Cannot restore older version of keystore

Question

I'm working on a react native project and I generated a keystore and released the signed apk to play store few days ago.

While working I mistakenly copied another keystore into the android/app directory in the project and since then could not return to the older version anymore. Checking version history of the keystore also states it was created today rather than modified today.

How can I get the keystore back when I don't have a Time Machine setup?

Possible duplicate of [I lost my .keystore file?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4322367/i-lost-my-keystore-file) — leonardkraemer, Mar 21 '18 at 15:01

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 21 '18 at 14:43

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If you've lost your keystore, there is no way you can update that application on Google Play. If the app is significant (millions of installs), you might get help from Google Play support.

answered Mar 21 '18 at 14:43

Sergey Emeliyanov

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I don't think they can do anything there, if so that would be a huge security issue. – leonardkraemer Mar 21 '18 at 14:47
I just mean to say that if say Facebook lost its keystore, they'd get it from Google for sure – Sergey Emeliyanov Mar 21 '18 at 14:49
Maybe. I think they can only help if you opted into Google Play App Signing. – leonardkraemer Mar 21 '18 at 14:55

leonardkraemer · Answer 2 · 2018-03-21T14:52:28.133

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You can't. Your only option is using software that analyses your hard drive for files that were not overwritten physically yet.

Update: the play store support might be able to help you if you used the key only for uploading with Google Play App Signing

edited Mar 21 '18 at 14:52

answered Mar 21 '18 at 14:44

leonardkraemer

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Luckily I have opted into app signing. I see something like this `Google Play App Signing is enabled for this app. Learn more`. How do I proceed from here. – ydaniju Mar 21 '18 at 15:13
Play Console Help > Manage your app signing keys – leonardkraemer Mar 21 '18 at 15:16

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 21 '18 at 15:00

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I know it is heartbreaking, but there is no way out! You will have to unpublish the app and try again with different package name, If you wish that doesn't happen again you should enable google play app signin, with this you can upload the same app again with a different keystore(the process requires some good work though). But if you haven't done that already there is no help. The same thing has happened to me, luckily my app was in alpha at that time so there were no inconveniences to my users.

answered Mar 21 '18 at 15:00

Abhishek Tiwari

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Luckily I have opted into app signing. I see something like this `Google Play App Signing is enabled for this app. Learn more`. How do I proceed from here. – ydaniju Mar 21 '18 at 15:14
if you have enabled google app signin, you're in luck! although i haven't done it myself, but i clearly remember that there is a proper instruction on how to upload app with different keystore. – Abhishek Tiwari Mar 21 '18 at 15:17
Actually, when you enable google signin, the app is uploaded with a different sha1 certificate than yours(play store creates it's own), this helps them to help people like you to get their app uploaded without any plausible security breach. – Abhishek Tiwari Mar 21 '18 at 15:20

Cannot restore older version of keystore

3 Answers3