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 essentially 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 learn how to work successfully with Google tech help if rejection does happen.
Why Getting on Google Play App Retailer Issues
Android is among the hottest cellular platforms on the planet. Greater than 3 billion lively gadgets, and thousands and thousands of potential customers — sounds like every developer’s dream.
Nevertheless, due to its large viewers, Google is very attentive to utility safety, knowledge safety, and stability. The slightest violations and the publication is rejected. That’s why it’s necessary to grasp prematurely what necessities Google Play imposes on purposes and learn how to move moderation the primary time.
Step-by-Step: Publish an App on the Google Play Retailer
Even you probably 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 elements of the app that won’t be apparent whereas growing however will grow to be essential whereas checking.
Google Play Console: Account and Venture Preparation
Earlier than importing an utility, it is advisable to correctly arrange a developer account and put together primary details about the venture. This step appears easy, however it’s usually the place the place potential causes for app rejection throughout moderation are laid down.
Developer account
To publish in Google Play, it is advisable to register a Google Play Developer Account. You possibly can 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.
In the course of the registration course of, Google verifies the id of the developer and the accuracy of the info supplied. Errors or inaccuracies at this stage could lead to account rejection, making it unattainable to publish purposes.
Developer Web page
The developer profile should embrace:
- The precise title of the corporate or developer
- A legitimate e-mail tackle 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 info is shared with and the way it’s protected
- Be accessible through 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 (advisable)
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 Software 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 obligatory for publishing new apps to Google Play. It permits Google to dynamically construct optimized APKs for every consumer’s machine, decreasing obtain measurement and enhancing efficiency. Should you’re nonetheless utilizing the outdated APK format, it’s time to change.
Goal API Degree: 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 prematurely
- 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 Verify: Actual-world Testing
Google pays particular consideration to utility stability. Moderation could reject a construct throughout pre-release testing or when downloading happens:
- ANR (Software Not Responding)
- Crashes and crashes throughout launch or runtime
- Compatibility points with completely different gadgets
To attenuate such dangers:
- All the time check the app on actual gadgets, masking completely different Android variations and configurations
- Use Firebase App Distribution to distribute check variations inside the staff or to a restricted group of customers
- Combine Firebase Crashlytics to gather real-time crash knowledge
These instruments will let you proactively detect and repair bugs earlier than submitting your app to Google Play.
Permissions: Minimal Vital Entry
Permissions are some of the delicate areas for Google moderators:
- Request solely these permissions which can be truly needed for the appliance to work
- Any entry to location, digicam, reminiscence, contacts, SMS, calls, and different delicate knowledge should be justified
- When submitting for publication, Google would require you to clarify the aim for utilizing every requested permission
- Requesting unreasonable permissions is a standard purpose for denial or further assessment
App Content material, Pricing, Metadata: Filling within the Software Data
When the construct is prepared and uploaded, the subsequent necessary 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 Software — Honesty and Consistency With Performance
The appliance description ought to replicate its precise performance as precisely as doable. You will need to keep away from conditions when the outline claims options that aren’t current within the utility or work in a different way than said — this is among the frequent causes for rejection throughout moderation.
The textual content must be clear, skilled, and trustworthy, with out extreme advertising guarantees or exaggerations. Google pays specific consideration to doubtlessly deceptive language, so any claims concerning the app’s options ought to match its precise capabilities.
Additionally, don’t overuse key phrases within the description — makes an attempt to artificially enhance the visibility of the app by way of spammy or irrelevant phrases could lead to further scrutiny or rejection of the publication.
Media content material (Screenshots, Icons, Movies)
All visible supplies — screenshots, icons, movies — should precisely reveal the precise operation of the appliance. The usage of pictures that mislead the consumer or don’t replicate the precise performance is unacceptable.
Google rigorously checks screenshots for accuracy, prohibited, offensive, or inappropriate content material, and compliance with basic design necessities.
For instance, textual content in screenshots mustn’t take up nearly all of the picture — the main focus must 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 could 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 techniques is prohibited on this case.
Failure to adjust to these necessities could end result not solely within the rejection of the publication but in addition within the full removing of the app from the shop.
Pricing
If the appliance is distributed on a industrial foundation, it’s essential to specify the value prematurely. After publication, will probably be rather more troublesome to vary the value 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 should be accurately arrange through Google Play Billing. Utilizing third-party fee techniques for digital content material is in opposition to Google’s coverage and will result in publication rejection.
Knowledge Security
The Knowledge Security part is among 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 another knowledge.
It is usually 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, you must describe the aim for which the info 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 should be correct and truthful. If the app comprises user-generated content material (e.g., chats, boards, social options), inside promoting, or offers with delicate matters, this could at all times be thought-about when deciding on an age class.
Goal Viewers and Content material
The age class of the audience is specified individually within the questionnaire. If the appliance is geared toward kids, it’s topic to a particular Program for households with particular and stricter necessities.
