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I have some test apps that I never intend to publish to the official Play store (aka Android Market), via this website. I need to remove them and use new ones instead, as I've also forgotten where I've put the signing key of the test apps.

So, how do I remove the old test apps from the account?

I just can't understand why they have this strict behavior. They said that if the key is not found, the app becomes an orphan. Why couldn't they just check in the server if the app was deleted and notify the user that the app won't get any updates, and give him an alternative for the app via the same publisher.

For example: "Dear user of App1, this app was removed from the market by the publisher, here're other apps by the publisher that might replace App1 (or: "here's App2 which the publisher intended to replace App1")".

Speaking of test apps, is there a way to do small publishing of the app, so that only specific accounts will be able to download the app from the market?

halfer
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android developer
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  • Do you want to remove the old apps from the developer console as well as the store? – Todd Davies Jul 17 '12 at 09:07
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    @Todd : yes . i don't need it . – android developer Jul 17 '12 at 09:51
  • related answer http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18669911/how-to-delete-the-published-app-from-developer-console-android/27289602#27289602 – Zar E Ahmer Dec 04 '14 at 08:44
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it isn't about programming, this probably is a good question, but since [so] is a Q&A site about programming, so which is off-topic for [so]. – Remi Guan Jan 07 '16 at 12:10
  • @KevinGuan Publishing an app is a part of the development lifecycle. – android developer Jan 07 '16 at 14:49
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    @androiddeveloper That may be true but publishing an application is not a programming related task. Refer to [this Meta post](http://meta.stackoverflow.com/q/272165/1743880) about this case. – Tunaki Jan 07 '16 at 21:10
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    @Tunaki It is true. Most of the Android developers publish on the Play Store, and it is very important to know things that are related to it. I don't see any forum here that suits better for Android development. "Android Enthusiasts" is more for power users. – android developer Jan 08 '16 at 08:59
  • Sir, does it mean that If I unpublished any app on play store, can another account holder publish any app that has the same package name as I used to have ? – Chintan Soni Mar 20 '16 at 18:31

6 Answers6

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There is no such functionality to remove an application from Developer's Console. You can remove it from Google Play Store by pressing Unpublish button.

Although, in the new Developer Console you can leave a feedback, and Google developers are reacting to those feedbacks.

I left a feedback and you can do the same: There are people (including me) added apps which they want to to remove from All Applications list. Could you please add a button to hide (or delete) the application from All Applications? Thanks.

Go to https://play.google.com/apps/publish/v2 and click "Give us feedback" orange button on the top right corner.

ViliusK
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as gtumca-MAC said, unpublish your app and it will be removed.

For For publishing your app for testers only, try hockeyapp. It is a complete platform for publishing betas and has lot of other features as well.

binW
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  • it's not published . all i can see there is re-activate and de-activate . i can also choose to update the apk , but since i don't have the keystore i can't upload the file . – android developer Jul 17 '12 at 09:50
  • @androiddeveloper check the answer to this question http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11074972/how-remove-application-from-app-listings-on-android-developer-console – binW Jul 17 '12 at 12:00
  • i see , so that's why i can't delete ? well , since i cannot find the keystore , is it possible to use a different one? if not , why? i ask this since i do not want to have a mess on this website. – android developer Jul 17 '12 at 17:54
  • No it is not possible to use a different keystore. Key store is a certificate and when you sign your app with your keystore, you are branding it with it. That is how Google knows that its YOU who created a new version and not someone else. It is very similar to signing a check. Even if someone gets hold of your checkbook, they cant withdraw funds unless they know your signature. Hope you got the concept. – binW Jul 17 '12 at 19:45
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    so i'm stuck with an app that stays there forever without anything to do with it? at least they should allow us to hide it. they could also notify the users that the app was removed from the market and give them a chance to check for an alternative made by the developer , no? – android developer Jul 17 '12 at 23:27
  • I have unpublished my app several days ago. But still I can see the download page. – Bilbo Baggins Jul 16 '13 at 15:13
  • Unpublish app is grayed out and unclickable for me. – Chris Dec 14 '15 at 21:49
  • Go to *Store presence* -> *Pricing & distribution* -> *App Availability*. You'll find the UNPUBLISH button there. – Oliver Metz May 17 '18 at 16:56
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Unpublishing an App is only possible if you fulfill all the requirements from the app's form.

So it is required to:

  • check and remove all translation languages

  • add graphics in different resolutions which were not required when the app was first published

  • fulfill all other requirements of the form

This procedure is not customer friendly but it works ;-)

Peter Bauer
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  • Hi Peter, I am not sure I understand, this might be possibly what a lot of developers have been looking for, please could you explain a bit more? Thanks!! LISA – Lisa Anne Oct 07 '14 at 13:26
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Unpublish your app from play store it will be removed

You will find one button on developer consol called Unpublish just click here

your application from play store

MAC
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Only if your application has not been published before, it can be deleted. Open your application info in the Google Play developer environment. A dropdown button located in the top right of the screen should be saying "draft". Click it and you will be able to delete the "yet unpublished" Application.

JanCor
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if your app is unpublished and you need to remove it just contact Google Play Developer help via email or google + and give them your app to be deleted package name and they'll be happy to delete it

Kelvs Ricafort
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