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I am trying to delete an aab file that clashes with my current version of the build. ( with respect to version code).With the old style google play console, I was able to delete the artifacts that caused the clash. Now I am unable to find anything that allows me to delete the old artifact, even in the app bundle explorer. Any one has any idea how to delete the old artifacts which are not needed or causing issues?

Thanks!

Angela Heely
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3 Answers3

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In the App bundle explorer page of the Play Console, you can delete APKs and App Bundles which have not yet been released.

screenshot of play console -- app bundle explorer

You can see in the example above that the "Remove APK" button appears because, even though the APK is in a release, that release is still in a draft. In that case, you would need to first remove the APK (or App Bundle) from the release, save the release (important!), then go back to the App bundle explorer and click that "Remove APK" button again.

If your APK or App Bundle has already been released to a track (even in a testing track at 1%), then you cannot delete the artifact. It will remain permanently in the Play Console. As far as I know, this is the same behaviour in the both old and new Play Console.

Pierre
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    so if i have uploaded a build with version code say 10, to internal test track, which i later want to remove, i cant do that? – Angela Heely Oct 22 '20 at 01:48
  • If you've released that track thus making that build available to some users, then no, you cannot remove it (even if no users have installed it). – Pierre Oct 22 '20 at 14:24
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    Pierre it did, i marked it as correct too. i wish there was a way to remove test builds added to internal test track as i dont want to increment version code for real prod build just because internal test track build takes up that version code. – Angela Heely Oct 25 '20 at 13:13
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    I understand. Have you considered using [internal app sharing](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9303479?hl=en-GB) instead? It allows you to upload multiple times an APK with the same versionCode, and what you get back is a link that can be opened on the device directly (see the details for the differences and limitations). – Pierre Oct 25 '20 at 17:42
  • @Pierre This option doesn't show up to "remove apk" after app is unpublished. any other way to remove old apk's? – eyalix Dec 20 '20 at 10:00
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This way worked for me.

  1. Edit release -> remove AAB/APK as follows.

enter image description here

  1. Save the Release.

enter image description here

  1. Now the Delete button would have appeared in "App Bundle Explorer" Section.

enter image description here

Nizamudeen Sherif
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Delete .aab option is not shown if any new Release is in progress. Discard new Release first to be able to delete/remove a bundle.

vijeth.ag
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