Google Play 1 raises its target API floor every year. Since 31 August 2026, new apps and updates must target Android 16 (API 36), as cordova-android 15.1.0 does; existing apps targeting API 35 stay visible to new users, and an extension to 1 November 2026 can be requested. Apps further behind reach new users only on older Android versions, so upgrade cordova-android each summer.
A Play Console 1 developer account costs a one-time US$25. Personal accounts created after 13 November 2023 must first run a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in for 14 days in a row before applying for production access. Then create the app, upload app-release.aab to a testing track and fill in the listing:
| Listing item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| App name | Up to 30 characters |
| Short description | Up to 80 characters |
| Full description | Up to 4,000 characters |
| App icon | 512 × 512 px, 32-bit PNG with alpha, up to 1,024 KB |
| Feature graphic | 1,024 × 500 px, JPEG or 24-bit PNG |
| Phone screenshots | 2 to 8, JPEG or 24-bit PNG, sides between 320 and 3,840 px |
Emulator screenshots like this chapter's qualify. The console also asks for a privacy policy URL, a Data safety form (BookNest collects nothing), a content rating questionnaire, the target audience and an ads declaration. Release to an internal test track first, then promote the same bundle to closed, open and production tracks. Other Android stores, such as the Samsung Galaxy Store and Huawei AppGallery, have their own consoles, signing rules and review.