Upload APK in Internal app sharing in Google Play Console but "Item not found"

Question

I have uploaded APK since 24 hours in internal app sharing as a any one can download app from link. but when try to open that link it's showing "Item not found".

Here is screenshort of Manage testers settings.

I want to do something like any can download app from link(without adding tester accounts)

Franklynfrankness

Same issue. Compatible device, same country, etc. The only thing I can think of is that I'm using managed google play account. – Cadmus

Answer 1

According to the internal app sharing documentation (See "Troubleshoot issues"), there are many reasons why this could be the case, but they often boil down to the users not being eligible to receive the app in production (e.g. incompatible device, not in the country the app is distributed in, etc.).

Note that we (Play Console team) understand that this is not ideal and are actively working to remove this limitation.

Ingar

Thanks you very much @Ingar for answering. From that Troubleshoot section i find one one where i have doubt An app isn’t published to production, or it’s only published to a testing track that a user doesn’t have access to. So it's compulsory to published to production if we want use internal app sharing feature? Currently it’s only published to a testing track. – Franklynfrankness

Correct. This feature is only available to apps published to production. – Ingar

It's little confusing because i talk with google console support, they said it's not compulsory to published to production first. I can user internal app sharing feature directly. – Franklynfrankness

Sorry, they are correct. Publishing to a testing track is enough. – Ingar

Hi @Kajal, how did you solve this? I've successfully created an internal test and went to a test account and enrolled to the test using the link but the download link provided returned "We're sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server." – Rhyne

@Rhyne Were you able to figure this out? I am running into the exact same message. – Nimitz

@Edward, you need to wait for the IARC Content Ratings to be sent to your email first. Then go to your Google Play > Settings and turn on Internal app sharing. Tap Play Store version about 8x (I guess) to view that option. – Rhyne

@Rhyne Thanks for replying. I did fill out a survey for the ratings, but I never received an email. I guess I will have to wait for that. Any idea how long that takes? – Nimitz

@Edward, I waited more than 1 week due to this pandemic. – Rhyne

@Rhyne Thanks for the info. Mine just started working about 4 days later. – Nimitz

Did you just wait for about 4 days and the link is working automatically ? @Nimitz – Jemine

@Jemine yes, in my case I just had to wait. It is taking longer than usual to review, but it will work eventually. – Nimitz

Answer 2

Tick the option you can see on the screenshot below.

Felicific

This answer helped me completely :) – Disharmonious

@Regis_AG this doesnt work either. I did it, and even more than 24 hours later I still can not install apk i shared internally – Sabian

Answer 3

From Developer Side

1.Go to PlayStore

2.Select Your app from List

3.in Side Bar select "Development Tools"

4.select "Internal App Sharing"

5.In "MANAGE UPLOADERS" try to add email id of ur tester

or go to "MANAGE TESTERS" and check "Allow testers outside of email lists to download internally shared builds" and Save it

6. upload app using this https://play.google.com/apps/publish/internalappsharing/

7.share url of InApp Shared with testers.

From Tester Side

How authorized testers turn on internal app sharing Before authorized testers can download apps using internal app sharing, they need to turn on internal app sharing on their Google Play Store app.

Open the Google Play Store app Google Play. Tap Menu Menu > Settings. In the “About” section, tap the Play Store version 7 times. After the Internal app sharing setting appears, tap the switch to turn on internal app sharing. Tap Turn on.

Suter