Cannot recover key - When generating Signed APK

Question

I'm trying to release a signed version of my APK but I keep getting an "cannot recover key" error.

I've found lots of questions based around the same problem but none of the solutions are working for me and I honestly don't know what else to do.

I wrote the keystore and key alias passwords down so I'm pretty sure they are correct, these errors have given me some doubt.

I've tried the answer listed here. This gives me:

java.security.UnrecoverableKeyException : Cannot Recover Key.

I've tried following this video here. I found both my passwords and yet still the same problem.

I've tried this answer too here, again I got the same UnrecoverableKeyException as the first attempt.

I've also done this. And like this user I can see my certificates, I'm not sure if that helps.

I was advised to check the lint report and got a "Congratulations - No issues found" message.

PS. Just to be clear would creating a new key (not key store) for the app result in the Playstore seeing it as a new application ?

Answer 1

I never managed to fix this error by finding the key.

When I did upload the app to the developer console I seem to have signed the app up for google's app signing.

Flowing the documentation listed here. I created a new Keystore(to avoid confusion with the previous key if i used the old keystore), created a new key and generated an upload certificate as instructed by the documentation.

I then sent google a ticket, saying I lost my key and attached the upload certificate to the ticket. Two days later I was contacted by a member of the support staff who has said the new certificate was successfully uploaded and after another two days it'll be in affect.

So after waiting the two days I managed to push an update to my app with no problems.

I know this isn't a fix for finding the previous key, but I do hope it'll help someone else who runs into a similar issue.