How to download applications. How to upload applications on Google Play: detailed instructions Put the application on google play

There are screenshots in the article when the app store was called "Android Market". A generation of cats has already grown up who have never heard of this name. But general principle did not change. Left for history. I can't re-register to take new screenshots.

Since we are worried, we will practice on cats. Take, for example, an example from an article and try to put it in Google Play. If everything works out, then it will be easier.

Before proceeding further, make sure you have your own application icons and program name ready. It will be very strange to see a program with a standard icon and the name "HelloWorld" in the app store. And also check all the entries in the manifest file.

Step one. He is the hardest

Any application posted to the store must have a signed certificate. The certificate allows you to identify yourself as the author of the program. And if someone tries to post a program with the same name as yours, he will be denied due to a name conflict. The name of the application is the full name of the package.

When you run your applications on an emulator or your phone, the development environment automatically signs the program with a debug certificate. The debug certificate is not suitable for distribution through the store, and you need to sign the application with your own unique certificate. It's free, without registration and SMS.

Let's create a signed APK file, which is something like an executable file like notepad.exe on Windows. If you have the Android Studio development environment open, then select from the menu build | Generate Signed APK....

A wizard dialog box will appear, which you need to fill in with the data.

The first field should contain the path to the keystore. If you have had to create programs before, including in Eclipse, you can specify an existing repository using the button Choose existing.... If you are creating a repository for the first time, then select the button Create new.... A new dialog box will appear.

In the first field, you need to select a folder using the button ... and enter a name for the storage file, which will be given the extension jks.

Now you create a key for the application. In field Alias(Nickname) enter the name of the key that you and the cats can understand. It is not necessary to create an alias for each application, you can use one alias for your applications and separate aliases for custom applications.

You also need to create a password for the key and confirm it.

The key is designed for 25 years. Field Validity (years) leave it unchanged (unless you have good reasons to the contrary).

Lastly, fill in information about yourself.

After filling in the fields, you will return to the very first window of the wizard.

Click on the button Next and in the next window enter another password to access the password database.

You may not have this step. It may appear if you have checked the "Remember password" option. I don't remember the details, you'll figure it out yourself.

The last step is to press the button finish.

This used to be the last step. Now there are new checkboxes V1 (Jar Signature) and V2 (Full APK Signature). Check at least the first option V1- this corresponds to the old way. The second method is considered more secure in terms of hacking and can be used for later APIs, at your discretion (see below).

As a result of complex manipulations with dialog boxes you will have a long-awaited APK - your charm, which will open the door to the world of wealth and happiness.

Pushing a button Show in Explorer, you will launch File Explorer on your computer with the folder containing the signed file.

Be careful with the generated key. It is he who guarantees that the new version of the program is written by you. Therefore, if you lose the created key, you will have to upload the program under a different name with a new key.

The studio provides a mode for automatically creating a signed application. Right click on the folder app and in the context menu select Open Module Settings. Choose a section app in section Modules. Select tab Signing. Click on the plus button and fill in the fields.

Go to tab Build Types and choose assembly release. In drop down list Signing Config select the newly created configuration. By default it has the name config.

Click OK to save the results.

You can also sign applications through the command line without the participation of the studio, if you are a pervert. You can read the documentation on this topic.

v2 Full APK

In 2017, Google changed the signing process a bit. There are now two schemes for obtaining an APK signature: v1 JAR and v2 Full APK.

The v1 signature (which has existed since the beginning) does not protect some parts of the APK, such as the ZIP metadata. The APK verifier has to handle a lot of untrusted data structures and then discard data that is not signed, which leaves a lot of room for attack. In addition, the APK verifier has to decompress all compressed records, which wastes a lot of time and memory. To solve the problems, a new v2 Full APK has been developed, which you will encounter when signing your application.

Scheme v2 works in Android 7.0 Nougat (API 25). The scheme provides faster application installation and good protection against unauthorized changes to the APK. The content of the APK is hashed and signed, then the resulting APK signing block is inserted into the APK.

The new format is backward compatible, so APKs signed with the new scheme can be installed on older devices (which will simply ignore the new signature) as long as those APKs are also signed with the v1 scheme.

In older applications, I leave the checkbox next to the first version. Perhaps later they will force you to switch to the second version forcibly. It is important to note that you must sign with the v1 scheme before signing with the v2 scheme, because the APK will not pass the v2 scheme if it is signed with additional certificates after it has been signed with the v2 scheme.

Strictly speaking, you can post the apk file on your site, and all your visitors can download and install it on their phones. But this is somehow undignified in our age of nanotechnology. So let's move on to the next step.

