Google Play testing tracks

Google Play has three testing tracks before production. A version can start on any of them and move up when it is ready.

• Internal testing: up to 100 people you list by email. No review, ready in minutes.
• Closed testing: people in the Google Groups or email lists you choose. Google reviews it, usually within a few days.
• Open testing: anyone, from your app's testing page. Google reviews it.
• Production: everyone on Google Play, after Google's review.

New personal developer account? Google asks it to run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before it can publish to production. Closed testing is how you do that.

Send a build to a track

On the Builds tab press New build, tick Android and pick a track under Send it to. StoreReady remembers it for the next build. You can also pick the usual track on the Testing tab with New builds go here.

Who can join

Internal testing. Testers are email lists that live in Play Console:

1. In Play Console open your app, then Test and release, Testing, Internal testing.
2. Open the Testers tab, make an email list and add your testers' Google account emails.
3. Copy the link on the same page and send it to your testers.

Closed testing. Add Google Groups right on the Testing tab, one per line, like my-testers@googlegroups.com, and press Save testers. Anyone in the group can join. Email lists for this track live in Play Console, under Test and release, Testing, Closed testing, Testers.

Open testing. Anyone can join, nothing to set up.

The testing link

For closed and open testing the Testing tab shows your testing link, like https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.company.app. Testers open it on their phone, tap Become a tester, then install your app from Google Play. Updates arrive through Google Play like for any app.

Move a version to another track

Each track on the Testing tab shows the version on it. Press Move to production (or to another track) and confirm. Nothing is built again. On production Google reviews it, then releases it to everyone.

A new app's first release can only be a draft. Then Play Console asks you to finish the store listing and the app content questions and press Send for review. See Review, drafts and internal testing.