billing" service so I published it in an Alpha version in Google Play, I filled all the required fields, I added the testers Gmail account, the app is signed and its version is higher than the Beta/Production version.
Since yesterday in the Alpha section of the Google Play Console I can see the app as published, but when I go to the Play Store the app doesn't appear, trying to get it from the provided link it says that the app isn't available because it has not been published or I can't access to it with my account.
I have verified the accounts signed up in the console and all is right, am I forgotting any step? Did I do anything wrong? Any help would be really appreciated, there is more than one day since the app is published and I cannot test it.
Thank you in advance
alpha applications are directly not accessible in play store you have to get link from developer account, where your apk is published there is link as manage testers click on that you will get link and only user who is member of that group can access it through registered email link will look like : https://play.google.com/apps/testing/uk.co.xxxxx.xxxxx)
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en
For those of you who were installing Android TV app and had the same error as OP. Open your test link
https://play.google.com/apps/testing/{package}
on a desktop computer with account logged in on tv. Then you will be asked to participate in tests, and after acception you will be redirected to your alpha google play website. From here (on desktop pc) you can install it on your TV.
We missed the "Choose a testing method" step inside the APK menu option, thank you very much
I think I followed all steps which I have found so far but the download link for my alpha test isn't working.
I uploaded the app 3 days ago, created a google group and added the group to the list of alpha testers.
I invited a few members and the app status shows published, after clicking on the link I can signup as alpha tester, but when I click on "Download from the Play Store" the error message "We're sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server" comes.
Did I miss an additional step? Do I have to grant some special rights to the group members somehow?
--- update can this be caused by the permissions of the app?
under the apk info in the developer console I can see:
functions:
android.hardware.LOCATION
android.hardware.location.GPS
android.hardware.location.NETWORK
android.hardware.TOUCHSCREEN
permissions:
android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
android.permission.INTERNET
-----UPDATE2
Well I don't have any idea what changed but now the download link is working for my alpha testers.
For me, it resulted to be a cache problem so deleting the cache in Setting > Apps > Google Play Services > Storage > Clean Cache and deleting chrome's cache, did the trick.
If your app is published in alpha or beta version :
it won't be shown in search results,
use the link that google play sent you in the group of testers in order to open it in Google Play application.
(see edit below)
You can also open this URL : https://play.google.com/apps/testing/APP_PACKAGE with a browser if the email configured in your phone is a member of the google testers group.
i don't think permissions in manifest can hide an app of the store !
EDIT
After you have uploaded your APK file and published it to Alpha or Beta version, you will see a link "manage testers group" or something like that. Click on that link ... you will be asked to add a google group of testers, below the popup you will see a message like this : "share this link with you testers group". Copy that link and send it to the group by mail.
Sorry I am writing with SO android app, I can't paste screenshots therefore ... may be tomorow ;-)
Hope it's ok.
I don't have any idea what changed but now the download link is working
You issue was just the publish delay -- it takes some time for Google Play servers to pick up your submission (for any publishing operation, even with alpha builds), usually under 24 hours.
Try opening the link on both your test device and in a desktop browser.
I was able to sign up as a tester from the device, but not install the app (said not found), but going to the desktop browser was able to use google pay to install it remotely to the device.
Make sure its the url in the form https://play.google.com/apps/testing/{your.namespace}
Sign in to your Goole Play Console.
Select your app.
On the left menu, Select Release management -> App releases.
Select Manage Alpha or Manage Beta.
Manage testers, click on right side down arrow.(Just below CREATE RELEASE)
Choose a testing method: select Closed Beta Testing.
Next Create list or select the name of your list.
Feedback Channel: Enter your email to get feedback from testers.
Copy Opt-in URL and send it to your testers.
Now once you completed, Google Play servers takes time for any publishing builds alpha or beta. For me it takes 15-20 minutes to available.
Sometime clear cache of your browser and refresh link. will work.
Once link is available, Open it in your testing device and click on below link
Download the *APP NAME* app on Google Play
Press the Update Button. After installation you can test it.
How authorized testers turn on internal app sharing
Before authorized testers can download apps using internal app sharing, 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. Tap Turn on.
I'm having the same problem, the link simply doesn't work, 36 hours after publishing. Might as well not even provide the alpha/beta features if it's going to be like this.
