Your web app is live (guide 3) — now let’s get your app into Google Play, where customers search and install. The platform generates everything technical for you; your part is a developer account and a bit of patience with Google’s review.
Test on a real phone first #
Before anything store-related, generate an APK — an installable file you can put on any Android phone:
- Go to Publication → Google Play and press Generate APK (takes 5–20 minutes).
- Install it on your phone and tap through everything like a customer would.
- It’s also perfect for sharing — send the APK to a colleague or client so they can try the real app before it’s public.
The developer account #
Publishing happens through a Google Play developer account — a one-time $25 registration with Google. Select the option that matches you on the Google Play tab; your account’s password is never needed by the platform.
Whose account? Usually your own — the app is published in your name and you stay in control. If a partner or agency manages publishing for you, they may handle this part through the account they use for support. Both ways work.
App signing (done for you) #
Google verifies every update to your app with a signing key. The platform creates and stores it automatically — the “Android App Signing” section shows your package name, key alias and passwords, all pre-filled.
Do press Download keystore backup and keep it somewhere safe. If the key is ever lost, your published app cannot be updated — this one download is your insurance.
Generate the release file and submit #
- Press Generate AAB — the Google Play release file (5–20 minutes).
- Upload it in your Google Play Console, fill your store listing (name, description, screenshots), and submit for review.
- Reviews usually take a few days for a first app. Updates are typically faster.
After approval you don’t need to tell anyone: the platform checks automatically using your package name, and the Play Store link appears on this tab once your app is live.
When do I need to resubmit? #
| Change | New store submission? |
|---|---|
| Adding or removing modules | No — updates in the app automatically |
| Design, theme, colors, content | No — updates automatically |
| The app itself gains new app-side features | Yes — generate a fresh AAB and submit it as an update |
This is the part people love: day-to-day changes never touch the store. You only rebuild when the underlying app gets new native capabilities — and you’ll be told when that happens.
Common questions #
- Google rejected my app — now what?
- Read the rejection reason carefully (it’s usually specific: a missing privacy policy link, a screenshot issue), fix it, resubmit. Rejections are normal and fixable.
- Where’s the privacy policy?
- Publication → App identity — the platform can create and host one for you; the link is what Google Play asks for.
- Migrating from Siberian CMS?
- Use the migration drop zone in the signing section so your build updates your existing listing — full walkthrough in guide 6.
