What you need to know about signing your APK or Android App Bundle in release mode
How to Fix the Error of Uploading an APK or Android App Bundle that was Signed in Debug Mode
If you are developing an app for Android using Flutter, React Native, or any other framework, you might encounter an error when you try to upload your app to Google Play. The error message says something like this:
You uploaded an APK or Android App Bundle that was signed in debug mode. You need to sign your APK or Android App Bundle in release mode.
This error means that you have not signed your app properly before uploading it to Google Play. Signing your app is a way of proving that you are the author of the app and that the app has not been tampered with by anyone else. Signing your app also ensures that users can install and update your app without any security issues.
you uploaded an apk or android app bundle that was signed in debug mode
In this article, we will explain what debug mode and release mode are, why debug mode is not suitable for publishing apps, how to sign your app in release mode, and how to fix the error of uploading an APK or Android App Bundle that was signed in debug mode.
What is Debug Mode and Why is it Not Suitable for Publishing Apps?
Debug mode is a configuration that enables debugging features and disables optimization
Debug mode is a configuration that you can use when you are developing and testing your app. Debug mode enables some features that make debugging easier, such as:
How to sign an app bundle in release mode using Android Studio[^1^]
Android App Bundle signing error: debug mode detected[^2^]
What is the difference between APKs and AABs in Android[^4^]
Steps to generate a keystore and an upload key for Android App Bundle[^1^] [^2^]
Benefits of using Play App Signing and Android App Bundle[^2^]
How to change your app signing key in case of compromise or migration[^2^]
How to use apksigner to sign your app bundle from the command line[^2^]
How to use jarsigner to sign your app bundle manually[^1^]
How to encrypt and export your app signing key for Play App Signing[^2^]
How to upload your app signing key to Play App Signing[^2^]
How to generate and register an upload certificate for future updates[^2^]
How to use flutter build appbundle to create an app bundle with Flutter[^3^]
How to configure your build.gradle file for app bundle signing[^3^]
How to create a key.properties file for app bundle signing with Flutter[^3^]
How to fix the error "You uploaded an APK or Android App Bundle that is not signed with the upload certificate" [^3^]
How to use the Android App Bundle and support Google Plays advanced delivery modes[^2^]
How to use feature modules and offer instant experiences with the Android App Bundle[^2^]
How to use Google Play Asset Delivery with the Android App Bundle[^4^]
How to use Google Play Dynamic Delivery with the Android App Bundle[^4^]
How to use Google Play Instant with the Android App Bundle[^4^]
How to test your app bundle before uploading it to Google Play[^4^]
How to troubleshoot common issues with app bundle signing and delivery[^4^]
How to optimize your app size and performance with the Android App Bundle[^4^]
How to reduce download size and on-device footprint with the Android App Bundle[^4^]
How to increase user retention and conversion rates with the Android App Bundle[^4^]
How to manage multiple APKs or app bundles for different device configurations[^4^]
How to support devices that don't have Google Play with APKs generated from your app bundle[^4^]
How to use bundletool to generate APKs from your app bundle locally[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request dynamic feature modules at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request asset packs at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request instant apps at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request in-app updates at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request review flow at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request safety net attestation at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request deferred installation of modules or asset packs at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request uninstallation of modules or asset packs at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request conditional delivery of modules or asset packs at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request on-demand delivery of modules or asset packs at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request pre-registration of modules or asset packs at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to request immediate installation of modules or asset packs at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to check the status of module or asset pack requests at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to cancel module or asset pack requests at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to register listeners for module or asset pack events at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library to handle errors and exceptions for module or asset pack requests at runtime[^4^]
How to use the Play Core Library API reference documentation for more details on each method and class [text](https://developer.android.com/reference/com/google/android/play/core/package-summary)
Logging messages to the console
Attaching a debugger to the app process
Setting breakpoints and inspecting variables
Using hot reload and hot restart
Debug mode also disables some features that make your app run faster and smoother, such as:
Code shrinking
Code obfuscation
Resource optimization
Dex compilation
Debug mode can impact the performance, security, and functionality of your app
While debug mode is useful for development and testing purposes, it is not suitable for publishing apps. Debug mode can have negative effects on the performance, security, and functionality of your app, such as:
Your app will be larger in size and take longer to download and install
Your app will consume more memory and CPU resources and drain more battery power
Your app will be more vulnerable to reverse engineering and hacking attacks
Your app will not work properly on some devices or platforms due to compatibility issues
Your app will not comply with Google Play's policies and requirements for publishing apps
Therefore, you should always sign your app in release mode before uploading it to Google Play.</p What is Release Mode and How to Sign Your App in Release Mode?
