Creating an App in the Google Play Console

Updated on 28. October 2024 by Jan Bunk

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Open the Google Play Console

Click "Create app"

Click "Create app"

Enter the name of your app:

If you want, you can slightly differ from the app name you configured on our website. For example if your app's name is normally ABC-Shop, you could add additional information by using "ABC-Shop | Buy Clothes Online" as the name in the Google Play Store. Enter a name for your app.

Select the main language of your website as default language.

Select the main language of your website as default language.

Pick "App" unless your website is a game.

Pick "App" unless your website is a game.

Decide whether downloading your app should be free or cost money.

Decide whether downloading your app should be free or cost money.

Click the checkboxes to agree to the developer program and Play App Signing policies as well as the US export laws. More information on export compliance

Click the checkboxes to agree to the developer program and Play App Signing policies as well as the US export laws.

Click "Create app" at the bottom right.

Click "Create app" at the bottom right.

Scroll down a bit to the setup section and click 'View tasks'. Make sure you are looking at the setup section and not one of the testing or release sections.

A screenshot of the tasks you should see.

Now go through each task one by one. Here are some tips and explanations for each task:

Always be as detailed as possible! This greatly increases the chances of your app getting approved.
  • Privacy Policy
    • Enter the link to your website's privacy policy.
    • Your privacy policy must fulfill the following criteria:
      • It must contain a way to contact you (e.g. e-mail address)
      • It must describe what data you collect
      • It must describe how long you keep and when you delete the data
      • It must be called a privacy policy (e.g. in the title of the page)
      • It must contain your website or app's name
      • It must be a page on your website (not a PDF or other document)
    • You can also link to this privacy policy that we generated for your app: https://webtoapp.design/apps/privacy_policy/Couldn't%20serialize%20app_id,%20probably%20undefined
      Please note that this privacy policy mentions your webtoapp.design account e-mail address as a way to contact you. If you don't want that e-mail address to be public, don't use this privacy policy.
  • After you have saved a step, you can get back to the overview with the remaining tasks by clicking one of the dashboard buttons at the top of the page.

    A screenshot of the buttons that lead back to the dashboard.

    Alternatively you can use the direct links in this guide.

