The variety of Google Play moderation rejections has been steadily rising over the previous few years. Necessities for API, knowledge safety, stability, and proper description of performance — all of this has lengthy been extra than simply formalities.
On this article, we’ve compiled probably the most up-to-date suggestions on getting ready for publication: what to contemplate earlier than submitting an app for moderation, what errors most frequently trigger rejection, and tips on how to work successfully with Google tech assist if rejection does happen.
Why Getting on Google Play App Retailer Issues
Android is without doubt one of the hottest cell platforms on the planet. Greater than 3 billion energetic gadgets, and tens of millions of potential customers — sounds like every developer’s dream.
Nonetheless, due to its enormous viewers, Google is particularly attentive to utility safety, knowledge safety, and stability. The slightest violations and the publication is rejected. That’s why it’s essential to know upfront what necessities Google Play imposes on functions and tips on how to move moderation the primary time.
Step-by-Step: The right way to Publish an App on the Google Play Retailer
Even in case you have beforehand had the expertise of releasing an iOS app, understand that Google has a distinct algorithm that require particular consideration. Additionally, there could also be features of the app that won’t be apparent whereas growing however will become essential whereas checking.
Google Play Console: Account and Challenge Preparation
Earlier than importing an utility, it’s good to correctly arrange a developer account and put together primary details about the undertaking. This step appears easy, however it’s typically the place the place potential causes for app rejection throughout moderation are laid down.
Developer account
To publish in Google Play, it’s good to register a Google Play Developer Account. You may create it as a person or as a corporation — if the appliance is developed for enterprise, it’s higher to decide on a company account instantly.
Throughout the registration course of, Google verifies the id of the developer and the accuracy of the information offered. Errors or inaccuracies at this stage might end in account rejection, making it not possible to publish functions.
Developer Web page
The developer profile should embody:
- The precise identify of the corporate or developer
- A legitimate e-mail deal with for communication
- A working web site (if any)
This knowledge is displayed within the retailer and helps Google confirm the legitimacy of the account.
Privateness Coverage
Google requires an app to have a printed privateness coverage, particularly if it collects or processes consumer knowledge (which just about any app does now).
Your coverage ought to:
- Absolutely describe what knowledge is collected and the way it’s used
- Clarify who the information is shared with and the way it’s protected
- Be accessible by way of a secure hyperlink (Google checks it)
The hyperlink is specified within the Google Play Console and should result in a working web page with out 404 errors, redirects, or inaccessibility.
Play Integrity API (really helpful)
Though it isn’t but a compulsory requirement, Google is actively selling the usage of the Play Integrity API. It helps defend the app from tampering, hacking, and rogue installations. The combination of this API is an effective sign for moderation to concentrate to safety.
APK/AAB: Making ready the Utility Construct
After organising your account and filling within the primary data, the important thing technical stage comes — getting ready the app construct. That is the place a lot of the necessities that Google checks throughout moderation are established.
Utilizing the Android App Bundle (AAB)
The Android App Bundle (AAB) format is now necessary for publishing new apps to Google Play. It permits Google to dynamically construct optimized APKs for every consumer’s machine, decreasing obtain dimension and enhancing efficiency. In the event you’re nonetheless utilizing the previous APK format, it’s time to change.
Goal API Stage: All the time Up-to-date
Google strictly displays the compliance of apps with present Android variations:
- Each new app is required to make use of the minimal Google Play-supported API goal stage
- There are separate deadlines for updates, which Google publishes upfront
- Utilizing an outdated API is a frequent purpose for the denial of publication
An up to date checklist of goal API necessities is at all times obtainable right here:
Goal API stage necessities
Stability Examine: Actual-world Testing
Google pays particular consideration to utility stability. Moderation might reject a construct throughout pre-release testing or when downloading happens:
- ANR (Utility Not Responding)
- Crashes and crashes throughout launch or runtime
- Compatibility points with completely different gadgets
To reduce such dangers:
- All the time check the app on actual gadgets, overlaying completely different Android variations and configurations
- Use Firebase App Distribution to distribute check variations throughout the group or to a restricted group of customers
- Combine Firebase Crashlytics to gather real-time crash knowledge
These instruments help you proactively detect and repair bugs earlier than submitting your app to Google Play.
