Is it possible to set a release date on the google play store?

Question

On iOS it is possible to choose when you want your app to be visible on the store after it has been validated by Apple. Is this possible with Android and the Google Play Store?

Sundae

You can do it on iOS App Store and even Amazon App Store, but with Google Play you're SOL! – Hemmer

2023: Despite its name, Timed Publishing (now Managed Publishing) does NOT offer setting the Time and Release date. This is still a manual process. You can use Managed Publishing to have your app reviewed prior to your launch, but the publishing process still requires a user to press a button a few hours prior to launch. – Effusive

Answer 1

This is now possible using timed publishing. It appears to be restricted to updates so it may not work for the initial launch unless the app is published to your alpha or beta channels first.

UPD 2023: Timed Publishing (now Managed Publishing) does NOT offer setting the Time and Release date. This is still a manual process. You can use Managed Publishing to have your app reviewed prior to your launch, but the publishing process still requires a user to press a button a few hours prior to launch.

Futurity

This should now be the accepted answer! Thank you sir. – Contractor

Seems like the page has moved. Answer is now here: support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6334282 – Harridan

Timed publishing doesn't provide this capability.It just alows you to get your APK vetted so that it is a quick process when you manually set it live later. – Connotative

As of 2020, 'timed publishing' has been retired in favour of 'managed publishing', which provides the same capabilities, plus more! See here: support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/… – Ostrogoth

2023: Despite its name, Timed Publishing (now Managed Publishing) does NOT offer setting the Time and Release date. This is still a manual process. You can use Managed Publishing to have your app reviewed prior to your launch, but the publishing process still requires a user to press a button a few hours prior to launch. – Effusive

Answer 2

In the new Google Play Console, You could use managed publishing

You can use managed publishing to control exactly when changes to your app are published. When managed publishing is turned on, you can clearly see which changes you submit are in review and which changes are ready for publishing on the Publishing overview page.

1- go to Publishing overview 2- click on manage, then turn it on.

Margeret

Hi, do you know if Is only for updates or I can use it for a first release? – Fredrick

Is there a way to choose a date / time in advance (eg. 2am on the 15th Nov) – Cooee

Managed publishing (same as timed publishing) cannot be used for a first release. From the docs: Your app must already be available to use managed publishing – you can’t use it when publishing an app for the first time. support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/… – Ostrogoth

Seems like we can't use managed publishing for the first release, which ironically is the only time I need to use managed publishing!! I only want to control the app release date, but subsequent app updates should be as soon as possible. – Anelace

@Luke and Bruce from further reading, it seems to me the docs mean you must have already ""published"" your app before using managed publishing where ""published"" refers to any track (or at least to the 3 except Internal Test). In fact other docs specify to at least publish app once on Open or Closed test before you can use managed publishing on Production track. – Urbane

Whether Managed Publishing can be used for first live release if we already have release in Internal Test Track or Closed Test Track? – Microdot

2023: Despite its name, Timed Publishing (now Managed Publishing) does NOT offer setting the Time and Release date. This is still a manual process. You can use Managed Publishing to have your app reviewed prior to your launch, but the publishing process still requires a user to press a button a few hours prior to launch. – Effusive

If you want to use managed publishing for your product launch, we strongly recommend publishing your app to a closed testing track first. – Ordinary

Answer 3

No you can't setting up release date on Google Play Store.

Rosin

This is still the correct answer. For all of the answers that reference Timed Publishing, that feature does not support setting a release date. As William pointed out in his comment, Timed Publishing differs from Standard Publishing only in terms of release speed. It is still a manual process. – Lely

As the support page states normal publishing includes processing which can "takes up to a few hours." Timed publishing separates the processing and release (of an update) into two steps. With Timed Publishing, Publishing the update is still done manually but can be done in advance of a release to initiate the processing step. After processing is complete an additional "Go Live" button is displayed. When clicked manually the "Go Live" button initiates the release step which can be completed "within a few minutes." – Lely

Yes. This is still the correct answer in 2023. What you're looking for is NOT available. There is no support for setting a release date. There was something called "Timed Publishing" which has now been replaced with "Managed Publishing" You can have everything reviewed in advance, but actual publishing still requires you to push a button a few hours in advance of the release. All of @RyanThomas 's above comments are still relevant as of Wed, March 8, 2023. There is no support for setting a release date. – Effusive

Answer 4

Edit: This is now possible. See Eric P's answer.

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No, this is not possible unfortunately. The best you can do is upload the apk and fill in the store listing information. Then, when you want to go live it's just a matter of clicking 'publish'. You can not do this automatically.

Morette

Answer 5

As mentioned above it is restricted to updates, it does not works for the very first release (unless the app is published to your alpha or beta channels first)

With that said you could use Timed Publishing feature from Google Play Store.

Basically you have to go to the Google Play Console login, then on your left menu, select Store presence that will show a page and just scroll down right to the bottom, you will see a Timed publishing switch, just turn it on, please note that once your update release/APK has been processed and you would like to publish your app scheduled as a job per se, just look for the Timed publishing header at the top of any page in your app release dashboard.

Hope this helps!

Metzler

Is this still the case? I don't see this anywhere. I've been scouring the web for updates to Timed Publishing with little luck. I would rather not have to set a timer on my phone to push the "Publish" button right when a customer wants an app published. – Effusive

it's being long time since i posted this, the GUI might be different, try searching for "timed publishing on the google play store" maybe they did something better – Metzler

I actually checked it out. It's called Managed Publishing now. Play Console doesn't actually support setting a specific date and time for release. You can have your app reviewed ahead of time and have it ready to go, but publishing requires and actual button push a few hours prior to release. – Effusive

Answer 6

Timed publishing is now available for the Google Play Store. After I submitted my app this option popped up.

Mcgruter

Answer 7

Yes Time Publishing is now possible to do this you have to got to the setting StorePresence>Store listing> at the bottom of the page there is time toggle button just enable it ,,and make release as you do previously once app is approved by google then now app will not get publish automatically you have to got to the release page and click on GoLive button to make app live

Denisdenise

Doesn't seem like it. – Rumania

made me look though :/ – Hartal