The variety of Google Play moderation rejections has been steadily growing 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 easy methods to work successfully with Google tech help if rejection does happen.
Why Getting on Google Play App Retailer Issues
Android is likely one of the hottest cellular platforms on this planet. Greater than 3 billion energetic gadgets, and hundreds of thousands of potential customers — sounds like every developer’s dream.
Nevertheless, due to its large 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 vital to know prematurely what necessities Google Play imposes on functions and easy methods to go moderation the primary time.
Step-by-Step: Easy methods to Publish an App on the Google Play Retailer
Even if in case you have beforehand had the expertise of releasing an iOS app, remember 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 develop into essential whereas checking.
Google Play Console: Account and Mission Preparation
Earlier than importing an utility, you want to correctly arrange a developer account and put together primary details about the venture. 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, you want 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.
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 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:
- Totally 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’s not 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 mixing of this API is an efficient 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 gadget, decreasing obtain dimension and enhancing efficiency. If you happen to’re nonetheless utilizing the outdated 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 degree
- 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 record of goal API necessities is at all times accessible right here:
Goal API degree necessities
Stability Examine: Actual-world Testing
Google pays particular consideration to utility stability. Moderation could 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 totally different gadgets
To attenuate such dangers:
- All the time take a look at the app on actual gadgets, overlaying totally different Android variations and configurations
- Use Firebase App Distribution to distribute take a look at variations throughout the staff or to a restricted group of customers
- Combine Firebase Crashlytics to gather real-time crash knowledge
These instruments assist you to proactively detect and repair bugs earlier than submitting your app to Google Play.
Permissions: Minimal Crucial Entry
Permissions are one of the crucial delicate areas for Google moderators:
- Request solely these permissions which might be truly vital 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 elucidate the aim for utilizing every requested permission
- Requesting unreasonable permissions is a standard 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 vital 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 means 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 applying 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 likely one of the frequent causes for rejection throughout moderation.
The textual content must be clear, skilled, and sincere, 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 improve the visibility of the app by spammy or irrelevant phrases could lead to extra scrutiny or rejection of the publication.
Media content material (Screenshots, Icons, Movies)
All visible supplies — screenshots, icons, movies — should precisely show 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 common design necessities.
For instance, textual content in screenshots shouldn’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 comprise 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 consists of monetization of digital content material, all funds should undergo the official Google Play Billing cost system — the usage of third-party cost programs is prohibited on this case.
Failure to adjust to these necessities could end result not solely within the rejection of the publication but additionally within the full elimination of the app from the shop.
Pricing
If the appliance is distributed on a industrial foundation, it’s essential to specify the worth prematurely. After publication, will probably be way more troublesome to vary 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 should be appropriately arrange through Google Play Billing. Utilizing third-party cost programs for digital content material is towards Google’s coverage and will result in publication rejection.
Knowledge Security
The Knowledge Security part is likely one of the most delicate and completely checked by Google Play moderation. The developer should absolutely and actually specify all sorts of consumer knowledge that the app collects: private, technical, location, and every other knowledge.
It is usually vital 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 knowledge.
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 Ranking Questionnaire
Each app revealed on Google Play should go a content material score questionnaire. All solutions within the questionnaire should be correct and truthful. If the app incorporates user-generated content material (e.g., chats, boards, social options), inner promoting, or offers with delicate subjects, this could at all times be thought of 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 geared toward youngsters, 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’s not advisable to pick a broader viewers “simply in case” — this may increasingly additionally set off extra checks from Google.
Evaluation 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 easy methods to act in case of rejection.
Moderation Timeframe
Utility validation can take anyplace from a couple of hours to 3-7 enterprise days. You probably have complicated performance, delicate permissions, or a selected target market, the method could 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 Doable Rejection
Even with correct preparation, an app will be rejected — on account of rule updates or outcomes of computerized checks. After rejection, the developer receives an electronic mail and a notification in Play Console. You will need to analyze the e-mail rigorously: the usual textual content is usually supplemented with a selected 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 score or errors within the target market 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 consult 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 might be positive that the rejection is unjustified — there may be at all times a chance to problem the choice. Google Play Console has a particular enchantment kind for this goal.
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 every other supplies that may verify the corrections or compliance of the appliance with the principles of the platform.
The extra particular and clear your enchantment is, the upper the probabilities for a fast and optimistic choice. In complicated and controversial circumstances, you’ll be able to contact a separate Google help staff through 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 the server.
For such actions Google applies the hardest sanctions: not solely rejects the publication, however may also fully block the developer’s account with deletion of all revealed functions with out the potential of restoration.
High Causes for Google Play Retailer Rejection
Many apps are turned down throughout Google Play moderation even with nice planning.
Listed below are the primary 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 skills
- Exaggerated wording
- Inaccurate screenshots
- Key phrase spamming
Delicate Permissions
- Requesting unreasonable permissions (location, contacts, digicam, reminiscence, calls)
- Failure to elucidate the aim of every permission
- Makes an attempt to realize extreme entry to the gadget with out a 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
Easy methods to Keep away from Rejection
With the intention to go 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:
- Make sure to take a look at the app on actual gadgets. Bugs on totally different fashions typically pop up throughout testing.
- Run the assessments through Google Play Console. Pre-launch Report will enable you discover important bugs prematurely: crashes, hangs, and efficiency points.
- Use take a look at tracks in Google Play: inner, 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 helpful lists for the primary sections — privateness, permissions, knowledge assortment, age restrictions, and many others.
- Examine the Knowledge Security part. All knowledge that the app collects, transmits, or processes — should be sincere and detailed.
- Replace the Privateness Coverage. It must be full, updated, at a working hyperlink, with no redirects or “404 Not Discovered”.
- Be sure you’re solely asking for the fitting permissions. No “simply in case” — each permission should be justified.
Technical Stability:
- Join Firebase Crashlytics. It should enable you catch and shortly repair utility failures.
- Use Firebase App Distribution for staff testing. This manner 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:
- Examine 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 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 electronic mail rigorously. Typically, vital 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.
Closing Ideas
Earlier than submitting your app for assessment to the Apple App Retailer or Google Play, it is vital not solely to go the necessary performance examine but additionally to maintain assembly the necessities of the platforms prematurely.
Correct design of retailer itemizing, preparation of right app icon, description of app content material, organising cost programs, and privateness — all this impacts how easily the app assessment will go.
On the stage of preparation for publication, attempt to completely take a look at your app on totally different gadgets to guarantee that it really works stably in numerous situations. This can enable you 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 degree to the principles of consumer knowledge processing. If you happen to plan to launch not solely on iOS but additionally on Android, take care to satisfy the necessities of each platforms.
Make sure to examine how your app works throughout the app when utilizing totally different eventualities. That is very true for apps which might be associated to cellular app growth for enterprise or comprise complicated performance. Even minor deviations can result in delays or failures in validation.
To keep away from issues, it’s price going by the checklists beforehand: be certain your app asks for under the required permissions, incorporates 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 certain that your app is absolutely prepared for publication and meets all necessities.
If you happen to 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, enable you create a correct retailer itemizing, examine 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.
Because of our in depth expertise in cellular app growth, we all know easy methods to put together the app in order that the moderation course of is as quick as doable and with out pointless rejections.
