Google Play Store did not ask me to create an upload keystore.....do I still have to create one?

Question

I am opting to use Google Play App Singing service for my app.

I created a keystore, and signed my release app bundle with it. I then create an Internal Testing release, and opted in to Play App Signing with a single click. Nothing more was asked of me in this regard.

Now I am confused, becuase everything I read in the docs says that you will be asked to provide an upload key for the app. I was not asked to provide this.

When I go to app signing page in the Release section, it does not give me the option to upload/create and upload keystore.

What exactly has happened? How I am enrolled in Play App Signing without have uploaded an upload keystore?

Answer 1

firstly you have to sign your aab/apk file with the given configuration for keystore. This allows you to continually maintain update and management rights for your app beyond release. also what you need to understand is google extracts the release key from the app bundle once you upload to console drive. however, in what you are doing, you are providing the key manually. Ill give you a run down of the keys as you seem to be a little green with this system:

• The app signing key can never be changed for the lifetime of your app. Keep your app signing key secret, but you can share your app's public certificate with others.

• Upload key
  The key you use to sign your app bundle or APK before you upload it on Google Play. Keep your upload key secret, but you can share your app's public certificate with others. For security reasons, it's a good idea to have app signing and upload keys that are different from each other.

Answer 2

You have to sign your apk/aab file with the keystore in the release configuration. Otherwise if you enrol in Play App Signing using your debug key, you will encounter problems in the future if your debug key resets and you will not be able to update your app.

Once you have signed the app bundle with the release key, it will get extracted by Google automatically when you upload it to the Google Play Console. You are providing the key automatically in the bundle you are uploading.

More information here: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9842756?hl=en-GB&visit_id=637418371461688084-2328838094&rd=1