I Built an App — Now How Do I Publish It? Google Play Console from Start to Finish

You built an app. You tested it. Time to release it to the world — except when you actually go to put it on Google Play, there's way more to it than you expected.

If you've ever thought "Can't I just upload an APK?" only to freeze up when you see the Console dashboard — this guide is for you. Here's the full first-time app registration process, step by step.

Before You Start

1. Register a Google Play Developer Account

If you don't have a developer account yet, create one first.

URL: play.google.com/console
Registration fee: $25 USD, one-time, non-refundable
Log in with a regular Google account → agree to the developer agreement → pay

You can register as an individual developer or as an organization/company. Switching later is a hassle, so choose the right option from the start.

2. Prepare an APK or AAB File

Google currently requires (effectively mandates) the AAB (Android App Bundle) format.

With Expo:

# Generate AAB with EAS Build
eas build --platform android --profile production

With React Native CLI:

cd android
./gradlew bundleRelease
# Output: android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab

3. App Signing Key (Keystore)

Uploading an AAB requires signing. EAS Build handles this automatically, but if you're building manually, you'll need a keystore file.

Warning: Never lose your keystore. Every update to the same app must be signed with the same key.

Step 1. Create a New App

When you log into the Play Console, you'll see the dashboard.

Click "Create app" in the top right
Fill in the following:

Field	Details
App name	The name shown on the store (can be changed later)
Default language	Default language for the store listing
App or game	Select App or Game
Free or paid	Once set to free, you cannot change it to paid

Think carefully about free/paid. Once it's free, you can't switch to paid. Monetizing via in-app purchases is the standard approach.

Agree to the Developer Program Policies and US export laws → click "Create app"

Step 2. App Setup (Filling Out the Dashboard Checklist)

After creating the app, a checklist appears on the dashboard. Two main areas need to be completed:

App setup: content rating, target audience, privacy policy, etc.
Production store listing: screenshots, app description, icon, etc.

App Content Setup

Left menu → Policy → App content — complete each item:

Privacy Policy

Whether or not your app collects personal data, you need a URL.
Create a simple policy page or use a free generator like privacypolicygenerator.info.

Select "Yes" if your app contains ads.

App access

If your app requires login, provide test account credentials. Google reviewers will test the app directly.

Content rating

A questionnaire-based flow. Your app is automatically rated based on its nature (violence, adult content, etc.).
Most general apps will receive EVERYONE or the equivalent rating.

Target audience and content

Select the target age group. If the app is aimed at children, additional restrictions apply.

Data safety

Declare what data your app collects — location, contacts, usage history, etc.

This section is more thorough than you might expect. If you use Firebase Analytics, "App interactions" is data you're collecting.

Step 3. Write the Store Listing

Left menu → Grow → Store listing

App Name & Description

Field	Limit
App name	30 characters max
Short description	80 characters max
Full description	4,000 characters max

Graphics Assets (Required)

Asset	Specs
App icon	512 × 512 px, PNG, max 1MB
Feature graphic	1024 × 500 px, JPG or PNG
Phone screenshots	Minimum 2, maximum 8

Screenshot specs:

16:9 or 9:16 ratio
Min 320px, max 3840px
JPG or PNG

Screenshot tip: Capture from a real device, or create mockup images in Figma. "Marketing screenshots" with added text and callouts are allowed.

Step 4. Create a Release (Upload the AAB)

Left menu → Production → Create new release

App Signing

When uploading for the first time, decide whether to use Google Play App Signing:

Recommended: Use Google Play App Signing (Google manages the final signing key)
Eliminates the risk of losing your key — most developers choose this

Upload the AAB

Select file → upload app-release.aab

The version code and version name are automatically parsed after upload.

Write the Version Name and Release Notes

Version name: 1.0.0
Release notes (English):
- Initial release
- Core features available

Step 5. Country / Region Selection

Production → Countries / regions tab — select where your app will be available:

All countries (recommended)
Or select specific countries only

Step 6. Submit for Review

Once all items are complete, the "Roll out to production" or "Send for review" button activates in the top right.

After submitting, Google's review begins:

Type	Timeline
First app	Typically 3–7 days
Subsequent updates	Typically a few hours to 1–2 days

First apps take longer. Submit early.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

"Your app violates policy" rejection

Screenshots or description contain false or exaggerated claims
Content rating doesn't match the actual app
Privacy policy URL is missing or broken

Version code error

If the AAB's versionCode is lower than the previous release, upload fails.

// app.json (Expo)
{
  "android": {
    "versionCode": 2
  }
}

Signing key mismatch

If a new version of the same app is signed with a different key, upload is blocked. If you're using Google Play App Signing, just match the upload keystore.

Data safety section incomplete

Skipping this section keeps the submit button disabled. Even if you collect no data, mark "No data collected" to complete it.

Summary — The Full Flow at a Glance

[Register developer account - $25]
        ↓
[Create new app]
        ↓
[App content setup]
  - Privacy policy URL
  - Content rating (questionnaire)
  - Target audience
  - Data safety
        ↓
[Write store listing]
  - App name, description
  - Icon, screenshots, feature graphic
        ↓
[Create release]
  - Upload AAB
  - Write release notes
        ↓
[Select countries / regions]
        ↓
[Submit for review → wait (3–7 days)]
        ↓
[Published]

The checklist feels long at first, but once you've done it, the next app goes much faster. The spots people most often miss: the privacy policy and the data safety section. Make sure you don't skip them.