If the audience is grownup customers, you will need to specify this accurately to keep away from pointless restrictions or further checks. It’s not advisable to pick out a broader viewers “simply in case” — this will additionally set off further 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 learn how to act in case of rejection.
Moderation Timeframe
Software validation can take anyplace from a couple of hours to 3-7 enterprise days. When you’ve got advanced performance, delicate permissions, or a selected audience, the method could take longer. Google doesn’t set a set timeframe — the extra advanced the app, the longer the moderation course of will take.
Making ready for Potential Rejection
Even with correct preparation, an app will be rejected — resulting from 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 rigorously: the usual textual content is commonly supplemented with a selected purpose for rejection. The most typical causes are:
- Non-compliance with the required Goal API Degree;
- Unreasonable permissions are requested;
- Errors or incompleteness within the privateness coverage;
- Underestimated age ranking or errors within the audience questionnaire;
- The said performance within the description doesn’t correspond to the precise performance.
Along with the explanation for the denial, Google’s letter could seek advice from particular paperwork from the official documentation — these references ought to at all times be studied to grasp the precise nature of the violation.
Working with Google Assist and Moderation Guidelines
In case your utility is rejected, however you might be positive that the rejection is unjustified — there’s at all times a chance to problem the choice. Google Play Console has a particular enchantment kind for this objective.
You will need to describe the essence of the state of affairs in as a lot element and clearly as doable, connect screenshots, movies and another supplies that may affirm the corrections or compliance of the appliance with the foundations of the platform.
The extra particular and clear your enchantment is, the upper the possibilities for a fast and constructive determination. In advanced and controversial circumstances, you may contact a separate Google help staff through the Coverage Assist kind.
The principle rule of publishing stays the identical: by no means attempt to cheat carefully. Google actively detects any makes an attempt to avoid the foundations — 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 way of the server.
For such actions Google applies the hardest sanctions: not solely rejects the publication, however also can fully block the developer’s account with deletion of all revealed purposes 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 here are the principle causes you must 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 realize 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 emblems and types
- Copying interfaces or ideas of different purposes
Keep away from Rejection
In an effort to move Google Play moderation the primary time (and to not waste time debating with help), 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:
- Remember to check the app on actual gadgets. Bugs on completely different fashions usually pop up throughout testing.
- Run the exams through Google Play Console. Pre-launch Report will make it easier to discover crucial bugs prematurely: 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 offers helpful lists for the principle sections — privateness, permissions, knowledge assortment, age restrictions, and many others.
- Verify the Knowledge Security part. All knowledge that the app collects, transmits, or processes — should be trustworthy and detailed.
- Replace the Privateness Coverage. It must be full, updated, at a working hyperlink, with no redirects or “404 Not Discovered”.
- Be sure to’re solely asking for the fitting permissions. No “simply in case” — each permission should be justified.
Technical Stability:
- Join Firebase Crashlytics. It is going to make it easier to catch and shortly repair utility failures.
- Use Firebase App Distribution for staff testing. This fashion you’ll 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:
- Verify the outline, screenshots, and movies. Every thing 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 proper age class and audience. You don’t want to pick out a wider viewers — there isn’t any want for pointless verification.
Within the Case of a Rejection:
- Learn the Google e mail rigorously. Generally, necessary 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.
Ultimate Ideas
Earlier than submitting your app for assessment to the Apple App Retailer or Google Play, it is vital not solely to move the obligatory performance verify but in addition to maintain assembly the necessities of the platforms prematurely.
Correct design of retailer itemizing, preparation of appropriate app icon, description of app content material, organising fee techniques, 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 ensure that it really works stably in several situations. This can make it easier to detect doable bugs prematurely and keep away from disagreeable surprises after the discharge.
It is usually price ensuring that your app meets all the present platform necessities: from the API stage to the foundations of consumer knowledge processing. Should you plan to launch not solely on iOS but in addition on Android, take care to fulfill the necessities of each platforms.
Remember to verify how your app works inside the app when utilizing completely different situations. That is very true for apps which can be associated to cellular app growth for enterprise or include advanced performance. Even minor deviations can result in delays or failures in validation.
To keep away from issues, it’s price going by way of the checklists beforehand: be certain your app asks for less than the required permissions, comprises an up-to-date privateness coverage, and actually describes all performance within the retailer itemizing. Ideally, contain professionals within the course of to assist make sure that your app is totally prepared for publication and meets all necessities.
Should you don’t wish to perceive all of the nuances your self, the SCAND staff is prepared that can assist you at any stage. We audit apps earlier than they’re revealed, make it easier to create a correct retailer itemizing, verify all of the capabilities 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 cellular app growth, we all know learn how to put together the app in order that the moderation course of is as quick as doable and with out pointless rejections.
