How to Create an AAB File for Google Play (Android Studio)
Step by step: generate a signed Android App Bundle in Android Studio or with Gradle, then upload it to Play Console.
Read the guide →How to Publish an MIT App Inventor App on Google Play
Quick answer To publish an MIT App Inventor app on Google Play, build an Android App Bundle (.aab) from the Build menu, back up your keystore, create the app in Play Console, upload the bundle, complete the store forms, and run the 12-tester closed test if your account needs it.
App Inventor lets you build an Android app in an afternoon, but Google Play has its own rules about file types, signing, store forms and testing. This guide takes you from a finished App Inventor project to a published app, with the errors that App Inventor users report most often and how to avoid each one.
Can you publish an App Inventor app on Google Play?
Yes. To publish an MIT App Inventor app on Google Play you build an Android App Bundle, create the app in Google Play Console, upload the bundle, complete the store forms and release it. If your developer account is new, you also have to run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before you can apply for production access.
The App Inventor part takes minutes. Most of the time goes into the account, the forms and the test, so start those early.
A note on accuracy: App Inventor changes from release to release, so we describe what each option does instead of promising exact menu names. Google's rules are quoted from its Help pages and the App Inventor community threads linked at the end.
What do you need before you start?
| Item | Why you need it | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| A Google Play developer account | One-time US$25 fee plus identity verification | Developer account fee |
| A tested app | Install the APK on a real phone, not only the companion | Why apps get rejected |
| A package name you can live with | App Inventor creates a default one from your username and project name. It cannot be changed after you publish. | AAB file guide |
| Version code and name | Each upload needs a higher version code | How to update an app |
| Icon, screenshots and description | Required for the store listing | First publish guide |
| A privacy policy | Needed for the Data safety form, and always if you show ads | Data safety and privacy policy |
Using a different no-code builder? Our guide to publishing a Kodular app on Google Play covers the same route for Kodular.
How do you build the AAB?
The APK and the AAB are different files. The App Inventor team describes the bundle as a format that lets Google Play generate device-specific APKs, and says it does not replace APK files because a bundle cannot be installed directly. In the Build menu of App Inventor you will find an option for the Android App Bundle, as users in the App Inventor community describe.
- Set the versionCheck the version code and version name in your app's properties. Raise the version code every time you upload.
- Check the package nameLook at your project settings for the package name and decide before the first release. It identifies your app forever.
- Build an APK firstInstall it on your phone, open every screen and fix problems. Do not skip this.
- Build the AABUse the Build option for the Android App Bundle and download the .aab file when it finishes.
- Back up the keystoreDo this now. The next section explains why.
For a deeper look at the file itself, read how to create an AAB file for Google Play and Google's Android App Bundle documentation.
How do you handle the keystore?
A keystore is the file that proves your updates come from you. App Inventor keeps one for your account, and one community answer points users to the keystore from their App Inventor account when Google rejects a bundle over its certificate. Treat it like a password.
- Download a copy and store it in two places, for example a private cloud folder and an offline drive.
- Write down its password and alias in a password manager, not in the same folder.
- Never post it on a forum and never send it to a person who offers to publish the app for you.
- Do not delete or replace the keystore in App Inventor after you have published. A new key means Google no longer recognizes your updates.
Google Play uses two keys: an upload key you keep and an app signing key Google holds. Read Play App Signing explained before the first upload. If you hit the error about a key that is also used to sign APKs sent to users, our Kodular guide explains the message and the general fix, and the same logic applies here.
If you lose the keystore: Google says an upload key can be reset if it is lost or compromised, but the reset takes time. Back up now so you never need it.
What if Google Play says the API level is too low?