Release mode is a configuration that disables debugging features and enables optimization
Release mode is a configuration that you should use when you are ready to publish your app to Google Play or other app stores. Release mode disables some features that are only useful for development and testing, such as:
Logging messages to the console
Attaching a debugger to the app process
Setting breakpoints and inspecting variables
Using hot reload and hot restart
Release mode also enables some features that make your app run faster and smoother, such as:
Code shrinking
Code obfuscation
Resource optimization
Dex compilation
Release mode requires you to sign your app with a certificate before uploading it to Google Play
Release mode also requires you to sign your app with a certificate before uploading it to Google Play. A certificate is a file that contains information about your identity and a public key that can be used to verify your signature. Signing your app with a certificate ensures that you are the author of the app and that the app has not been modified by anyone else.
You can use different types of certificates to sign your app, depending on how you are releasing your app:
If you are using Android App Bundles, you need to sign your app bundle with an upload key, which is a certificate that you generate yourself and register with Google Play. Google Play will then use another certificate, called the app signing key, to sign the APKs that it generates from your app bundle. The app signing key is either generated by Google Play or provided by you if you opt for key upgrade.
If you are using APKs, you need to sign your APK with an app signing key, which is a certificate that you generate yourself and keep in a secure location. You can also use an upload key to sign your APK, but you need to enroll in Play App Signing and upload your app signing key to Google Play.
You can sign your app in release mode using Android Studio, apksigner, or jarsigner
There are different tools that you can use to sign your app in release mode, depending on your preference and workflow. Here are some of the most common tools:
If you are using Android Studio, you can use the Generate Signed Bundle / APK option from the Build menu. This option will guide you through the steps of creating a keystore file, which is a file that contains your certificate and private key, and signing your app bundle or APK with it. You can also configure your build.gradle file to automate the signing process.
If you are using the command line, you can use the apksigner tool, which is part of the Android SDK build tools. This tool allows you to sign your app bundle or APK with a keystore file or a key and certificate pair. You can also use the apksigner tool to verify and align your signed app bundle or APK.
If you are using Java Development Kit (JDK), you can use the jarsigner tool, which is part of the JDK. This tool allows you to sign your APK with a keystore file or a key and certificate pair. You can also use the jarsigner tool to verify your signed APK. However, you need to use another tool, called zipalign, which is part of the Android SDK build tools, to align your signed APK.
For more details about how to sign your app in release mode using these tools, see Sign your app. How to Fix the Error of Uploading an APK or Android App Bundle that was Signed in Debug Mode?
Check your build.gradle file and make sure you are using signingConfigs.release for your release build type
One of the possible reasons why you are getting the error of uploading an APK or Android App Bundle that was signed in debug mode is that you are not using the correct signing configuration for your release build type. You need to make sure that you are using signingConfigs.release for your release build type in your build.gradle file. For example, your build.gradle file should look something like this:
android ... signingConfigs release storeFile file("my-release-key.jks") storePassword "password" keyAlias "my-key-alias" keyPassword "password" buildTypes release signingConfig signingConfigs.release ...
If you are using a different signing configuration for your release build type, you need to change it to signingConfigs.release or create a new one with the same name and properties.
Generate a new APK or Android App Bundle using the flutter build appbundle or flutter build apk command
Another possible reason why you are getting the error of uploading an APK or Android App Bundle that was signed in debug mode is that you are using an old or outdated APK or Android App Bundle that was generated in debug mode. You need to generate a new APK or Android App Bundle using the flutter build appbundle or flutter build apk command in the terminal. For example, you can run the following command to generate a new Android App Bundle:
flutter build appbundle
This command will create a new Android App Bundle file called app-release.aab in the build/app/outputs/bundle/release/ directory. You can also use the --release flag to specify that you want to generate a release version of your app. For example, you can run the following command to generate a new APK:
flutter build apk --release
This command will create a new APK file called app-release.apk in the build/app/outputs/flutter-apk/ directory. You can also use other flags and options to customize your app bundle or APK, such as --target-platform, --split-per-abi, --obfuscate, and --split-debug-info. For more details about how to generate an app bundle or APK using Flutter, see Build and release an Android app.