Step two. You must Fedya, you must

The next step is very unpleasant. You need to give 25 evergreens to a stranger. So that you would not be so offended, this operation was called the registration fee. You will need a credit card with the specified amount. Please note that Visa Electron, and even more so the discount card of the Perekrestok chain of stores, will not suit you. If you already have the required card, then skip this paragraph. I can advise the rest to get a QIWI wallet and get a virtual card there. That is exactly what I did, since it was reluctant to go to the bank and write all sorts of statements.

Automatic update

If you created new version program, fixing various bugs and adding new photos of the cat, then you need to increase the version number in the manifest by one (attribute versionCode) and replace versionName for myself (will be shown on Google page play). In the latest versions of the studio, these properties are now not in the manifest, but in the file build.gradle module of your application. Upload the new version on Google Play and users will receive the update automatically.

Follow the reviews

Install the Google Play Developer Console app on your device so you don't miss a new review of your app. You can also view statistics.

Changing vault and key alias passwords

Haven't had to use it in a few years, so I don't know if this information is up to date.

Let's say you sold your program with source codes to another company. In order for it to post program updates, the company must sign the application with the same key that you signed with. Otherwise, the program will be considered different and the package name will have to be changed. But then old users won't be able to get updates.

But if you sign all your programs with the same key and password, for example cat cat, then the company can sign your other applications with the same key by placing their programs with the same package name, and you will not prove anything to anyone.

Therefore, you need to take care of changing the key for transfer to the new owner.

Suppose our repository has the structure:

Keystore name: old.keystore Keystore password: cat1 Alias: my_alias Alias ​​password: cat2

Make a copy of your vault and store it somewhere else. This should have been done when you first created it, because if you lose storage, you won't be able to regain access to your programs when you upgrade.

Make a copy of your repository again and rename it, for example, new.keystore. We will work with him.

Run the utility key tool with command:

Keytool -storepasswd -keystore new.keystore

You will be prompted to enter your current password and then enter a new password and repeat it. Approximately like this:

Enter keystore password: New keystore password: Re-enter new keystore password:

The first part of the task has been completed, the vault password has been changed.

If you also want to change the password for the alias, then run the utility again with the command:

Keytool -keypasswd -keystore new.keystore -alias my_name

You will be asked to enter your current vault password (your new password), then the alias password. You can enter a new password and it will replace the old password.

Enter keystore password: Enter key password for

Alias ​​password changed.

If changing the password is not enough for you and you want to change the alias name (maybe you used the name of your favorite cat, why should others know about it), then we continue to work.

We run the command:

Keytool -changealias -keystore new.keystore -alias my_alias -destalias my_new_alias

You will be asked to enter the vault password, then the password for the new alias (the current password), then the new password and repeat it. The alias name will be changed.

So, it took us three steps to create a new repository and an alias to transfer to a stranger. The new owner should do the same to make sure you don't take advantage of the changed files. However, this is his problem.

We sign the finished application

Such a case can turn up when you have lost the source code and have only APK. This is most likely true for pirates who re-sign other applications (do not do this with other people's programs).

First, change the extension from apk to zip. Delete the folder in the archive META-INF. Restore the extension. You have deleted the old signature.

Now you need to sign the application with a new key. Enter a command.

jarsigner -keystore keystore-file.jks -storepass keystore_password -keypass alias_password --signedjar signed-apk-file.apk apk-file.apk alias_name

If successful, you will receive a message that the application is signed. Next, we execute another command.

ANDROID_SDK_PATH/build-tools/LAST_BUILD_TOOLS_VERSION/zipalign -v 4 signed-apk-file.apk aligned-apk-file.apk

The result should be an APK file signed with the new key. Never used it myself.

Google key storage

In 2017, Google added a new option to store keys in the cloud. The main difference is that you sign the app with a special upload key, which Google verifies and removes, replacing it with the original app signing key you provided.

It allows you to manage app signing keys for both new and published apps, which will be stored by Google in their own key store. To join this program, you must subscribe to it in your Google Play Console. It is worth noting that it will no longer be possible to unsubscribe from it.

This method is very useful - if the key store is lost, Google Play App Signing will allow you to reset the key to install a new one. You don't have to republish the app with a new package name and key.

The traditional method of delivering your application to the user through the installation of an APK file has one significant drawback - the user receives a bunch of extra material that he will never use. For example, resources for other languages, pictures of different resolutions for each type of screen. As a result, the finished application is bloated and takes up a large volume.

