The variety of Google Play moderation rejections has been steadily growing over the previous few years. Necessities for API, information 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 how one can 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 earth. Greater than 3 billion lively gadgets, and tens of millions of potential customers — sounds like every developer’s dream.
Nonetheless, due to its large viewers, Google is very attentive to software safety, information safety, and stability. The slightest violations and the publication is rejected. That’s why it’s vital to know upfront what necessities Google Play imposes on functions and how one can move moderation the primary time.
Step-by-Step: The way to Publish an App on the Google Play Retailer
Even in case you have beforehand had the expertise of releasing an iOS app, needless to say Google has a unique algorithm that require particular consideration. Additionally, there could also be facets of the app that won’t be apparent whereas creating however will grow to be essential whereas checking.
Google Play Console: Account and Venture Preparation
Earlier than importing an software, that you must correctly arrange a developer account and put together primary details about the undertaking. 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, that you must register a Google Play Developer Account. You’ll be able to 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 straight away.
Throughout the registration course of, Google verifies the id of the developer and the accuracy of the information supplied. Errors or inaccuracies at this stage might lead to account rejection, making it unimaginable to publish functions.
Developer Web page
The developer profile should embody:
- The precise title of the corporate or developer
- A sound e-mail tackle for communication
- A working web site (if any)
This information 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 information (which just about any app does now).
Your coverage ought to:
- Absolutely describe what information 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 useful)
Though it isn’t but a compulsory requirement, Google is actively selling using 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 info, 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, lowering obtain dimension and bettering efficiency. For those who’re nonetheless utilizing the previous APK format, it’s time to change.
Goal API Stage: At all times Up-to-date
Google strictly screens 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 motive for the denial of publication
An up to date record of goal API necessities is all the time accessible right here:
Goal API stage necessities
Stability Examine: Actual-world Testing
Google pays particular consideration to software 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 totally different gadgets
To reduce such dangers:
- At all times check the app on actual gadgets, overlaying totally 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 information
These instruments let you proactively detect and repair bugs earlier than submitting your app to Google Play.
Permissions: Minimal Needed Entry
Permissions are one of the delicate areas for Google moderators:
- Request solely these permissions which are truly mandatory for the appliance to work
- Any entry to location, digicam, reminiscence, contacts, SMS, calls, and different delicate information 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 typical motive for denial or further overview
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 manner you describe the performance, work with consumer information, and design the app’s pages within the retailer.
Description of the Utility — 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 software or work in a different way than acknowledged — this is without doubt one of the frequent causes for rejection throughout moderation.
The textual content must be clear, skilled, and sincere, with out extreme advertising and marketing guarantees or exaggerations. Google pays specific consideration to doubtlessly deceptive language, so any claims in regards to 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 lead to further scrutiny or rejection of the publication.
Media content material (Screenshots, Icons, Movies)
All visible supplies — screenshots, icons, movies — should precisely display the precise operation of the appliance. Using photos that mislead the consumer or don’t replicate the precise performance is unacceptable.
Google fastidiously 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 information assortment schemes.
Any type of manipulation of customers’ private info, hidden charges, or deception might 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 — using third-party cost methods is prohibited on this case.
Failure to adjust to these necessities might end result not solely within the rejection of the publication but in addition 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 upfront. After publication, will probably be way more troublesome 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 should be appropriately arrange by way of Google Play Billing. Utilizing third-party cost methods for digital content material is towards Google’s coverage and should result in publication rejection.
Information Security
The Information Security part is without doubt one of the most delicate and completely checked by Google Play moderation. The developer should absolutely and truthfully specify all forms of consumer information that the app collects: private, technical, location, and every other information.
It is usually mandatory to tell whether or not this information 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, it is 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 Ranking 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 accommodates user-generated content material (e.g., chats, boards, social options), inside promoting, or offers with delicate subjects, this could all the time 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 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 further checks. It’s not really useful to pick out a broader viewers “simply in case” — this may increasingly additionally set off further 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 how one can act in case of rejection.
Moderation Timeframe
Utility validation can take anyplace from just a few hours to 3-7 enterprise days. When you’ve got advanced performance, delicate permissions, or a selected target market, the method might 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 might be rejected — attributable to rule updates or outcomes of automated checks. After rejection, the developer receives an electronic 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 selected motive for rejection. The most typical 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 consult with particular paperwork from the official documentation — these references ought to all the time be studied to know the precise nature of the violation.
Working with Google Assist and Moderation Guidelines
In case your software is rejected, however you’re certain that the rejection is unjustified — there may be all the time a chance to problem the choice. Google Play Console has a particular enchantment kind for this function.
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 affirm 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 constructive resolution. In advanced and controversial circumstances, you may contact a separate Google assist group by way of the Coverage Assist kind.
The primary rule of publishing stays the identical: by no means attempt to cheat sparsely. Google actively detects any makes an attempt to avoid 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 also can utterly 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 it is best to pay particular consideration to:
Privateness and Information Assortment Violations
- Incomplete or inaccurate information in Information Security
- Lacking or incorrect Privateness Coverage
- Unreported third-party SDKs
- Unreasonable information 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 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, photos, movies
- Infringement of logos and types
- Copying interfaces or ideas of different functions
The way to Keep away from Rejection
To be able 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 probabilities of rejection will lower dramatically.
Earlier than Publication:
- Remember to check the app on actual gadgets. Bugs on totally different fashions usually pop up throughout testing.
- Run the exams by way of Google Play Console. Pre-launch Report will enable you discover essential 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 gives helpful lists for the primary sections — privateness, permissions, information assortment, age restrictions, and so forth.
- Examine the Information Security part. All information 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 to’re solely asking for the correct permissions. No “simply in case” — each permission should be justified.
Technical Stability:
- Join Firebase Crashlytics. It’s going to enable you catch and rapidly repair software failures.
- Use Firebase App Distribution for group testing. This manner 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. The whole lot 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 out a wider viewers — there is no such thing as a want for pointless verification.
Within the Case of a Rejection:
- Learn the Google electronic mail fastidiously. 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 overview to the Apple App Retailer or Google Play, it can be crucial not solely to move the obligatory performance verify but in addition to care for assembly the necessities of the platforms upfront.
Correct design of retailer itemizing, preparation of appropriate app icon, description of app content material, organising cost methods, and privateness — all this impacts how easily the app overview will go.
On the stage of preparation for publication, attempt to completely check your app on totally different gadgets to make it possible for it really works stably in numerous situations. It will enable you detect doable bugs upfront and keep away from disagreeable surprises after the discharge.
It is usually value ensuring that your app meets all the present platform necessities: from the API stage to the principles of consumer information processing. For those who 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 throughout the app when utilizing totally different situations. That is very true for apps which are associated to cell app growth for enterprise or comprise advanced performance. Even minor deviations can result in delays or failures in validation.
To keep away from issues, it’s value going by means of the checklists beforehand: ensure your app asks for under the mandatory permissions, accommodates an up-to-date privateness coverage, and truthfully describes all performance within the retailer itemizing. Ideally, contain professionals within the course of to assist be sure that your app is absolutely prepared for publication and meets all necessities.
For those who don’t need to perceive all of the nuances your self, the SCAND group is prepared that can assist you at any stage. We audit apps earlier than they’re revealed, enable you create a correct retailer itemizing, verify 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 overview.
Due to our intensive expertise in cell app growth, we all know how one can put together the app in order that the moderation course of is as quick as doable and with out pointless rejections.
