Google Play Timed Publishing

Question

While updating an app with "Timed Publishing" on Google Play, after I upload the APK, should I select the "publish now to production" option? Will this submit the new APK to production or will Google play just process it and wait for me to click "Go Live".

There is no clear step by step instructions on Google or anywhere else. It is critical that the app does not go live for my company so I am not ready to take chances by clicking that button.

Parasitology

"There is no clear step by step instructions on Google or anywhere else." Yeah. That is it! The docs and the developer console are very limited in practical examples. A simple screenshot would help – Rimose

Answer 1

When uploading a new APK and pressing "Start rollout to production" when "Timed publishing" is activated, here's what will happen:

• The new version will be processed, which can take everything from a few hours to a few days.
• While processing, you will see a text at the top of the apps Dashboard page that says "Processing update".
• After the APK has been processed, the "Go Live" button will be enabled and the new version won't be published on Google Play until you press it.
• If you make further changes, for example in the store listing, after processing is finished but before pressing "Go Live", the "Go Live"-button will become greyed again and you will have to wait for the new changes to process before you can go live. There is no way to cancel any of the changes once they are processing, so make sure you don't make unnecessary changes that you don't want to wait for.

I agree that the wording on the "Start rollout to production" button is quite confusing, it should change to something like "Submit for processing" when "Timed publishing" is activated. Even more confusing is that the text at the top of the apps Dashboard page will change to "Published" once processing is done but before you press the "Go Live"-button, but the new version is in fact not published until you press the button.

This is the first time I actually felt that Apple's AppStore Connect makes more sense and is less confusing than Google Play - usually it's the other way around...

Castigate

How can I activate "Timed publishing"? I am in the "Start rollout to production" page and I'm not seeing that option – Subheading

@Subheading Yeah, that's another extremely confusing thing I forgot to mention - you can activate it from the "Store listing" or "Pricing and distribution" page, at the very bottom of the page. I have no idea how they came up with the decision to not make it available on the "App Releases" page... it's as if they hired the same guy who designed App Store Connect ;) – Castigate

Yep, its just a hacky add-on to the existing pages. Very confusing and scary, because it appears as if you've fully published even though it hasn't gone live. The only place I found that gives you a slightly-accurate status is in the App Release page where it says hilariously "Release:1.2.3 Full rollout. Rollout pending timed publishing 'Go live'." Other places in the Play Console there is no sign at all that it's still pending, like in the Dashboard. – Monochromat

As of 2020-04-01: we have Timed Publishing enabled and when doing 'Start rollout to production', we were presented with another popup asking "Your app will become available to all users of the Play Store once this release is processed and you click 'Go live' on the 'Timed publishing' header. Do you want to continue?". – Kleenex

to be honest, the Timed Publishing seems to be random/broken sometimes, I cannot see it under the Pricing Distribution to enable it anymore, AND it is an update, not a new app – Bipolar

Is this testable in the Beta branch or does Timed Publishing work in Release, only? – Swan

@Bipolar check "Store Listing" that's where i had to do it. (And disable your ad blocker in case you have ne) – Swan

no adblocker, checked in store listing, stopped working after using a closed track, even after released. I already contacted Gsupport, and they are looking into it, so yeap, it is broken af. Hope this helps someone. – Bipolar

Answer 2

You can go through all the publication steps, don't be scared. When you're done, your app will be reviewed by Google, etc. and it will look like it is published, but YOU are the one choosing when it goes live by clicking the "Go Live" button.

Traitor

Answer 3

Currently, Google doesn't allow a new app to go with 'Timed Publishing', it's only available for updates to existing apps.

Reference: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6334282?hl=en

Kight

Actually I just tried this myself with a brand new app. I turned on Timed Publishing, moved the first version of the app from Alpha to Production. The site gave the message that this would push the app out to everyone, but the app was never officially released until I hit the Go Live button. – Durnan

i didnt test this, only saw the option (im having a halted release in the meantime im afraid im not able to fully test this feature, but wondering if this still happening ? (requiring to hit Go Live button) – Durand

@Durnan - do you think it will work for an apk uploaded directly to prod track? I already have previous test versions published in alpha track. – Skillern

@Skillern I think that it should work the same way but since Google specifically says that they do not support this, I would go in assuming your app is going to be published immediately just in case it does not work. – Durnan

Answer 4

I just chatted with Google Support Team about the same exact question and they confirmed the promoted BETA will go live only when you click the GO LIVE button.

I was not sure about that because there was no reference about the beta promotion into the Change Log.

Biocellate

Answer 5

Google has Renamed Timed Publishing to Publishing overview

Go to New Google Play Developer Console and follow these steps:

1. Select your App
2. Select Publishing overview from the left navigation menu
3. Click on Managed from the right-hand side
4. You'll find two options. Turn the first option Managed Publishing on and hit the Save button.

Head over to this Official Play Console answer on how to control when app changes are published with managed publishing.

Scenography

Hi, do you know if is only for updates or also for new app? – Iraidairan

For both I guess. Because I've used for new production build, I was uploaded a test build before production. This link may help you – Scenography

@Rifan, can you confirm that, if I hit "Start Rollout to Production" when "Managed publishing" is activated, the app will be not available on the store until I do something (I presume in the "publishing overview" section) ? – Seifert

Yes confirmed. If you hit "Start Rollout to Production" and if "Managed publishing" is activated, the app will be not available on the store until you publish the App – Scenography

Answer 6

As @Frank said once you submit it will show you following dialog on play console

Barytes