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I've been developing my first app for work and am having trouble removing an earlier version from the Google Play Console.

My first release was version 2, which I released on the Internal Test track, as much as an experiment to understand the working of things. I have subsequently release the app up to version 8, always targeting Alpha/Closed Track and had no problems with them.

However my first release, the one in Internal test track, simply refuses to go away. All the others I have found I can click MANAGE then RELEASE TO BETA then DISCARD (at the bottom) and they go away, but not this one.

Can anyone help me with this please. I have to say that the websites for releasing to both Android and to Apple do leave much to be desired - a bit of a baptism of fire to get your first app out there, even just to testers.

Mike
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11 Answers11

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It is possible to discard the release by creating a new release without a bundle or APK, inserting a release name, which is required, and completing the process.

Vincent Brodeur
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  • cunning, but worth it :D – joe Aug 18 '20 at 17:26
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    i guess this doesn't work any more: "This release does not add or remove any APKs or App Bundles." – Hilikus Oct 21 '20 at 18:20
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    Worked as of 13/12/2020. Such a ridiculous way to have to do it. – MadMac Dec 12 '20 at 23:28
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    Worked as of 30/12/2020. – Edwin Wong Dec 31 '20 at 02:38
  • Does not work for me, I cannot create an empty release as it complains about Location permission non-compliance. I cannot delete the internal test release, the apk associated with it, etc. It asks for Location which we do not use and is non-compliant. I have no way to publish anything on my app. – edencorbin Feb 01 '21 at 11:09
  • This still basically works (04/2021). It pushes the old release for that testing track out, and the new one has nothing to download. – Jake Apr 20 '21 at 18:02
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    Worked as of 26/05/2021. Pushed a new version without apk in it. – Loïc Dumas May 26 '21 at 07:55
  • This solved the issue for us not being able to turn on Resubscribe due to old APKs in unused release tracks. – JeremyDay Aug 05 '21 at 01:38
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    Hey guys! Any ideas why the Google play says that the user is an internal tester even when the testing and testers were removed as the app went into production. Even it's already more than two days. After removing everything regarding internal testing and testers the users should see a normal page on Google play without any information that they are internal testers. Any ideas? Appreciated any help. Thanks! – Mark Delphi Aug 17 '21 at 06:22
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    Didn't work for me in Jan, 2022. The empty release appears in draft mode with the old one still showing up as Active. Also there is no option to delete any previous builds that have been superseded by a new build. – Syed Ali Jan 04 '22 at 17:29
  • Worked as of 29th March 2022. But that didn't remove the uploaded bundles from the play store. – Ishita Sinha Mar 29 '22 at 06:45
  • not working. it says `You need to upload an APK or Android App Bundle for this app.` but there's option to Pause the internal testing track. – sneharc May 10 '22 at 11:19
  • did anyone found a solution to deleting the internal test app ? – Giriteja Bille May 10 '22 at 12:48
  • Crazy... you have to add some apk (any, so "add from library" will do), roll out this track and **then** you can stop the track... – estani Sep 08 '22 at 13:00
  • worked void release, 9.9.2022 – Tertium Sep 09 '22 at 13:55
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We found that while there is no remove, we had to add an empty version which replaced the test version. This was a huge problem for us as the test version was in violation of permissions rules and our production code was not, but the production app was pulled from the Play store... Yikes. Adding a remove or delete would be soooo much more intuitive.

Alan
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    I added a test version without APK, it substituted a test version. But I could not deactivate or remove old APK. So, I had to publish a new APK (AAB) with incremental version code. – CoolMind Oct 11 '19 at 13:01
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    One would expect that Google could offer better UX. In my case, the production version was not published by google because apparently the internal version was still active. So i had to release new version of the apk in order to publish it. There's also no way of removing a list of internal testers. – Dev Kevin Jan 20 '20 at 17:19
  • Google Play pulled my compliant production app, due to some non-compliant APKs in internal and closed testing, without any warning. The internal and closed testing tracks were stopped and had no testers. Play Support quality was frustrating to say the least, asking me to discard the release (there is no such option). The dummy/empty method worked, thank you SO. – PVS Jan 30 '22 at 17:45
  • 18.aug.2023. Also have just sent to review Void build in Internal Testing track. Hope it'll work. – Dan Savelyev Aug 18 '23 at 20:27
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  1. Sign in Play Console
  2. Choose your app
  3. Click Release Overview (Left pane)
  4. Select the release version that you want to stop
  5. View track
  6. Pause track (Right upper hand corner)
Ehsan Rosdi
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Tried and worked.