The new format (available in Android 3.2 and above) allows the user to download a special version of your application that contains only the desired language (value-en/strings.xml), the desired image resolution (xxhdpi) and other specific resources. As a result, the final application is much smaller in size.

The new App Bundle format has an extension .aab(Android App Bundle). You upload a file with this extension to the Play Store instead of an apk file. Based on your file, the app store will create different variants of your app (apk).

You can view the structure of the App Bundle through the menu build | Build Bundle(s)/APK(s) | Build Bundle(s). First, the studio will show a pop-up window indicating the location of the generated file.

Let's follow the link locate and see our file app-debug.aab. The path to the file can be like this: ..\YourApp\app\build\outputs\bundle\debug. The file is a standard zip file that can be viewed through any suitable archiver.

The archive consists of folders base, BUNDLE_METADATA and file BundleConfig.pb.

There may also be directories with additional features, in which case each of them is given a special name feature1, feature2 and etc.

To create a signed file, use build | Generate Signed Bundle/APK.... In the dialog box, select the option Android App Bundle and press Next.


Now, when you upload an application to the Play Store, you choose not an apk file, but a generated aab file. After that, you can see how the user will benefit from uploading their variation.

If you are interested in seeing how individual apk files are generated based on the App Bundle, you can install the utility command line Bundle tool.

Additional reading

Android-keystore-password-recover by MaxCamillo - If you have lost your password, then try using this tool. I haven't used it myself, so I won't tell.

Add App to Google Play

If you have an application and want to place it on our website, read the information at the end of the article.

You managed to develop an application, but that's not enough. It needs to be "noticeable". And for this you need to place your software product on Google Play. We will tell you about the placement procedure.

2. Here you need to read the special agreement and agree to it. After that, you will see a list of countries in which your software may be noticed. Ultimately, you will need to pay a one-time fee of $ 25 - it is necessary for registering the program.

5. Do not ignore the design of the program. Go to the Product Details section. Specify all the required and interesting information about the application. In this way, you will attract users who will want to download your product.

6. You will see a large list of items, each of which must be ticked. By doing so, you acknowledge that you are not violating any requirement under US law.

7. Now we go to the top of the page, save the settings, then click on the "Publish" button.

Immediately our application will not be available for general download. The administration will check it first. Sometimes the check takes only a couple of minutes, in some cases it takes several hours.

All items in the "Product Information" can be left blank. But some must be completed. Post screenshots of your program, indicate the language of the software, think carefully about the name of the program. A high-quality and eye-catching promo text will not hurt. The remaining items are still recommended to be completed, although they are optional. The more interesting the information in the information, the more attention it will attract - accordingly, there will also be more downloads. In addition, the administration is more loyal to software products that are beautifully designed and informative.

Alternative to Google Play


Important!
What if you want to promote your application? You can add your application to other sites like 4pda and like ours!

Publishing your application

Last update: 10/30/2015

In order for our application to be seen and installed by as many users as possible, the most effective step is to place the application in special online stores, of which Google is the largest. Play market. Consider in detail the publication in this online store.

First of all, we need to register in the Play Market. Let's follow the link https://play.google.com/apps/publish/signup/ . We will be prompted to link our Google account to the developer console:

Here we can link the current account to a developer account, but we can also create a new one.

When registering, keep in mind that we will have to pay a relatively small registration fee of 25 US dollars.

We accept the license agreement and click on the "Pay" button at the bottom of the page.

Payment requires a Visa / MasterCard / AMEX / Discover credit or debit card. But if we don’t have a suitable card or we don’t want to use the cards at our disposal for a one-time payment, then we can use virtual ones by creating a temporary card through webmoney, Yandex money, qiwi or other similar services. As a rule, such cards are issued in a couple of minutes and have all the same functionality as real Visa or MasterCard cards.

After entering personal data and card information, click on the "Accept and continue" button. After that, we will be redirected to the profile filling page

Enter your details here and click on the button at the bottom of the page. And then we will actually get into Personal Area in the developer console.

It may take some time for the payment to be processed, so we will be limited in our processing rights for the time being. At the same time, we can already upload the apk file, the full publication of which will occur after the payment is verified.

To upload the application file, click on the button "Publish android application on Google Play"

Enter a name and click on the "Download APK" button. Next, the application page will open, where we directly download the program file and set the entire description for it.

If this is your first time creating your game for Android devices, and you want to play it not only with your friends, but also with other Google users, you need to learn how to put your application on Google Play. Google Play Console Developer will help you with this, and in the article we will tell you how to register for the service and then use it to download the application.

