Image by Mika Baumeister via Unsplash

Google Play Store listing

It can be quite a hassle, what do you need from your client when you want to add a new app to the Google Play Store? Let’s go through the bare minimum of what is necessary to start uploading our app.

Title

50 characters max.

So, we’ll start off with the title. Pretty self-explanatory I guess, the title of your app in the Play Store.

App header with title

Short description

80 characters max.

A short snippet to get the user’s attention or briefly explain your app. This description will be shown in your app’s store listing in the Play Store app.

Short description

Long description

4000 characters max.

The long description is what’s shown when you actually click on the short description in the Play Store app. This is where you can really start expressing yourself. Explain your app, highlight specific parts, reel those users in!

Long description

Screenshots

JPEG of 24-bits PNG, no alpha.
2 screenshots min.
8 screenshots max.,
320 x 320 min.
3840 x 3840 max.
Aspect ratio 2:1 max.

Let’s get visual! Do take note of the above requirements before designing your screens. You could decide to simply add some screenshots but can also play with some nice tricks to highlight specific parts of your app like Google Chrome did.

Screenshots

App icon

512 x 512 max.
32-bits PNG
No alpha
No rounded corners

Typically, you’d like your app icon in the Play Store to be the same as the one your app has since this is how users recognize your app. Do take note on the above requirements, since Google applies some eye-candy after uploading your app icon to the store. For a detailed do’s & don’ts guide you can find more information here: https://developer.android.com/google-play/resources/icon-design-specifications

Left our uploaded asset, right the final result after Google applied rounded corners and elevation.

Feature graphic

1024 x 500
JPG or 24-bit PNG
No alpha

Even though Google removed the featured graphic from the product pages, it is still required when uploading an app to the store. Potentially, they can still use it to feature your app. You should see this as an advertisement banner of some sort, so be sure to make it appealing!

Additional info

Some additional info from your client is required to fill in the remaining things in the store listing. What category would they like to put the app in for example? But also an e-mail address and a privacy policy URL.

I hope this helped you to get a simple overview of things to arrange before uploading your app to the Google Play Store! 🙏