Mobile Android Submission

Set up EAS Build.

npm install -g eas-cli
eas login
eas build:configure

Configure eas.json for production:

{
  "build": {
    "production": {
      "android": {
        "buildType": "app-bundle"
      },
      "autoIncrement": true
    }
  }
}

app-bundle produces an AAB (Android App Bundle), which is required by Google Play since August 2021.

Signing keys and Play App Signing.

EAS manages signing automatically. On first build:

• EAS generates an upload key (used to sign uploads)
• You opt into Play App Signing in Play Console (Google holds the app signing key)

This is the recommended flow. If you need to use your own keystore:

eas credentials

Select Android > production > manage keystore. You can upload an existing .jks file.

To export the upload key certificate for Play Console:

eas credentials --platform android
# Select "Download credentials" to get the keystore
keytool -exportcert -alias <alias> -keystore <keystore.jks> | openssl sha1 -binary | openssl base64

Build for Play Store.

eas build --platform android --profile production

This produces an .aab file. Build typically takes 10-20 minutes.

Create a Google Play Console listing. Before the first submission:

• Go to play.google.com/console
• Create a new app (select app or game, free or paid)
• Fill the store listing: app name, short description (80 chars), full description (4000 chars)
• Upload screenshots: minimum 2 phone screenshots, optional tablet
• Upload feature graphic: 1024 x 500 px (required)
• Fill content rating questionnaire (IARC)
• Set target audience and content (is it for children?)
• Fill data safety section (what data the app collects)

Submit to Play Store.

eas submit --platform android

For automated submission, create a Google Cloud service account:

1. Go to Google Cloud Console > IAM > Service Accounts
2. Create a service account
3. Grant "Service Account User" role
4. Create a JSON key and download it
5. In Play Console > Settings > API access > link the service account
6. Grant the service account "Release manager" permission

Then configure in eas.json:

{
  "submit": {
    "production": {
      "android": {
        "serviceAccountKeyPath": "./google-service-account.json",
        "track": "internal"
      }
    }
  }
}

Do not commit the service account JSON. Add it to .gitignore.

Track options:

• internal - up to 100 testers, no review required
• alpha - closed testing
• beta - open testing
• production - public release

Staged rollouts. For production releases:

{
  "submit": {
    "production": {
      "android": {
        "track": "production",
        "rollout": 0.1
      }
    }
  }
}

Start with 10% rollout, monitor crash rates, then increase to 100%.

Target API level. Google Play requires targeting recent API levels:

Expo SDK handles this automatically. Check with:

npx expo config --type public | grep -i sdk