Create a developer account

To access the developer console, the first step is to create a separate developer account for yourself, under which you can go to the Play Market to download software. To do this, go to the existing account or sign up with Google, then follow Google's instructions. Also, to work with software under Android OS, you can create a second account.

If you don't know how to create a developer account, simply follow these instructions:

  1. Check out the Developer Agreement for Software Distribution via Google Play. Check the box "I accept the terms...".
  2. Open the list of countries where you can create a seller account and sell your software product.
  3. Enter your bank card details. This is necessary to pay the registration fee (compulsory for all developers). Today it is $25.

You will have access to the Play Console after the above procedure. You can access the service from both a computer and a phone.

Google Play Console Basics

Let's go directly to the question, how to put the game on the Play Market? Open the Developer Console and then select the All Apps menu. Click on the "New Applications" sub-item. Choose a language that is comfortable for you to work. Also in the menu that appears, you will need to enter the name of the product that you plan to place.

To enter a description, you need to go to the "All applications" menu, select your game. Select the "Page Settings" submenu, and from there go to the "Software Description" menu. You can also post a website or email address on this page. The mailbox in this column may differ from the one you use to enter the Play Market.

You can enter other required data after the software products are added, namely:

  1. The name of the developer by which you will be known to other users.
  2. contact information.
  3. Address.
  4. And other data.

We fill out a questionnaire to determine the age limits

After that, you need to fill out a questionnaire that will help the service assign an age limit for the hosted software. This will avoid misunderstandings, as different countries have their own restrictions in accordance with the law. Thanks to the questionnaire, the application will be distributed among the target audience for which the software was originally designed.

Software products that are not rated may be removed from Google Play or simply not shown to audiences in some countries due to blocking. Usually, the questionnaire is filled out immediately when adding an application to the Play Market, but sometimes, when changes in the rules for evaluating age restrictions are published, you can update the answers to the questions of the questionnaire.

Instructions for filling out the questionnaire:

  1. Select the required application in the Console.
  2. In the menu, select the "Page settings" section, and then click on the "Age restrictions" sub-item.
  3. Read the information about the questionnaire, then enter your e-mail where IARC can contact you. Then click on "Continue".
  4. Choose the appropriate category. Start filling out the questionnaire.
  5. If you need to change any answers in the questionnaire, click on the corresponding button. Select "Save project" after completing the questionnaire
  6. Click on Set Age Limit.

Application Distribution Features Settings

In the settings of the Developer Console, you must choose what type of software you publish. Specify in which countries distribution is allowed. At the same time, you need to configure its distribution on different devices under the Android OS.

In the "Page settings" select the "Pricing and distribution" subsection. Here you can specify whether you plan to host a paid or free application. Please note that paid software can be made free, but in order to make a product that was free to use paid, you will need to reload the packages, and then assign a new name to the product.

I have developed my own application and I want to upload it to Google play. What do I need to do?

Answer

Google Play is a popular app store for devices based on operating system Android. To upload the application to the store, you need to go through a paid registration. Then take the following course of action.

1. Open the dedicated Google Play Developer Console.

2. Use the "Add application" function, which is located at the top of the screen.

3. From the drop-down menu, you should select the language and enter the name of the application. Please note that this is the name that users will see on Google Play.

Responsibly approach the naming of packages with application files. First, they need to be made unique. Secondly, you will not be able to change them or delete them in the future.

The latest APK files can be seen on the APK page. The file can be up to 50 MB in size. Extension files will help you download graphics and other auxiliary elements.

Attention! If you lose access to the keystore, the only thing you can do is download the application with a new package name and, of course, a new key. You will also have to update the description of the original app and stop sharing it.

5. Complete the "About" section of the "Google Play Data" page, paying special attention to the following fields:

  • Name

This title will be shown on Google Play. One name for each language is allowed.

  • Short description

This description is published on the application information page in the Google Play Store. Its maximum length is 80 characters.

  • Full description

It is this description of the application that can be seen in GooglePlay. It should fit in 4000 characters.

  • Updates

Here are the changes made to latest version applications.

Attention! Don't go overboard with repeating keywords in titles and descriptions. Use them where it's really appropriate. Otherwise, the risk of blocking the application in the store increases.

6. Provide contact information.

The contact details entered in this section can be seen by everyone Google users play. By contacting them, users should receive proper support for the application.

Attention!!! Support can be via website, email, or phone, but please note that a valid email address is required to publish the app to the store.

At the top of the application page in the developer console, the status of its publication is displayed. The "Draft" status means that the app has not yet been uploaded to Google Play.
The Published status indicates that the app has been published and is available in the store. The Suspended status indicates that the application has been suspended as a result of a rule violation, established by Google play.

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