Google Play Store downloading old versions of app

Question

We rolled out an internal testing track a few weeks ago and added some emails to it so people could test, it worked fine.

I have an app that was uploaded yesterday at 7:00pm CST to an open testing track on Google Play. It supports Android API Level 26-33, which were the same levels that the internal track supported. When copying the link to download the app on the Play Store from the open testing track page, it leads to the internal testing track page and only allows the old download from the internal track.

I have removed the users from the internal testing track so they shouldn't have access at all, and am also using the link that the open track provides. Why is Google Play downloading old versions of the app from different tracks than the one I am getting the link from?

Answer 1

The open testing track is not immediately available like the internal track. It goes through some checks and an approval process from Google. Check if it says "Available" on the "Open testing" page in Play Console. Also, check "Publishing overview" if it is set to "Managed publishing off".

If the app is new, I experienced that this can take several days until it is approved. Once the app is in production, this goes quicker (within hours).