App testing requirements for new personal developer accounts.

In November 2023, Google changed the requirements for publishing new apps on Google Play. According to Google, this change was made “to help developers to test their app, identify issues, get feedback, and ensure that everything is ready before they launch. These changes will require developers with personal accounts created after November 13, 2023, to meet specific testing requirements before they can make their app available on Google Play”.

Developers with personal accounts created after November 13, 2023, will now need to test their apps before those apps are eligible to be published for distribution on Google Play. If you have a newly created personal Google developer account, you must run a closed test for your app with a minimum of 20 testers for at least the last 14 days continuously. When you meet these criteria, you can apply for production access on the Dashboard in Play Console so that you can ultimately distribute your app on Google Play. Upon completing the testing period, you must then answer some questions to help Google understand your app, its testing process, and its production readiness.

Click here for instructions on how to Add Testers to your Google Developer Account (Play Console).

For more information, see the Google Help Page on their website here: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/14151465