Error updating app on Google play store after introducing new google policy

Question

I am trying to upload a new version of my app on play store and getting following error while uploading:-

You can't edit this app until you create a new app release declaring sensitive permissions

I have tried removing CALL_PHONE permission that Google restricts in latest policy and my app does not contain any unadaptable data. But still getting same error.

If anyone faced the same issue. Please help me to resolve.

Thanks in Advance!!

Witmer

We are also facing the same error, we have removed these extra permission but still showing this error. Is there any solution you have find please suggest? – Fiji

Can you please post your current permission list? – Leija

Check my answer here Google play console said “You can't edit this app until you create a new app release declaring sensitive permissions” how to fix it? – Salters

Possible duplicate of Google play console said "You can't edit this app until you create a new app release declaring sensitive permissions" how to fix it? – Leija

Answer 1

If you are unable to submit a new version in any of the tracks, promote an older version from an Internal Track to Alpha or from Alpha to Beta or from Beta to Production. While doing this a Permission Declarations Form will show up querying Call Log and SMS permissions used in your app. Once you have submitted this form and promoted an older version, you will be able to submit new versions of the app in all the tracks.

Cockcroft

Doesn't work for me. I have already removed the SMS and CALL permissions 1st week of January. I was able to roll out builds since then, not until now. There's no Permissions Declarations Form that appears when preparing the release. But, in "Review" screen just before rolling out to production. Error dialog appears indicating that I need to declare sensitive permissions. – Extravagate

I am facing the same problem. Above solution did not worked for me. Any other solution any one have? – Redfin

@Extravagate Do you have any builds added to Internal, Alpha or Beta tracks? How many Active artifacts can you see under Release Management > Artifact library on Google Play console? – Cockcroft

@Cockcroft Yes, I have 1 in Alpha track. But, that build doesn't have CALL_LOG and SMS permissions anymore. – Extravagate

This worked for me. reddit.com/r/androiddev/comments/ajddj6/… – Extravagate

I think this solved it for me - I clicked on "Promote to closed testing" on an "Internal testing" release that didn't even contain an APK/Bundle. I got an error saying there was nothing to add/remove, but somehow it seems that the inital error message disappeared and I was able to submit a new version for review. It could have also been Google support who removed the error, since I had contacted them earlier. Anyway, it might help even though it's counter intuitive and looks like it won't help! – Homebred

Answer 2

First find out how many active artifacts you have

• Go to 'Release Management'->'Artifact library'

• You must have more than one 'Active artifacts'

• I have 3 active artifacts - 1 from production, 1 from beta and 1 from alpha (version 24, 6 and 4 --see below image)

Now you need to Upload a new APK(here apk with version code 25, and version name:3.0.2)

• Go to 'App releases'->'Manage'->'Create Release'

• Upload a new APK that you want to release ( here new APK with version code 25)

• Retain the current version of APK (here version code 24)

• Click ‘Add from library’ and Upload all active APKs(here apk with version code 6 and 4)

• Now select Compliance status’ > check “No, this release does not meet the SMS and Call log” (see below image)

-Go to declaration section and select all (see below image)

-Click "Save" at the bottom of the page

-Now on same page, we need to deactivate (current market app (here apk with version code 24))

-Click "Save" again then select "Review"

-you'll be able to release a new version of APK by clicking "Start Roll Out" button.

(refer following link:https://www.reddit.com/r/androiddev/comments/ajddj6/play_store_console_you_cant_edit_this_app_until/efkqmx2/)

Vaudois

Answer 3

We fixed it first uploading the bundle in the Beta track and then promoting it to Production. Directly uploading it to Production produced the same error.

Ranaerancagua

I already have one build in Internal test and Beta..and Google is not allowing me to add new build in it. – Witmer

We had to remove one in Production, can you try deleting or promoting that build? – Ranaerancagua

We remove all SMS permission. We uploaded a new version with different versionCode , versionName but it did not work, sent the same error. We do not what we should do!! HELP US!!!!! – Tavy

Answer 4

I found the solution after a lot of research. I was facing the same issue since yesterday. I had already removed both the sensitive permissions in my last release which were related to SMS and Call Logs and yet I was getting this warning.

