Google Play

Android requires a Play Console developer account and an application with the same package name as the Capacitor App ID.

Don’t have a Google Play developer account yet?

Every Android build needs one, and only you can create it. It takes one sitting, then Google verifies you. On Play Store settings, CapWrapp asks whether you have an account. Choose No to open these steps. The question is skipped when another app in CapWrapp is already connected to Google Play.

1. Sign up with the Google account to use at Play Console sign-up. The developer account belongs to that Google account, so pick one you’ll keep.
2. Choose personal or organization. An organization account asks for the company’s D-U-N-S number, and skips the 12-tester rule in step 4.
3. Pay the one-time 25 USD fee and verify your identity with an official ID. Google may also ask you to confirm a phone number, and that you have an Android device, through the Play Console app. Verification can take a few days.
4. Personal accounts: plan 12 testers. A personal account created after November 13, 2023 needs a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days in a row before the app can go to production. CapWrapp builds go to internal testing, which has no such rule, so you can test right away. Find your 12 testers.
5. Create the app in Play Console, then continue with step 1 below.

1. Create the app in Play Console

Create the app, set the package name to your App ID (app.yourbrand.mobile). Complete Play’s basic listing / declarations far enough that internal testing is allowed. Every CapWrapp build goes to the internal testing track; production is a separate step, from Releases.

Enroll in Play App Signing (Google’s default). CapWrapp signs an upload bundle; Google re-signs what users install.

2. Create a service account

A service account is a Google login for tools.

1. In Play Console: Setup → API access (or Users and permissions → API access). Link a Google Cloud project (Play can create one). Google’s guide: Use the Google Play Developer API.
2. In Google Cloud → Service accounts, create an account (name it something like capwrapp-play). Skip extra Cloud roles. Create a JSON key and download it — shown once.
3. Copy the service account email (name@project.iam.gserviceaccount.com). In Play Console, invite that email to this app with permission to release to testing tracks and to release to production (Play lists it as “Release to production, exclude devices, and use Play App Signing”). With testing tracks only, uploads work but Send to production is refused.
4. In Google Cloud, enable the Google Play Android Developer API. If Google says it is activating, wait a minute.

3. Keystore

A keystore stamps the upload. Play will reject an unsigned AAB.

• New app: in CapWrapp choose I don’t have a keystore. CapWrapp creates one and stores it. Download it from Settings if you will ever sign in Android Studio — never create a second upload key.
• Existing Play app: upload the .jks / .keystore you already registered, plus passwords and alias.

4. Save in CapWrapp

Settings → Play Store: package name, JSON, then save (and mint or upload the keystore).

JSON and keystore never go into Git. You can download the CapWrapp-created keystore later; keep alias and passwords private.

After the first upload

Play Console → Testing → Internal testing. Testers need the opt-in link. Like Apple, processing is not instant.

Send it to production

When testers are happy, open Releases and click Send to production. CapWrapp promotes the latest internal release to the production track with your What’s New notes, and Google reviews it. It stays off the public store until Google approves. Details: Send it to the stores.

Closed testing tracks are not started from CapWrapp. A personal developer account created after November 13, 2023 needs a closed test with 12 testers for 14 days before Google grants production access; until then, production is refused. That test, Data safety and the content rating are in the Google Play submission checklist.