  • App Access
    • If your website has an account system, you need to provide a test account to the app reviewers. The test account should be a regular user account of your website/app, it doesn't need to have special admin permissions.
      Please double-check that the test account you provided works. If the app reviewers can't log in with it, your app will be rejected.
  • Ads
    • We don't add any ads to your app, however if your website displays ads, those will be shown in the app too. So if your website shows ads, pick 'Yes, my app contains ads'
  • Content Rating
    • You will have to fill a questionnaire asking you about the contents of your app. Always answer truthfully to avoid issues later on.
    • If you can't click the "Next" button, you might need to click the "Save" button first. A screenshot of the save button hidden in the dots menu.
  • Target Audience
    • Pick the age of your typical user. This is independent from the content rating: For example if your app is for your website about plumbing, pick '18 and over' because that's probably your usual customer's age. Your content rating might still be 'Suitable for all ages' as your app doesn't contain any content that is harmful for children.
    • If your target audience is younger, you might have to fill in additional information.
  • News App
    • The policy on this is not very clear, but from my understanding this applies mostly to general news apps/websites. Blogs about a certain topic probably aren't considered a 'News app'.
    • If your app is a news app, make sure you follow the guidelines and provide the necessary information: News App Policy
  • Data safety
    • Does your app collect or share any of the required user data types? Yes
    • Is all of the user data collected by your app encrypted in transit? Yes
    • Select how users can log in on your website/app. Logging in with an e-mail can also be considered a username.
    • Add a link to your website where users can delete their account. The account deletion doesn't have to be automatic, a form to request account deletion (and you manually deleting the data) is fine too. If you use the app's built-in account deletion feature, you can enter the "Delete data URL" from your dashboard.
    • Select all the data types your website collects or shares with other services (e.g. payment providers). Data from these sections is the most common:
      • Personal info
      • Financial info (if users can pay for things on your website)
      • Photos and videos (if users can upload photos or videos to your website)
      • App activity (if you use analytics software on your website, you should tick "Page views and taps in app")
      • App info and performance (ALWAYS tick "Crash logs", as we collect those. Your website analytics software might also collect performance data in which case you'd have to tick "Diagnostics")
    • Next, you'll have to go through every type of data you collected and provide more information on it.
      • Does the data get collected? You will always need to tick this checkbox.
      • Does the data get shared? Only tick this if the data is shared with a third party. You also don't need to tick this box if any of the following conditions apply:
        • you're sharing the data with a service provider that just processes the data for you.
        • the data sharing is initiated by the user.
        • it is very clear to the user that they are sharing the data with a third party.
        • the data has been fully anonymized, which is often the case with analytics data.
        These exemptions should usually apply to the financial data your users enter when they use a payment service like PayPal to purchase something from your site.
      • Is this data processed ephemerally? You can click "Yes" if you just use the data for something once and don't store it. If you store the data for longer, click "No".
      • Is the collection of this type of data required or can the app also be used without it? Keep your cookie popups in mind - these usually allow the user to use the app/website without analytics data being collected.
      • Lastly select what the data is used for.
    • For crash logs, select only "collected" (the data doesn't count as being "shared" as it's anonymized). Select that the crash data is not processed ephemerally (only while it's in memory). Unless your app uses the "Just Website" layout, select that it's optional as crash reporting can be disabled in the app settings. Select "Analytics" as the reason for data collection.
  • Government apps
    • Select whether your app/website is developed by or for a government.
  • Financial features
    • Read through all these financial features and think about whether your app includes any of those.
    • For example, if you have an online shop, you receive payments, but that does not mean you need to tick "Mobile payments and digital wallets" or "Money transfer and wire services". Those are intended for banking apps. You might have a buy now, pay later option like Klarna in your shop though.
    • Most apps don't include any of the listed financial features. In that case you should select "My app doesn't provide any financial features".
  • Health apps
    • Read through all these health features and think about whether your app includes any of those.
    • Most apps don't include any of the listed health features. In that case you should select "My app does not have any health features".
  • App Category & Contact Details
    • Select whichever category fits your app/website best.
    • Also add a contact e-mail address. This e-mail will be public.
  • App Store Listing
    • Describe your app in detail. Usually it's better not to just copy a text from your website but instead take a look at other popular app's descriptions on the Play Store and write your own then.
    • Upload the needed graphics for your app.
    • Make sure you follow the Google Play Developer Guidelines. These are some common mistakes:
      • DO NOT include any mention of Covid-19 in your app description. Your app will be immediately rejected unless you provide a governmental approval. This is Google's approach to combat misinformation on the topic but sadly it also mistakingly affects a lot of apps that aren't even about the topic.
      • Don't call or describe your app as the 'best app for ...' or 'ultimate ... app', as Google considers that to be deceptive.
  • Advertising ID
    • Navigate to the advertising ID page by clicking the above link or by clicking "App content" at the bottom of the side menu and then start the questionnaire for the advertising ID. If there's no task for it on the main page, click "App content" at the bottom of the side menu and then start the questionnaire for the advertising ID.
    • Select "No" in the questionnaire, because the app does not use the advertising ID.
      Select "No" even if there are ads on your website. They don't need the Android advertising ID and they can't access it anyways. If you answer "Yes" here, you will get an error later.
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Author Jan Bunk
Written by
Jan Bunk

Hi, I'm Jan! I created webtoapp.design in 2019 while studying computer science in university. A lot has changed since then - not only have I graduated, but it's also no longer just me running webtoapp.design. We've grown to a global, fully remote team and have gathered lots of experience around app development and app publishing. We've created and published hundreds of apps in the app stores, where they've been downloaded millions of times.