Permissions: Minimal Obligatory Entry
Permissions are one of the vital delicate areas for Google moderators:
- Request solely these permissions which might be truly needed for the appliance to work
- Any entry to location, digicam, reminiscence, contacts, SMS, calls, and different delicate knowledge have to be justified
- When submitting for publication, Google would require you to clarify the aim for utilizing every requested permission
- Requesting unreasonable permissions is a typical purpose for denial or extra assessment
App Content material, Pricing, Metadata: Filling within the Utility Data
When the construct is prepared and uploaded, the subsequent essential stage comes — filling in all of the details about the app within the Google Play Console. Right here moderators look not on the code, however on the approach you describe the performance, work with consumer knowledge, and design the app’s pages within the retailer.
Description of the Utility — Honesty and Consistency With Performance
The appliance description ought to mirror its precise performance as precisely as attainable. You will need to keep away from conditions when the outline claims options that aren’t current within the utility or work otherwise than acknowledged — this is without doubt one of the frequent causes for rejection throughout moderation.
The textual content needs to be clear, skilled, and sincere, with out extreme advertising and marketing guarantees or exaggerations. Google pays explicit consideration to probably deceptive language, so any claims concerning the app’s options ought to match its precise features.
Additionally, don’t overuse key phrases within the description — makes an attempt to artificially improve the visibility of the app by means of spammy or irrelevant phrases might end in extra scrutiny or rejection of the publication.
Media content material (Screenshots, Icons, Movies)
All visible supplies — screenshots, icons, movies — should precisely exhibit the precise operation of the appliance. Using pictures that mislead the consumer or don’t mirror the precise performance is unacceptable.
Google fastidiously checks screenshots for accuracy, prohibited, offensive, or inappropriate content material, and compliance with normal design necessities.
For instance, textual content in screenshots shouldn’t take up the vast majority of the picture — the main target needs to be on the appliance interface and consumer expertise. Compliance with these guidelines helps keep away from pointless checks and will increase belief from each customers and moderators.
Google Play Content material Coverage
Google Play strictly enforces its content material coverage. The platform prohibits the publication of apps that include malicious, offensive, or unlawful content material, violate copyrights, or use misleading monetization and knowledge assortment schemes.
Any type of manipulation of customers’ private data, hidden charges, or deception might trigger the app to be rejected or eliminated. If the app contains monetization of digital content material, all funds should undergo the official Google Play Billing fee system — the usage of third-party fee methods is prohibited on this case.
Failure to adjust to these necessities might consequence not solely within the rejection of the publication but additionally within the full removing of the app from the shop.
Pricing
If the appliance is distributed on a business foundation, it’s essential to specify the worth upfront. After publication, will probably be way more tough to alter the worth of a free app to a paid model, so you will need to make this alternative earlier than sending it for moderation.
For in-app monetization (buy of options, content material, subscriptions), all funds have to be appropriately arrange by way of Google Play Billing. Utilizing third-party fee methods for digital content material is towards Google’s coverage and should result in publication rejection.
Knowledge Security
The Knowledge Security part is without doubt one of the most delicate and completely checked by Google Play moderation. The developer should totally and actually specify all varieties of consumer knowledge that the app collects: private, technical, location, and every other knowledge.
It’s also needed to tell whether or not this knowledge is transferred to 3rd events, whether or not third-party SDKs and companies are used, in addition to point out whether or not encryption and safety measures are used within the transmission and storage of data.
As well as, it’s best to describe the aim for which the information is collected, whether or not it’s for analytics, personalization, promoting, or different functions.
