Delete a Closed Track in Google Play Console

Question

In the App Releases page of the Google Play Console, how do you delete a closed track?

There is a Manage button for the track but no obvious way of deleting it from the page which appears.

I have accidentally created a track I don't need and it is confusing/annoying to have it there. Hopefully I'm missing something rather than this functionality just not having been implemented!

Mosul

Answer 1

It isn't exactly possible right now.

However, you can:

• click on the 'Manage' button
• expand the 'Managed testers' card
• click on the 'Deactivate track' button.

The track will go in a 'Deactivated tracks' list in the 'App Releases' page."

It's not totally deleted, but that might be enough for you. I've sent the feedback to the right team that this wasn't completely discoverable, and that complete deletion for unused tracks would be useful.

You also can't delete the default "Alpha" or "Beta" tracks right now, only ones you have created yourself.

Faris

Looks like you're right on deletion not being supported. However I can't see the "Deactivate Track" button... the only buttons in the 'Manage Testers' card for me are "Remove Testers" and "Save". Clicking "Remove Testers" doesn't help. – Mosul

Likewise, no Deactivate Track button. – Wickman

Here's the info from Google about this. support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/… It only applies to closed tracks though. – Wickman

Ah, I've figured it out. You can't deactivate the default closed track called "Alpha". You can only deactivate one you've created yourself. Otherwise the Deactivate Track button doesn't appear @EmersonFarrugia – Mosul

Thanks, I've added that to the answer. – Faris

If you are using the new (beta) version of the console, there is no such option (yet), so you have to revert to classic. – Precipitant

So after 4 years has Google any plans to reduce clutter of paused tracks and make them delete-able? – Vrablik

@Vrablik yeah and no option to rename them either? I created one with a typo and now I will see that forever... – Tom

Still nothing :( – Vrablik

Not only is this still not possible but also Google will now send you threatening emails that warn you about your old app versions - which you might still have lying around in these tracks, even when paused - due to unsupported libraries in them. This is beyond ridiculous, we're supposed to update all unused tracks with fresh bundles every couple of months now? – Conservationist

@Conservationist just got two emails like this because of two app that used a deprecated SDK, both on an inactive testing track. Is it safe to ignore this? – Gwennie

No, absolutely not safe to ignore, you will have to upload a newer version to this track, just for funsies. As I said, ridiculous – Conservationist

I think the simplest solution is to just not use closed testing – Joselow

@Conservationist Yes, this is the silliest thing in google play console. I'm looking for a build which has deprecated api for hours... Ok, I understand they don't let me delete a track, but at least they should let me remove the apk/aab from it so I can get rid of this warning. – Jauch

Answer 2

I can't find Deactivate track as on other answers - I think it has been changed by Google.

However, I can find option to Pause track, maybe it'll good for others.

This can be found when you click on Manage Track:

And after clicking on it:

Exodontist

This is all I can find also, but it's not perfect. Sometimes the paused tracks still appear in certain menus/selectors. – Rockling

After I paused it I needed to publish it. After some time the track completely disappeared. – Unaccompanied

Answer 3

For me the answer is in the negative. For a closed user-created track there is no deactivate track option. The above answers relate to an old version of the UI. This post gives the current situation. In a nutshell you have to release a higher version and this somehow makes the old track go away.

Noctiluca

Answer 4

If a new track is created in Closed testing, then it remains there forever. There's no way to delete the track.

If the track appears in the Releases overview, it can be discarded so that it doesn't pollute the list. To discard/remove the track from the list containing Latest releases, click on the arrow beside the item and select Discard release.

Hairdo

Nope, Google has apparently gone on a hunt to make it impossible to remove tracks and releases if you accidentally create one. As of December 2023, if you click on the arrow beside the item in the "Latest releases" list, there is no "Discard release" option. – Esdras

Answer 5

Deactivate track is available for any custom track created by user. Remove testers is applicable for any play console provided track.

Wardship