How to publish flutter app on google play console step by step guide in 2026

Below is a clear, up-to-date step-by-step guide (2026) for publishing a Flutter app to the Google Play Console, written for beginners but detailed enough for production apps.

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1️⃣ Prerequisites (Do This First)

✅ Accounts & Tools

• Google Play Developer Account
  • One-time fee: $25
  • Sign up at Google Play Console
• Flutter SDK (stable channel)
• Android Studio
  • Android SDK
  • Android SDK Build-Tools
• Java JDK 17+ (required for modern Android builds)

Check Flutter:

flutter doctor

Make sure no errors remain.

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2️⃣ Prepare Your Flutter App

🔹 Update App Info

Edit pubspec.yaml:

name: my_app
description: My awesome Flutter app
version: 1.0.0+1

• 1.0.0 → user-visible version
• +1 → build number (must increase for every upload)

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🔹 App Icon

Use flutter_launcher_icons:

dev_dependencies:
  flutter_launcher_icons: ^0.13.1

flutter_icons:
  android: true
  ios: false
  image_path: "assets/icon.png"

Run:

flutter pub get
flutter pub run flutter_launcher_icons

---

3️⃣ Configure Android App Details

🔹 Application ID (Package Name)

Open:

android/app/build.gradle

Set:

applicationId "com.yourcompany.yourapp"

⚠️ Cannot be changed after publishing

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🔹 Minimum SDK (Recommended 2026)

minSdkVersion 23
targetSdkVersion 34

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4️⃣ Create a Keystore (VERY IMPORTANT)

This signs your app forever. Do not lose it.

keytool -genkey -v \
-keystore upload-keystore.jks \
-keyalg RSA \
-keysize 2048 \
-validity 10000 \
-alias upload

Move upload-keystore.jks to:

android/app/

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🔹 Configure Signing

Create key.properties in android/:

storePassword=your_password
keyPassword=your_password
keyAlias=upload
storeFile=upload-keystore.jks

Edit android/app/build.gradle:

signingConfigs {
    release {
        keyAlias keystoreProperties['keyAlias']
        keyPassword keystoreProperties['keyPassword']
        storeFile file(keystoreProperties['storeFile'])
        storePassword keystoreProperties['storePassword']
    }
}

buildTypes {
    release {
        signingConfig signingConfigs.release
    }
}

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5️⃣ Build Release App Bundle (AAB)

Google Play requires AAB, not APK.

flutter clean
flutter pub get
flutter build appbundle

Output:

build/app/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab

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6️⃣ Create App in Google Play Console

1. Open Play Console
2. Click Create app
3. Fill:
   • App name
   • Default language
   • App type → App
   • Category → App or Game
   • Select Free/Paid

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7️⃣ Complete Play Console Setup

🔹 App Access

• Select All functionality available

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🔹 Store Listing

Upload:

• App description
• Short description
• App icon (512×512)
• Feature graphic (1024×500)
• Screenshots (phone required)

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🔹 Privacy Policy (Mandatory)

• Host on GitHub Pages / website / Google Docs (public)
• Add URL in Play Console

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🔹 Data Safety Form

Declare:

• What data you collect (email, location, etc.)
• How it’s used
• If data is encrypted

⚠️ Incorrect info can cause rejection.

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🔹 Content Rating

• Fill questionnaire
• Get automatic rating

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🔹 Target Audience

• Select age groups
• If under 13, stricter rules apply

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8️⃣ Upload App Bundle

1. Go to Production → Releases
2. Create new release
3. Upload app-release.aab
4. Add release notes
5. Save

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9️⃣ Enable Google Play App Signing

✔ Accept Google Play App Signing

• Google manages your production key
• You keep your upload key

(Strongly recommended)

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🔟 Review & Publish

1. Fix all warnings (green checkmarks)
2. Click Submit for review
3. Review time:
   • New apps: 2–7 days
   • Updates: few hours to 2 days

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11️⃣ After Publishing

🔁 Updating App

• Increase version:

version: 1.0.1+2

• Build AAB again
• Upload new release

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🚨 Common Rejection Reasons (2026)

• Missing privacy policy
• Incorrect Data Safety answers
• Broken login
• App crashes
• Misleading screenshots
• Copyright violations

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✅ Optional (Recommended)

• Enable Crashlytics
• Enable ANR monitoring
• Add in-app updates
• Use Play Integrity API