Content material Score Questionnaire
Each app revealed on Google Play should move a content material ranking questionnaire. All solutions within the questionnaire have to be correct and truthful. If the app accommodates user-generated content material (e.g., chats, boards, social options), inside promoting, or offers with delicate subjects, this could at all times be thought-about when deciding on an age class.
Goal Viewers and Content material
The age class of the target market is specified individually within the questionnaire. If the appliance is aimed toward kids, it’s topic to a particular Program for households with particular and stricter necessities.
If the target market is grownup customers, you will need to specify this appropriately to keep away from pointless restrictions or extra checks. It isn’t really helpful to pick a broader viewers “simply in case” — this will likely additionally set off extra checks from Google.
Overview Timelines
After submitting your app to Google Play Console, the moderation stage begins. You will need to perceive how the method works, what to anticipate, and tips on how to act in case of rejection.
Moderation Timeframe
Utility validation can take wherever from a number of hours to 3-7 enterprise days. If in case you have complicated performance, delicate permissions, or a particular target market, the method might take longer. Google doesn’t set a set timeframe — the extra complicated the app, the longer the moderation course of will take.
Making ready for Attainable Rejection
Even with correct preparation, an app could be rejected — as a consequence of rule updates or outcomes of computerized checks. After rejection, the developer receives an e mail and a notification in Play Console. You will need to analyze the e-mail fastidiously: the usual textual content is usually supplemented with a particular purpose for rejection. The commonest causes are:
- Non-compliance with the required Goal API Stage;
- Unreasonable permissions are requested;
- Errors or incompleteness within the privateness coverage;
- Underestimated age ranking or errors within the target market questionnaire;
- The acknowledged performance within the description doesn’t correspond to the precise performance.
Along with the rationale for the denial, Google’s letter might check with particular paperwork from the official documentation — these references ought to at all times be studied to know the precise nature of the violation.
Working with Google Help and Moderation Guidelines
In case your utility is rejected, however you’re positive that the rejection is unjustified — there may be at all times a chance to problem the choice. Google Play Console has a particular attraction kind for this goal.
You will need to describe the essence of the scenario in as a lot element and clearly as attainable, connect screenshots, movies and every other supplies that may affirm the corrections or compliance of the appliance with the principles of the platform.
The extra particular and clear your attraction is, the upper the possibilities for a fast and optimistic choice. In complicated and controversial instances, you’ll be able to contact a separate Google assist group by way of the Coverage Help kind.
The primary rule of publishing stays the identical: by no means attempt to cheat moderately. Google actively detects any makes an attempt to bypass the principles — whether or not it’s importing a light-weight construct for moderation after which changing the code, hidden performance, bypassing permission restrictions, or utilizing hidden SDKs activated by means of the server.
For such actions Google applies the hardest sanctions: not solely rejects the publication, however may also utterly block the developer’s account with deletion of all revealed functions with out the potential for restoration.
Prime Causes for Google Play Retailer Rejection
Many apps are turned down throughout Google Play moderation even with nice planning.
Listed below are the principle causes it’s best to pay particular consideration to:
Privateness and Knowledge Assortment Violations
- Incomplete or inaccurate knowledge in Knowledge Security
- Lacking or incorrect Privateness Coverage
- Unreported third-party SDKs
- Unreasonable knowledge assortment functions
Deceptive Metadata
- Promising non-existent talents
- Exaggerated wording
- Inaccurate screenshots
- Key phrase spamming
Delicate Permissions
- Requesting unreasonable permissions (location, contacts, digicam, reminiscence, calls)
- Failure to clarify the aim of every permission
- Makes an attempt to achieve extreme entry to the machine with no clear want
Inappropriate Content material
- Violence, abuse, discrimination, pornography
- Hidden subscriptions, deceptive purchases
- Violations of native legal guidelines
- Weak moderation of user-generated content material
Copyright/IP Points
- Unlicensed use of music, pictures, movies
- Infringement of logos and types
- Copying interfaces or ideas of different functions
The right way to Keep away from Rejection
With a purpose to move Google Play moderation the primary time (and to not waste time debating with assist), we’ve put collectively a easy and workable guidelines for you. Undergo it earlier than every publication — and the possibilities of rejection will lower dramatically.