Google Play only accepts apps that target a recent Android API level. One thread on the App Inventor community shows a developer whose bundle was rejected because Play detected a level that was too low. A volunteer replied that the current App Inventor builder targets a newer SDK and advised recompiling the project to create a fresh AAB, since the old file had been built before an App Inventor update.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open your project in the current App Inventor (reload the page) |
| 2 | Rebuild the AAB from the Build menu |
| 3 | Upload the new file, not the old one |
| 4 | If Play still complains, post the exact message in the App Inventor community with the date, because the required level changes over time |
Do not convert an APK to an AAB with a phone utility and sign it yourself. In the same thread that route ended with certificate errors and no fix.
How do you create the app and upload the bundle?
- Create the appIn Play Console choose Create app, then enter the name, language, App or Game and Free or Paid. Free cannot be changed to paid later.
- Finish the Dashboard tasksComplete the content rating, target audience, app access, ads and Data safety forms. See the table below.
- Create a closed testing releaseGo to Testing > Closed testing, create a release, accept Play App Signing and upload the AAB.
- Add testersCreate the list and send the opt-in link. See how to add testers and how to share the link.
| Form | Guide |
|---|---|
| Content rating | Content rating questionnaire |
| Target audience | Target audience and content declaration |
| App access | App access instructions |
| Data safety | Data safety form |
| Ads | AdMob ads not showing in a new app |
Components and extensions can collect data or contact servers. Check every one you use, such as ads, analytics and cloud databases, before you answer the Data safety form.
How do you run the closed test?
The App Inventor companion does not count as testing for Google. Google requires personal developer accounts created after November 13, 2023 to run a closed test with at least 12 testers who stay opted in for at least 14 days in a row, then apply for production. See the 14-day requirement explained.
- Recruit 15 or more testers so a few drop-outs do not stop you. How to get 12 testers.
- Ask testers to read how to join a closed test as a tester.
- Fix bugs they find, raise the version code and upload a new AAB.
- Keep notes of the feedback and the changes. The production access questionnaire asks for them.
When the days are done, follow how to apply for production access. If the button is missing, see why it may be locked.
What are the common errors?
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Play does not accept the upload as a new app | You uploaded an APK | Upload the .aab |
| Target API level too low | Old build or old tool version | Recompile in the current App Inventor and upload the new AAB |
| Certificate or key error | Signed with a key Play does not expect | Use the original keystore, or request an upload key reset. See Play App Signing |
| Version code already used | Same version uploaded twice | Raise the version code and rebuild |
| Package name already taken | Another app uses it | Choose a different package name before the first release |
| Rejected for Data safety mismatch | Form does not match your components | Review components and correct the form |
More fixes are in Google Play app rejected: reasons and fixes.
Part of a series: this article is one chapter of Google Play Closed Testing: The Complete Guide. Start there for the full roadmap from setup to production.
Sources
- Google Play Console Help: use Play App Signing
- Google Play Console Help: app testing requirements for new personal developer accounts
- Android Developers: about Android App Bundles
- MIT App Inventor Community: Android App Bundles in MIT App Inventor
- MIT App Inventor Community: API version detected by the Google Play Store
Frequently asked questions
Can I publish an MIT App Inventor app on Google Play?
Yes. Build an Android App Bundle (.aab) in App Inventor, create the app in Play Console, upload the bundle, complete the store forms and release it. You do the upload yourself.
Should I upload the APK that App Inventor builds?
No. New apps need an Android App Bundle. Use the APK to test on your own phone and the AAB for Google Play.
Why does Google Play say my target API level is too low?
Google requires a recent target API level. A forum thread shows a user whose bundle was rejected for this reason. The suggested fix was to recompile the project in the current version of App Inventor to build a new AAB.
Where is my App Inventor keystore?
App Inventor keeps a keystore for your account and its Projects menu has keystore options. Download a copy, store it in two safe places and never share it. Menu labels can change, so check the current App Inventor interface.
Do I need 12 testers for an App Inventor app?
App Inventor makes no difference. The requirement depends on your developer account: personal accounts created after November 13, 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in for 14 days in a row.
Does testing in the App Inventor companion count as testing?
No. Only a closed test on Google Play counts. The companion app is for your own development.
