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I have an app that is released only as an "internal test" on the Google Play store

  • When I go to the Google Play store on my phone, the app does not show up at all, under "installed" or "updates" or any other tab

  • When I click the 'internal testing' link (the one that Google Play Console says to give to internal testers), it opens Google Play and shows my app's store page. The store page shows the correct latest version, but I'm unable to install it. My only options are "uninstall" and "open" (which opens the currently installed old version of the app)

  • I have "enable auto-update" enabled from the Google Play store page

  • I've waited two days

  • I've made sure the app is closed completely on the phone

As far as I can tell, there's no way to update the app without uninstalling it, which deletes all the app data. How can my testers update the app?

BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft
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3 Answers3

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Updating seems to be broken for apps that Google has not reviewed yet, which they don't do for internal apps.

I released the app to closed beta, causing Google to review it, and stopped using "internal releases" altogether. I'm not sure which of the two was the fix, but now auto updates work.

BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft
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  • I'm having a similar issue. If I promote my app to the closed tested instead of internal, does that mean every update needs to be verified? Or when I upload a new version is it immediately available like it is on the internal test track? – TEEBQNE Apr 01 '21 at 21:34
  • @user3657449: After it's been manually verified by Google once (which takes days), subsequent releases only seem to go through the automated verification, which takes around an hour. – BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft Apr 01 '21 at 22:10
  • Awesome. Guess I'll promote my internal track to closed testing. Hopefully, it works the same as it did for you. – TEEBQNE Apr 01 '21 at 22:12
  • Do you have to reinstall the app when you switch from internal to closed? If so that would erase the data on the app (like in a sqlite db). – lcj Nov 30 '22 at 11:55
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I think I've found a workaround. It's now worked 3 times out of 3, so fingers crossed.

First, uninstall whatever version you have on your device.

Then visit the link provided from Google Play Console on a PC instead, and from there you click the 'If you don’t have the app installed, download it on Google Play.'-link.

Once there, press install, and choose your device.

This way, the latest version of the app is installed on your device, and not some random version; like seems to be the case, using the Play Store on the device.

Not ideal, but it works :)

goehler
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    Uninstalling removes all app data, so this isn't a viable workaround for me – BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft Oct 31 '21 at 01:10
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    thanks man, this worked indeed.. nice workaround for a stupid system they have ))) thanks a lot – Ion Scorobogaci Nov 23 '21 at 16:15
  • @BlueRaja-DannyPflughoeft it eventually auto-updates but it requires some time to have Google Play caches updated (some say up to a day). This works if you need it fast. Not sure but you can try clearing Google Play Services data on your device and see if it works. – Guney Ozsan Nov 24 '21 at 15:03
  • Not worked for me. – Gaurav Dureja Feb 08 '22 at 16:41
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    I unistalled old version, then clear Play Store cache, then went to testers link and click on "If you don't have it, download..." and that took me to Paly Store, then install it (it was the old version still), then went to my app info screen and clicked "App details on store" and now it was the new version available, just clicked "Update" – Gjaa Apr 20 '22 at 17:29
  • Rebooting my phone worked. – Dan Chase Jul 18 '23 at 17:39
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Requirements for getting the Internal Update on Play store

  1. Add your same email Account in internal testing which you used as in play store.
  2. Join Beta Testing program which will be visible when you search the same app on play store.
  3. Turn on internal-app-sharing on playstore - > PlayStore->Setting->About ->PlayStore-version(press 7 times), Turn On Internal App Sharing in General Settings of play store.
  4. Wait for some days & Get the app link from play store console to get the update version
Himanshu HC
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  • Wait for some days? Who has time for that just make a new app if it doesn't show up, it's just internal testing, then revert back. – Dan Chase Jul 18 '23 at 17:40