The solution like @IvanF mentioned is to check if you have apps in any other tracks. You may do so by going to App Releases section in Play Console and check if you have any app under Open, Internal or Closed section. If yes, then you'd have to deactivate them first because that is where the problem lies. The way to deactivate apps in other sections is mentioned here -

https://www.reddit.com/r/androiddev/comments/ajddj6/play_store_console_you_cant_edit_this_app_until/eeye216/

Hope this helps.

Flak

I took a look at the link you just provided (BTW thanks it really helped me understand what was going on..), but I've got multiple tracks and all of them have non-compliant APKs. A track like the Open track which has the Beta channel has multiple non-compliant APK versions. How do I go about to solve this ? Any insights ? – Schlimazel

Hi @ClaudeHangui! As mentioned in the reddit article above, you simply have to upload the latest apk in the respective track to override the non-compliant apks. So for instance in my case, I had several non-compliant APKs only in the beta track, so I simply uploaded the latest compliant apk in beta track instead of the production track, pushed the beta release. Right after doing this goto beta track, there is a button to promote it to production track. So click that, follow the release procedure like you normally do and boom you're done. Let me know if you need any further help/explanation. – Flak

Hey @Flak I actually posted an issue regarding my use-case scenarios. Bottom-line is I've got multiple tracks and all of them have non-compliant APK's and whenever I try to update one of the tracks with a compliant APK, the error message doesn't disappear, the Publish button is still disabled. Here is the issue I published, I've already tried all the solutions proposed on S.O and none of them so far has solved my problems: #54459921 – Schlimazel

Hi @ClaudeHangui! As per the article, you don't just update the new app in any track. For me, it was just the beta track, so I uploaded my new APK there and promoted it to production. For your case, you'll have to go in a sequence starting from the bottom most track which is the internal track. Then find an option to promote this APK to Alpha, then find an option in Alpha track to Release it to Beta, and finally promote it to production. So essentially you'll be cleaning the floor with this newest APK in all tracks starting from bottom. Hope this works for you. – Flak

@Shubhral...The issue is fixed on my side. For some odd reason, I was (am) finally able update the app's irrespective of the track. Thanks – Schlimazel

@ClaudeHangui Oh! Great. Good to hear that. I guess all the mails sent out to Google by frustrated developers on this issue finally paid off & they resolved it so that the developers no more have to go through this entire hacky process. – Flak

Answer 5

I finally found the answer, I had non-compliant APKs in different tracks if you had non-compliant APKs in different tracks, then that's what you should do

First: Go to App releases > Click Create Release in the track you need to update

Second: Upload the compliant APK, make sure to remove the sensitive permissions from this APK

Third: Retain the current APK

Fouth: Upload all active APKs from all tracks, you can do that by clicking on ADD FROM LIBRARY button above the upload section, make sure not to deactivate the applications, the declaration form will appear in the bottom of the page

Fifth: Fill the Declaration form by the following:

• Compliance Status: Check No

• Declarations check all

and save

Sixth: on the same page after the save, deactivate and remove all the non-compliant APKs and keep the new compliant APK

Seventh: Click save and review

and you are done!

Teetotaler

I am having the same issue, but I cannot retain the old libraries since they do not support 64bits. What can we do? – Comportment

Answer 6

I just followed these steps: source ([here][1])

Internal test: Create an internal test release to quickly distribute your app for internal testing and quality assurance checks.

Closed: Create a closed release to test pre-release versions of your app with a larger set of testers. Once you've tested with a smaller group of employees or trusted users, you can expand your test to an open release. On your App releases page, an Alpha track will be available as your initial closed test. If needed, you can also create and name additional closed tracks.

Open: Create an open release after you've tested a closed release. Your open release can include a wider range of users for testing, before your app goes live in production.

Production: When you create a production release, this version of your app is available to all users in the countries you've targeted.

Annabelle

Did your Internal test track have a non-compliant app ? Mine already has a non-compliant APK, and still I can't publish the compliant apk. How did you manage to publish yours ? – Schlimazel