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Google Play Console setup

Follow these steps once. After that, every app update uploads to Google Play automatically.

  1. 1

    Create a Play Console account

    Go to play.google.com/console and sign in with your Google account. Pay the one-time $25 registration fee and complete identity verification.

  2. 2

    Create your app

    In Play Console, click “Create app”. Enter your app name, choose the default language, pick “App”, and select Free or Paid. Accept the declarations and create it.

  3. 3

    Upload your first AAB by hand

    Google requires the first upload to be manual. Go to Testing → Internal testing → Create new release, upload your .aab file, review, and start the rollout. After this, updates can be automatic.

  4. 4

    Link a Google Cloud project

    In Play Console, open Setup → API access. Choose “Link a Google Cloud project” (or create a new one) and link it. This enables the Google Play Developer API.

  5. 5

    Create a service account

    On the same API access page, click “Create new service account”. It opens Google Cloud Console. Give it a name like “web2app-uploader”, create it, then under Keys add a new JSON key. A .json file downloads — keep it safe.

  6. 6

    Grant release permission

    Back in Play Console → API access, your new service account appears. Click “Grant access”, then under App permissions add your app, and under Account permissions enable “Releases: manage production and non-production releases”. Save.

  7. 7

    Save the key in Web2App

    Go back to the app, open the Auto-upload box after a build, and choose the downloaded JSON file. It is stored only in this browser — it is never sent anywhere except directly to Google during an upload.

  8. 8

    Upload updates automatically

    After each new AAB build, pick a track (start with Internal testing) and tap “Upload to Google Play”. The new version appears in Play Console within a few minutes.

Where your key is kept

Your service account JSON key is saved in this browser’s local storage only. It is used solely to call Google’s API during an upload and is never stored on our servers. You can remove it anytime from the Auto-upload box.

Tip: also keep a backup copy of the JSON file somewhere safe. If you clear your browser data, you will need to add it again.

Done? Build a new AAB and use the Auto-upload box on the home page.