CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidreleasegoogle-play-console
Mike
Mike

Reputation: 2510

Cannot remove "Internal test track" build from Google Play Console

I've been developing my first app for work and am having trouble removing an earlier version from the Google Play Console.

My first release was version 2, which I released on the Internal Test track, as much as an experiment to understand the working of things. I have subsequently release the app up to version 8, always targeting Alpha/Closed Track and had no problems with them.

However my first release, the one in Internal test track, simply refuses to go away. All the others I have found I can click MANAGE then RELEASE TO BETA then DISCARD (at the bottom) and they go away, but not this one.

Can anyone help me with this please. I have to say that the websites for releasing to both Android and to Apple do leave much to be desired - a bit of a baptism of fire to get your first app out there, even just to testers.

Upvotes: 111

Views: 115292

Answers (12)

Ramkesh Yadav
Ramkesh Yadav

Reputation: 1087

VERY SIMPLE.

1.) Click on "Internal Testing" From the left Side Tab

2.) Click on "Create New Release"

3.) Type Anything in "Release name" under "Release details"

4.) Click Next and Publish. and it will deactivate the older build from internal testing.

Side Note: You do not need to upload any build file (.aab or .apk) for this use case.

Upvotes: 7

user846316
user846316

Reputation: 6331

Tried and worked.

Unfortunately, there is no straightforward way to delete or make a version inactive. The simplest thing you can do is as follows:

  1. If not done already, create a version of your apk/aab you want to really release and upload it.
  2. Go to test tracks where old versions are used. Create a new release in that test track.
  3. Instead of uploading a new apk/aab, just pick the latest one from the 'Add from library' option.
  4. Roll out the test track release.

It will simply mark old versions (which were used in test tracks) as inactive and only the latest one you uploaded will remain active. You can verify it on the 'App bundle explorer' page.

Now you can submit the app for approval.

Upvotes: 16

user3988148
user3988148

Reputation: 87

I believe that what most are saying is that Google needs better way to disable or continue testing an obsolete or bad build when the developer knows it's a waste of time. It seems that there are ways we can force it, but it's not the ideal way. I agree. I don't want people to waste their time or bad-mouth my app because of unclear definitions on our side. We are in the 21st century, but everyone makes mistakes. If Google path is ideal, then make the documentation reflect that.

Upvotes: 2

Ehsan Rosdi
Ehsan Rosdi

Reputation: 989

  1. Sign in Play Console
  2. Choose your app
  3. Click Release Overview (Left pane)
  4. Select the release version that you want to stop
  5. View track
  6. Pause track (Right upper hand corner)

Upvotes: 23

Anil Chahal
Anil Chahal

Reputation: 2613

You can mark them inactive after pausing it.

Upvotes: 1

Faizan Ahmad
Faizan Ahmad

Reputation: 60

End a test To remove users from your app's test:

Sign in to your Play Console. Select an app. On the left menu, select Release management > App releases. Next to the test that you want to end, select Manage. Expand the "Manage testers" card. After ending a test, testers won't receive updates but the app will remain installed on their device. To remove a closed test track that you created, select Deactivate track. You can access deactivated tracks on the App releases page in the "Closed tracks" section.
To end an open, closed alpha, or internal test, select Remove testers.

Upvotes: 0

Jiri Hradil
Jiri Hradil

Reputation: 11

Haven't found how to delete a build - as been said, we just upload a newer version of the app with higher build number into the Internal track and propagate it through Alpha to Production. So just overwrite the unwanted build.

Upvotes: 0

Moses Mwongela
Moses Mwongela

Reputation: 89

Go to manage internal test

Manage testers

Remove all testers

This is the safest way

Upvotes: 0

Henry Yei
Henry Yei

Reputation: 53

I would upload your next alpha to the internal test track and promote it to the alpha/closed track. You will still have a build in the internal test track, but at least it is a relevant build.

Upvotes: 4

Nick Fortescue
Nick Fortescue

Reputation: 13852

You don't need to discard it. Testers will always get the highest version code they are eligible for.

Upvotes: -10

Alan
Alan

Reputation: 601

We found that while there is no remove, we had to add an empty version which replaced the test version. This was a huge problem for us as the test version was in violation of permissions rules and our production code was not, but the production app was pulled from the Play store... Yikes. Adding a remove or delete would be soooo much more intuitive.

Upvotes: 60

Vincent Brodeur
Vincent Brodeur

Reputation: 977

It is possible to discard the release by creating a new release without a bundle or APK, inserting a release name, which is required, and completing the process.

Upvotes: 96

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