App signing (Play App Signing)
Understand Android app signing, the role of Play App Signing, and when you must provide a keystore to Releasely.
Every Android app is signed before it's distributed. On the Play Store this goes through Play App Signing: Google generates and protects your app's signing key for you. It's the default, and the simplest option.
The two keys to know
- App signing key — held by Google. It signs the files actually delivered to users. It never leaves Google.
- Upload key (keystore) — used to sign each build before uploading. Google verifies it, then re-signs with the app signing key. If it's lost, it can be reset via Google support without breaking the app.
What you need to do
New app: nothing special
For a new app, keep Play App Signing enabled (the default). Releasely handles signing for you: you don't need to provide a keystore.
You only need to provide a keystore in one case: your app is already published (or signed elsewhere) with a signing key Releasely doesn't hold. You then give Releasely your existing keystore so it can sign your builds with it.
Provide an existing keystore (if needed)
In Releasely, on your project's Credentials screen, in the Upload keystore section, provide:
- the
.jksfile (your upload keystore); - the key alias;
- the store password (and the key password, if different).
Build waiting for a key
If a build needs a keystore Releasely doesn't have yet, it pauses. As soon as you save the keystore, the build resumes automatically.
What's next?
You know how your app is signed. It's time to move into Releasely to configure everything and publish.
Create API access (service account)
Generate the service account and its JSON key that let Releasely upload your builds and manage your app on the Play Store.
Configure and publish in Releasely
What Releasely is for, what it concretely configures, and the launch checklist to follow to publish your Android app.