Google Play Console Internal Test

Introduction

Before publish app for users its good option to have list of your trusted testers. Google play console provide Internal Test to create release for the testers . When you create an internal test, you release your app immediately to your internal testers. This can help you identify issues and receive feedback earlier in your development process. An internal test is:

• Fast: You can distribute apps via the internal test track much faster than the open or closed tracks. When you publish a new APK or app bundle to the internal test track, it will be available to testers within a few minutes.
• Note: If you’re publishing an app for the first time, it may take up to 48 hours for your app’s internal test to be available.
• Flexible: An internal test can be adjusted to support different testing stages, including internal testing, quality assurance checks, and post-launch debugging.
• Safe: With the internal test track, your test app is distributed to users via the Play Store.

Before you start

• Email requirements: Users need a Google Account (@gmail.com) or a G Suite account to join a test.
• Pricing & distribution changes: If you make any changes to your app’s Pricing & distribution page, it affects your app’s current and future versions across all tracks.
• Paid apps: If you’re testing a paid app using an open or closed test, testers still need to purchase it. If you’re testing a paid app using an internal test, testers can install your app for free.

Internal test: manage up to 100 testers

You can create a list of internal testers by email address. An internal test can have up to 100 testers per app.

When setting up an internal test, keep the following in mind:

• Country distribution: You can add users from any location to your internal test. If an internal tester is located in a country where your app’s production, open, or closed version isn’t available, the user will still receive the internal test.
• Payment: For paid apps, testers can install your internal test version for free. Testers need to pay for in-app purchases, unless they’re also added to a license testers list.
• Device exclusion rules: Device exclusion rules don’t apply to internal testers.
• Policy and security reviews: Internal tests may not be subject to the usual Play policy or security reviews.

Start an internal test

Create testers list

If you’ve already created your testers list, skip to the “add testers” instructions.

1. Sign in to your Play Console.
2. On the left menu, select Settings
3. Manage testers > Create list.
4. Type a name to identify your list of testers.
5. Add email addresses separated by commas or click Upload CSV. If you use a .CSV file, put each email address on its own line without any commas. If you upload a .CSV file, it will overwrite any email addresses you've added.
6. Select Create list.

Add testers

1. Sign in to your Play Console.
2. Select an app.
3. On the left menu, select Release management > App releases.
4. Next to the internal test track, select Manage internal test.
5. Expand the “Manage testers” section. If the “Manage testers” section is empty, make sure you’ve uploaded an APK or app bundle to the internal test track.
6. Next to “Choose a testing method,” select Internal test.
7. In the “Users” section, check the box next to list you want to use.
8. Copy the “Opt-in URL” to share with your testers.
9. Next to “Feedback channel,” add an email address or URL to collect feedback from testers. Your app’s feedback channel will be shown to users on your tester opt-in page.
10. Select Save.

End a test

To remove users from your app’s test:

1. Sign in to your Play Console.
2. Select an app.
3. On the left menu, select Release management > App releases.
4. Next to the test that you want to end, select Manage.
5. Expand the “Manage testers” card.
6. After ending a test, testers won’t receive updates but the app will remain installed on their device.

• To remove a closed test track that you created, select Deactivate track. You can access deactivated tracks on the App releases page in the “Closed tracks” section.
• To end an open, closed alpha, or internal test, select Remove testers.