Unfortunately, there is no straightforward way to delete or make a version inactive. The simplest thing you can do is as follows:

  1. If not done already, create a version of your apk/aab you want to really release and upload it.
  2. Go to test tracks where old versions are used. Create a new release in that test track.
  3. Instead of uploading a new apk/aab, just pick the latest one from the 'Add from library' option.
  4. Roll out the test track release.

It will simply mark old versions (which were used in test tracks) as inactive and only the latest one you uploaded will remain active. You can verify it on the 'App bundle explorer' page.

Now you can submit the app for approval.

user846316
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    Thanks that worked and I would have never guesses. Very disappointing that you cant cancel a test release. – Martin Aug 29 '23 at 12:30
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I would upload your next alpha to the internal test track and promote it to the alpha/closed track. You will still have a build in the internal test track, but at least it is a relevant build.

Henry Yei
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End a test To remove users from your app's test:

Sign in to your Play Console. Select an app. On the left menu, select Release management > App releases. Next to the test that you want to end, select Manage. Expand the "Manage testers" card. After ending a test, testers won't receive updates but the app will remain installed on their device. To remove a closed test track that you created, select Deactivate track. You can access deactivated tracks on the App releases page in the "Closed tracks" section.
To end an open, closed alpha, or internal test, select Remove testers.

Faizan Ahmad
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  • I could not say this but new play store console UI lunch like the blank developer or product manager. it too confused it look like a kid trying to build ui – DMS-KH Dec 14 '20 at 16:25
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You can mark them inactive after pausing it.

Anil Chahal
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I believe that what most are saying is that Google needs better way to disable or continue testing an obsolete or bad build when the developer knows it's a waste of time. It seems that there are ways we can force it, but it's not the ideal way. I agree. I don't want people to waste their time or bad-mouth my app because of unclear definitions on our side. We are in the 21st century, but everyone makes mistakes. If Google path is ideal, then make the documentation reflect that.

user3988148
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    This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient [reputation](https://stackoverflow.com/help/whats-reputation) you will be able to [comment on any post](https://stackoverflow.com/help/privileges/comment); instead, [provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/214173/why-do-i-need-50-reputation-to-comment-what-can-i-do-instead). - [From Review](/review/late-answers/32341366) – Stephen Taylor Jul 30 '22 at 18:22
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Go to manage internal test

Manage testers

Remove all testers

This is the safest way

Moses Mwongela
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Haven't found how to delete a build - as been said, we just upload a newer version of the app with higher build number into the Internal track and propagate it through Alpha to Production. So just overwrite the unwanted build.

Jiri Hradil
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You don't need to discard it. Testers will always get the highest version code they are eligible for.

Bhargav Rao
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Nick Fortescue
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    I want to discard it because it's "messing the place up". It's the first version I uploaded and totally redundant, almost misleading. I'd by far prefer to be able to concentrate on the latest (valid) builds in their various states, but this zombie just won't go away. – Mike Jun 02 '18 at 05:40
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    I think you're mistaken about testers getting the highest version they are eligible for. I'm a tester and am stuck on this old test version after publishing a newer one. Google Play is recommending that I uninstall and reinstall the app. – Tyler Nov 21 '18 at 19:50
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    version is done completely on version code (nothing to do with newness, or version string). If you publish with an updated version code in the production track that is a higher integer value it will update. Uninstall / reinstall is only needed when the test track version code is higher than the production track. – Nick Fortescue Nov 22 '18 at 13:43
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    If you have an old test version that violates some rules, your whole app may be blocked. – Simon Aug 25 '20 at 00:59