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I got a situation here that is somehow complicated to me.
Some months ago one of my colleagues uploaded a bundle to google play. besides google play we upload bundle releases to other stores and apk to our website so there are different ways to download our android app.
The problem starts were I found that I can not update our app from google play app after uploading a new bundle to google play. I installed an older version of app (consider version code = 17) on android device and opened google play app and searched our app, what I see is open the button not the update button. It is like google play doesn't understand that version code of installed app on device is 17 and play version code is 19.
What I tried to understand is that google play is using an upload key and a signing key. upload key is used to when we developers upload bundle to play and signing key is what play uses itself to sign and publish our apps.
So after checking out to google play console -> Setup -> App Integrity, I see Md5, Sha1 and Sha-256 fingerprints for upload key and signing key. then I tried to extract fingerprint from jks keystore file I use to sign my app using this command.
keytool -list -v -keystore keyStoreFile.jks -alias aliasName

then I checked that my signing key certificate is same as upload key in google play console but google play key is different.
so SO folks is it the problem? is this the reason google play does not show update button? P.S. I didi not upload the first release to play. so I am not sure what is the signing key of google play.

Reza
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1 Answers1

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Yes, that's the problem. If you don't specifically request that option when first releasing your app in the Play Console, Google will generate its own signing key and sign the APKs it serves through the Play Store with that key. That key is obviously different from the one that you have used to sign the APKs deployed manually or through another store, hence Android cannot update the app (and thus Play Store does not offer to update).

One option you have is to "upgrade" your signing key with one that you will provide. Make sure not to mess that up as you can only do it once per app. Alternatively, if you don't have any installs through Play Store, you can maybe ask the developer support for your app to be deleted altogether and start over with the right key from the get go.

Pierre
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  • Hi Pierre. I have a question. Can i request developer support to delete my app completely and publish a fresh bundle with my own key? after permenent removal of my app it is ok to publish with previous package name? And I have to note that we have about 100 users installed the app which is no concern. thanks – Reza Jan 03 '22 at 12:32
  • I don't know, you'll have to check with the developer support team directly. – Pierre Jan 03 '22 at 18:10