Earlier than Publication:
- You’ll want to check the app on actual gadgets. Bugs on completely different fashions typically pop up throughout testing.
- Run the exams by way of Google Play Console. Pre-launch Report will allow you to discover vital bugs upfront: crashes, hangs, and efficiency points.
- Use check tracks in Google Play: inside, closed, or open — to check the app on a restricted viewers earlier than the official launch.
Google’s Necessities:
- Undergo the official coverage checklists. Google itself supplies useful lists for the principle sections — privateness, permissions, knowledge assortment, age restrictions, and so on.
- Examine the Knowledge Security part. All knowledge that the app collects, transmits, or processes — have to be sincere and detailed.
- Replace the Privateness Coverage. It needs to be full, updated, at a working hyperlink, with no redirects or “404 Not Discovered”.
- Be sure to’re solely asking for the proper permissions. No “simply in case” — each permission have to be justified.
Technical Stability:
- Join Firebase Crashlytics. It’s going to allow you to catch and shortly repair utility failures.
- Use Firebase App Distribution for group testing. This fashion you’re going to get suggestions even earlier than importing for moderation.
- Combine Play Integrity API. That is an extra plus for app safety.
Proper Earlier than the Launch:
- Examine the outline, screenshots, and movies. Every part a consumer sees in Google Play ought to strictly correspond to what she or he will get after set up.
- Don’t attempt to trick the system with lovely however unrealistic promo supplies.
- Specify the right age class and target market. You don’t want to pick a wider viewers — there isn’t a want for pointless verification.
Within the Case of a Rejection:
- Learn the Google e mail fastidiously. Generally, essential particulars are hidden within the textual content itself or in references to official paperwork.
- Put together well-reasoned appeals. Screenshots, movies, detailed explanations — the clearer your place, the upper the possibility that the moderation will rethink the choice.
Remaining Suggestions
Earlier than submitting your app for assessment to the Apple App Retailer or Google Play, it is vital not solely to move the necessary performance test but additionally to maintain assembly the necessities of the platforms upfront.
Correct design of retailer itemizing, preparation of appropriate app icon, description of app content material, organising fee methods, and privateness — all this impacts how easily the app assessment will go.
On the stage of preparation for publication, attempt to completely check your app on completely different gadgets to be sure that it really works stably in several situations. It will allow you to detect attainable bugs upfront and keep away from disagreeable surprises after the discharge.
It’s also price ensuring that your app meets all the present platform necessities: from the API stage to the principles of consumer knowledge processing. In the event you plan to launch not solely on iOS but additionally on Android, take care to fulfill the necessities of each platforms.
You’ll want to test how your app works throughout the app when utilizing completely different eventualities. That is very true for apps which might be associated to cell app growth for enterprise or include complicated performance. Even minor deviations can result in delays or failures in validation.
To keep away from issues, it’s price going by means of the checklists beforehand: be sure your app asks for less than the required permissions, accommodates an up-to-date privateness coverage, and actually describes all performance within the retailer itemizing. Ideally, contain professionals within the course of to assist be sure that your app is totally prepared for publication and meets all necessities.
In the event you don’t wish to perceive all of the nuances your self, the SCAND group is prepared that will help you at any stage. We audit apps earlier than they’re revealed, allow you to create a correct retailer itemizing, test all of the features contained in the app, assess compliance with Google Play and Apple App Retailer necessities, and put together full documentation for app assessment.
Due to our intensive expertise in cell app growth, we all know tips on how to put together the app in order that the moderation course of is as quick as attainable and with out pointless rejections.
