How to Set Up Google Play

This guide explains how to set up your Google Play Developer account for publishing your app.

Step 1: Create Developer Account

1. Visit the Google Play Console.
2. Click Start your profile.
3. Pay the one-time registration fee ($25 USD).
4. Complete your developer profile.

Step 2: Prepare App Information

You'll need to provide:

• App Name: Your app's display name
• Short Description: Feature highlight (80 characters)
• Full Description: Detailed description (4000 characters)
• Screenshots: At least 2 screenshots (1080x1920)
• Feature Graphic: 1024x500 image
• App Icon: 512x512 PNG

Step 3: Configure App

App Categories

Choose appropriate categories:

• Shopping (for e-commerce apps)
• Or relevant category for your app

Content Rating

Complete the content rating questionnaire honestly.

Pricing & Distribution

• Choose Free or Paid
• Select countries for distribution

Step 4: App Signing

Option 1: App Signing by Google Play (Recommended)

Google manages your app signing:

1. Export a signing key from Android Studio
2. Upload it to Play Console
3. Google re-signs your app for distribution

Option 2: Self-Managed

Keep your own signing key:

1. Use the same key for all updates
2. Securely store the keystore

Step 5: Create Release

1. Go to Release → Production
2. Upload your APK/AAB
3. Add release notes
4. Click Start Rollout

Step 6: Wait for Review

Google typically reviews within 24-72 hours.

Pre-Launch Checklist

• [ ] App icon uploaded
• [ ] Screenshots uploaded
• [ ] Privacy policy URL added
• [ ] Content rating completed
• [ ] Tested on multiple devices
• [ ] Release APK built successfully

Next Steps

• Publish to Play Store - Submit your app
• Build Release APK - Prepare the build