Play Store having new version of the app, but not showing update

57
votes

I have my app installed in my cell with version 1.0.5 ( Version code 9)

In Google Play Store, I can see my app with version 1.0.7 ( Version code 11 ), but it doesn't show me the button update ( it is showing me the button "Open")

Is it something I have to include in my app???

Is it a bug in Play Store???

Is it a configuration problem???

I join my AndroidManifest.xml

<uses-sdk
    android:minSdkVersion="16"
    android:targetSdkVersion="20" />

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.providers.gsf.permission.READ_GSERVICES" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="com.spg.googlemaps.permission.MAPS_RECEIVE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS" />

<!--
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BATTERY_STATS" />
-->
<uses-feature
    android:name="android.hardware.camera"
    android:required="true" />
<uses-feature
    android:name="android.hardware.camera.front"
    android:required="false" />

<permission
    android:name="com.spg.googlemaps.permission.MAPS_RECEIVE"
    android:protectionLevel="signature" />

<uses-feature
    android:glEsVersion="0x00020000"
    android:required="true" />

<application
    android:name="com.myapp.MyApplication"
    android:allowBackup="true"
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:logo="@drawable/ic_logo"
    android:theme="@style/Theme.AppCompat" >
    <uses-library android:name="com.google.android.maps" />

    <meta-data
        android:name="com.google.android.gms.version"
        android:value="@integer/google_play_services_version" />

    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.SplashScreen"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:noHistory="true"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait"
        android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Black.NoTitleBar" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.LoginActivity"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_login"
        android:noHistory="true"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait"
        android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize|stateVisible" >
    </activity>
    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.DashBoard"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
    </activity>
    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.FragmentTabsPdv"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
            android:value="com.myapp.DashBoard" />
    </activity>

    <meta-data
        android:name="com.google.android.maps.v2.API_KEY"
        android:value="@string/maps_key" />

    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.RutaActivity"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_ruta"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
            android:value="com.myapp.FragmentTabsPdv" />
    </activity>
    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.BaseActivity"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_base"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
    </activity>
    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.SettingsActivity"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_settings"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
            android:value="com.myapp.DashBoard" />
    </activity>
    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.InformacionPdvActivity"
        android:label="@string/infoPdv"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
            android:value="com.myapp.RutaActivity" />
    </activity>

    <receiver android:name="com.myapp.BaseActivity$NetworkChangeReceiver" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.net.conn.CONNECTIVITY_CHANGE" />
        </intent-filter>
    </receiver>

    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.MetricaTabs"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_metrica_tabs"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait"
        android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustPan" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
            android:value="com.myapp.RutaActivity" />
    </activity>

    <meta-data
        android:name="com.crashlytics.ApiKey"
        android:value="7d80161d908dd5424f232598dba254c7d2a43307" />

    <activity
        android:name="com.myapp.SendMessageActivity"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_send_message" >
    </activity>
</application>

10
androidgoogle-play
it takes a few hours to be available in the store – tyczj
Yes, but it is not the problem. As I was saying, Playstore already shows the new version, in public mode ( not in admin mode ), but it doesn't show the update. I've uploaded the apk yesturday. – Juliatzin
when you uninstall/reinstall does it download the correct version? – tyczj
yes, If I uninstall/reinstall, it is reinstalling new version. But the thing is my user do not do that operation – Juliatzin
Did you find any solution? I'm also facing the same problem. – anubh

10 Answers

59
votes

Make sure the app you have installed in your mobile is not an apk built with debug keystore. The play store will show always as "Open" button instead of "Update" if the play store app certificate doesn't match with the installed app certificate. I realized this when I did trial and error with debug and signed apk's only signed apk worked. And always use versionCode for comparing versions instead of versionName.

14
votes

It also helps to clear the cache of the Play Store APP in settings. This should not be necessary. The problem is that this blocks an update to the correct version later. Only the version number is updated but not the binary. Google Play then thinks that everything is ok, but it still uses the old APK.

11
votes

hope this helps someone since I have benefitted a lot from this community.

If your last installed version is from Android studio, you won't see the 'Update' button in play store. You will see the 'Open' button instead. I have tested this with my development phone in which the app was installed directly using Android studio and also with some of my actual users. My users installed the last version from play store. When I pushed a new update, they see the 'Update' button in play store.

11
votes

I solve this once my app update button was not showing because i did't installed it directly from play store . Now the solution is download old version of your app from play store and then upload new version of app after publishing of app update button will show.

6
votes

Before You Jump into messier solutions try clearing the cache of Play Store and look at your app's play store listing. In my case it worked.

3
votes

You must be sure the android:versionCode (not the app version), is greater than the previous one.
Google won't warn you if it's lower and will let you publish a lower version number.

Example:
If your previous versionCode was 132 you have to make sure the one you publish is greater than 132.

3
votes

If you have just released your Beta or Production version then you have to wait for at least two hours before you can check your latest version on the store.

Once it's approved, you'll surely see the Update button.

====================================

What to do, if Application is approved now but test device still don't show Update button?

It indicates that Google Play Store app has cache the page, try by kill/close the Google Play Store app and reopen AND also try by clear the cache.

1
votes

After updating and release new version on playstore , make sure that you also press Update Roll out button, actually by default, playstore roll out app to only 50% of your users. Update rollout button is available on playstore dashboard as well below your manage release

Second in build.gradle file, make sure to increment versionCode and versionName.

0
votes

There are a couple of possibilities. First, clear google plays cache on your device to make sure it's not cached. If you still seeing open Take the following steps to find the problem. You need the apk file on google store to compare with your version. You can use online services that give you apk from google play. Now there are two things we need to check. Certificates: The apk you downloaded from google play should have same certificate as the apk(or aab) you uploaded. To check this you can use keytool on your apks:

keytool -list -printcert -jarfile yourApp.apk

Version codes: To check version codes use analyze tool on android studio. Sure the version on google play should have the bigger number.

0
votes

So first of all you have to make sure the following three points are in place: You are installing exactly the same variant from android studio compared to the one you published on google play store. The app you installed from android studio has a lower "version code" You are using exactly the same signing key. Most likely the third point is what is stopping this from working. The problem is that if you are using app bundle as publishing format, that apk is not created yet when you upload the bundle and it will only be create and SIGNED at a later the stage, when the app is about to be distributed on a specific device. Unfortunately, there is a chance, like in my case, that the signature still will not match perfectly even if you used exactly the same key to sign the app, reason being that if you have singed up for Google Play Store signing, google will add some metadata: "It does however insert a minuscule amount of metadata that helps with verifying the source and integrity of the distribution. This metadata comes in two flavors: For all apps uploaded to Google Play, Play has been adding security metadata after the signing block to enable features such as authorized P2P app sharing. We announced this originally in a blog post in 2017. For apps uploaded as app bundles, we will improve this security by introducing what is called a source stamp. This source metadata is inserted into the app’s manifest by bundletool. When the APK is generated on Play’s server, it’s also signed with a Google key in addition to your app signing key."

You can compare that the two certificates are identical running:

keytool -list -printcert -jarfile yourapk.apk

You should run the above on your local apk and on the google play apk

According to some user tho, there is a fourth point that needs to be satisfied:

  1. The app needs to be installed at least once from google play store, before the update button will show.

I yet haven't been able to make the upload button show for my app