Anyway, I'm sharing some information provided to me by Google Support, hoping it'll be helpful:
Ensure that you have added a valid Google Group email or Google+ Community URL to the Developer Console and that you are included in the group/community. Once the group/community has been added, the name of the group will display in the “Manage list of testers” link in the testing tab. (Please note when adding a Google Group you need to enter the email address and not the URL).
If you wish to use a Google Group in a Google Apps domain, the Developer Console and Private Channel must be enabled for your domain in the Google Apps Control Panel.
An app must be published for several hours before the opt-in link will become available to testers.
Currently, testers must have only one account on their device. Devices with more than one account will receive the production version of your app. (Please note this requirement is temporary. Stay tuned for updates).
If you followed the mentioned instructions and it's still not working, in 2019 make sure to also check the following:
1) Make sure the testing group is selected, but is also active:
2) Ask your testers to log out of their google account, then to clear the cache of their browser. They should then close/re-open the browser and log in into the invited email address.
There are several causes for the internal/alpha testing link not working:
1-You are on a different google play account
2-Your email is not added at the email list for testers
3-Go to google play console> your app > app releases > internal test > make sure list name is check as if not the testers will not have access to the app
Hope this helps to solve the issue
One of the causes of that issue might be its availability in (one) particular country only. (USA, usually).
In that case you just should go to the app details and allow its distribution to other (local) stores.
My problem was that even though I deinstalled my release version the link from internal testing brought me again to the release version. This fixed it.
I had this problem if I was logged in with multiple different Google accounts. I opened a new private browsing window and logged in with the account that I wanted to use as an alpha tester, and then the download link worked.
I got the same issue, seems a bug. Solved by:
1.Click "unpublish".
2.Wait for a while, click "re-publish".
Then my App became available in a few minutes.
In my case I was listed as tester in several list (alpha and internal test).
I had only joined the alpha testing channel and I had no way to access the app via the link nor via searching the store.
And as soon as I also joined the internal test channel.
The link to the app magically started working.
So I guess the rule is: you need to make sure you have joined the most privileged testing group that you're invited to.
Also make sure the app, you're going to test, is uninstalled from your device.
How to distribute apk to limited users. And they cannot re-distribute to others?
One way to do is get device IMEI number and post to server to check valid user or not. But I am trying to limit in android code itself to avoid server communication.
Also as I will not publish app on google play,I am not able to add Google Play Licence Verification library.
Use Beta-Testing section from Play Store, after uploading your apk on Play Store. You can create a group of user from Google+ and add them in testing section. Follow this :
Create an App
Log into the Developer Console and upload an APK. No need to publish it yet.
Check out the ‘Beta’ tab now, which should show this handy message:
Upload Beta APK
Click the Beta tab and upload the APK again. Publishing from this tab will not push it to the store, but there is a handy button that allows you to promote apps from Alpha to Beta to Prod, which is neat.
Create a Test Group
Using your developer account (it must be the primary google developer account), create a Google+ Community. Public or private, doesn’t matter. (You could use a Google Group too, but Google+ is a pretty good medium for wrangling a beta team, so I’ll recommend it here.)
Add your Community to the list of testers by clicking “Manage list of testers” and pasting the Community’s URL.
Invite Users to Test
Click publish in the Beta tab. Click again on “Manage list of testers” and there you will find a URL to share with your Community. When they go to that URL, they’ll get a signup prompt (later, a play store link). Roll outs will take anywhere from a minute to a couple hours to propagate, as with anything on the store.
Hard code the list of IMEI or device IDs in the app. On launch check the device ID against your white list and either launch or kill the app depending on the result.
You can roll out a version to a limited amount of users through the play store.
Just have to create a google Group or a Google+ group and follow the instructions here:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en
I would like to publish our in-house apps using a Google Play Private Channel.
Here are the steps I've performed so far:
Registered for Google Apps for Business
Verified domain
Enabled Private Channel "Allow users to access Google Play Private Channel."
Registered and paid licence on Developer Console
Prepared an app for publishing
When I now go to the "PRICING AND DISTRIBUTION" section of my application,
there is no "Restrict Distribution" option as mentioned here. Instead my page looks like this.
I have tried publishing the app and then looking for the option. No luck.
It's been longer than the mentioned 48 hours it might take Google to propagate the changes.
Note: I used the same corporate email address everywhere, which is also in the verified domain.
Could you please tell me if I missed a step, or if you've had similar problems?
Looks like you missed one step mentioned here, you need to turn on 'Allow users to update Google Play Private Channel' [Step 4, part1]
http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2494992