Google Play Production Access Checklist

This Google Play production access checklist is a tick-box list to go through before you click Apply for production in Play Console. Every item is based on a point already explained in our guides, and each one links to the section that explains why it matters. The boxes are for your use on this page only; nothing is saved or sent.

It is written for personal developer accounts created after November 13, 2023, which must run a closed test with a minimum of 12 testers who have been opted in continuously for at least 14 days before applying.

1. Your testers

• At least 12 testers are opted in to your closed test right now. Why
• Each of them has been opted in continuously for the preceding 14 days. Why
• Anyone who opted out and back in has 14 consecutive days since rejoining. Why
• No one you are counting is opted in to your internal test instead of the closed test. Why
• You are counting opted-in testers, not invited email addresses. Why

2. Your feedback and changes

• You have a record of the feedback testers sent, and of how you collected it. Why
• You can describe tester engagement: whether testers used all available app features, and whether their usage matched expected production user behavior. Why
• You have a list of changes you made based on what you learned from the closed test. Why
• You can describe how you determined that the app was ready for production. Why

3. Policy areas Google asks you to double-check

• App content and features comply with Google Play policies. Why
• App targeting and content rating reflect your app's audience and content. Why
• Functional reliability: no crashes, broken functionality or missing screens. Why
• If the app needs a login, valid working test credentials are in Play Console. Why

4. The application form

• Part 1, About your closed test: how easy it was to recruit testers, tester engagement, and a feedback summary. Why
• Part 2, About your app/game: target audience, value proposition and an estimated first-year install range. Why
• Part 3, About your production readiness: changes from testing and how you determined readiness. Why
• Answers drafted somewhere else first, because if you click Discard or leave the page without clicking Next or Apply, changes are not saved. Why

5. After you apply

• Watch the account owner's email: Google sends a notification when the review is complete. Why
• Allow for review time: Google says it usually takes seven days or less, but can occasionally take longer. Why
• If Google asks for more testing, check the two reasons it names: fewer than 12 opted-in testers, or insufficient tester engagement. Why

How to use this checklist

Go through the list on the day you plan to apply, not at the start of your test. Several items, such as the 14 continuous days, can only be confirmed at the end. If any box in section 1 is not ticked, applying now would not meet the requirement Google describes.

Sections 2 and 4 overlap on purpose. Section 2 checks that the material exists, such as your feedback record and list of changes, and section 4 checks that you have turned it into answers for each part of the form. Each Why link opens the guide section that explains the item in full.

The ticks on this page are not stored. If you reload the page they reset, because this page doesn't save anything you do.

If you prefer paper, print this page. The site header, footer, table of contents and the box at the end are hidden when printing, so the printout contains only the checklist items and the explanation of how to use them.

Frequently asked questions