Upload your new APK or Android App Bundle to Google Play and complete the release process
The final step to fix the error of uploading an APK or Android App Bundle that was signed in debug mode is to upload your new APK or Android App Bundle to Google Play and complete the release process. You can use the Google Play Console to upload your app bundle or APK and fill in the required information and settings for your app. For example, you can follow these steps to upload your app bundle or APK:
Go to the Google Play Console and sign in with your Google account.
Select your app from the list of apps or create a new one if you don't have one yet.
On the left menu, click on Release > Production > Create new release.
On the New release to production page, click on Browse files and select your app bundle or APK file from your computer.
Review and accept the terms and conditions and click on Review release.
On the Review and roll out release page, fill in the release name, release notes, and other information for your app.
Click on Roll out release to publish your app to Google Play.
For more details about how to upload and publish your app using Google Play Console, see Prepare & roll out releases. Conclusion
In this article, we have learned what debug mode and release mode are, why debug mode is not suitable for publishing apps, how to sign your app in release mode, and how to fix the error of uploading an APK or Android App Bundle that was signed in debug mode. We have also seen how to use different tools and commands to generate and sign your app bundle or APK using Flutter, Android Studio, apksigner, or jarsigner. By following these steps, you should be able to upload your app to Google Play without any errors and reach millions of users around the world.
Here are some tips to remember when signing and uploading your app:
Always use release mode for publishing your app and debug mode for developing and testing your app.
Always sign your app with a certificate before uploading it to Google Play.
Always use a secure and unique app signing key and keep it in a safe place.
Always use Android App Bundles instead of APKs to reduce your app size and optimize your app delivery.
Always test your app on different devices and platforms before publishing it to Google Play.
We hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy coding!
FAQs
What is the difference between APK and Android App Bundle?
An APK (Android Package Kit) is a file format that contains all the code, resources, and metadata of your app. An APK can be installed on a device or an emulator directly. However, an APK can also contain unnecessary or redundant data that increases your app size and affects your app performance.
An Android App Bundle is a file format that contains only the essential code, resources, and metadata of your app. An Android App Bundle cannot be installed on a device or an emulator directly. Instead, it needs to be uploaded to Google Play, which will then generate optimized APKs for different devices and platforms based on the user's preferences and device specifications. This way, an Android App Bundle can reduce your app size and improve your app delivery.
What is Play App Signing and how does it work?
Play App Signing is a feature that allows Google Play to manage and protect your app signing key for you. When you enroll in Play App Signing, you can either let Google Play generate a new app signing key for you or upload your existing app signing key to Google Play. Google Play will then store your app signing key in a secure location and use it to sign the APKs that it generates from your app bundle. You will only need to use an upload key to sign your app bundle before uploading it to Google Play. This way, Play App Signing can prevent your app signing key from being lost or compromised.
How can I change my app signing key if it is compromised or lost?
If you are using Play App Signing, you can request a key upgrade from Google Play if your app signing key is compromised or lost. You will need to create a new app signing key and upload it to Google Play along with a proof of ownership of your old app signing key. Google Play will then verify your request and replace your old app signing key with the new one. This way, you can continue to update your app without affecting your existing users.
How can I test my app before publishing it to Google Play?
You can test your app before publishing it to Google Play using different methods, such as:
Using an emulator or a physical device connected to your computer
Using the internal testing, closed testing, open testing, or pre-release testing tracks on Google Play Console
Using Firebase Test Lab or other third-party testing services
These methods can help you check the functionality, compatibility, usability, performance, security, and quality of your app on different devices and platforms before releasing it to the public.
How can I update my app after publishing it to Google Play?
You can update your app after publishing it to Google Play by following these steps:
Make the necessary changes to your code and resources
Generate a new app bundle or APK using the same app signing key as before
Increase the version code and version name of your app in the pubspec.yaml file
Upload your new app bundle or APK to Google Play Console
Create a new release with the new app bundle or APK and fill in the required information
Roll out the new release to the same or a different track as before
You You can monitor the status and performance of your app after publishing it to Google Play using different tools and features, such as:
Using the dashboard, statistics, ratings and reviews, and vitals sections on Google Play Console
Using Firebase Analytics or other third-party analytics services
Using Firebase Crashlytics or other third-party crash reporting services
Using Firebase Performance Monitoring or other third-party performance monitoring services
These tools and features can help you track the number of installs, uninstalls, updates, ratings, reviews, crashes, errors, latency, and other metrics of your app on different devices and platforms. You can also use these tools and features to identify and fix any issues or bugs that might affect your app quality and user satisfaction.