Your store listing is the page people see before they install, and Google checks it against your app during review. Before your first production launch, go through the main store listing and store settings field by field: accurate name and descriptions, complete graphics, correct category and working contact details. This checklist covers each one and the mistakes that cause trouble.
Where the listing lives
In Play Console, the listing is split across two pages under Grow users > Store presence, according to Google's store listing help page:
- Main store listing: name, descriptions, graphics
- Store settings: app category, tags and contact details
You probably filled in a first version during app setup, before closed testing. Now is the time to rewrite it for real users.
1. App name
- Google's help page lists a limit of 30 characters at the time of writing.
- Use the name people will actually search for, plus at most a short descriptor if it helps.
- Avoid keyword stuffing. Google warns against "repetitive or irrelevant use of keywords in the app name, description, or promotional description."
- Do not add claims like "#1" or "best", or reference other apps' brands.
2. Short description
- Up to 80 characters. Google calls it "the first text users see when looking at your app's detail page."
- Say what the app does and for whom, in plain words. "Track shared expenses with friends and settle up in one tap" beats a list of buzzwords.
3. Full description
- Google's help page lists 4,000 characters at the time of writing. You do not need to use them all.
- Open with two or three sentences that explain the core job of the app.
- Follow with the main features as short paragraphs or a simple list.
- Mention anything a user must know before installing: required account, subscription, supported regions, hardware needs.
- Remove features that did not ship. Describing something the app cannot do is an accuracy problem, and Google's pre-review checklist includes "store listing accuracy."
4. Graphics
You need an app icon, a feature graphic and screenshots, each with specific dimensions and formats. Google's graphic assets help page lists the exact numbers. For the checklist, make sure:
- screenshots show the current version of the app, not old designs or mockups of unbuilt features
- text inside screenshots is readable on a phone
- the icon looks clear at small sizes
5. Category and tags
In Store settings, choose the category that matches what the app does most of the time. Google lets you "choose a category and add tags" to help discovery. Pick tags that are genuinely relevant; irrelevant ones do not help and can mislead.
6. Contact details
Also in Store settings:
- Email address: required. Use an inbox someone reads, because users and Google may write to it.
- Website: recommended. A simple page about the app is enough.
- Phone number: optional.
7. Privacy policy
A privacy policy link is required, and it has to be a working, public page that matches what your app does with data. See our article on privacy policies for Android apps for what to include, and make sure it agrees with your Data safety form.
8. Consistency with your declarations
Reviewers compare your listing against what you declared under Policy and programs > App content. Common mismatches:
- the listing says "for kids" but the target audience excludes children
- the listing mentions in-app purchases but the app content says otherwise
- the listing promises offline use but the app requires sign-in
Fix the mismatch at the source, not only in the text. Our article on app content declarations that block review goes deeper.
9. Translations
If you will launch in several countries, a translated listing helps users understand what they are installing. Only add a translation you can stand behind; a poor machine translation can do more harm than an English listing.
10. Read it as a stranger
Ask someone who has never seen the app to read the listing and tell you what the app does. If their answer differs from yours, rewrite the first lines of the full description.
Checklist
- App name: short, accurate, no keyword stuffing
- Short description: one clear sentence under 80 characters
- Full description: accurate, current features only, important requirements stated
- Graphics: icon, feature graphic, current screenshots
- Category and relevant tags chosen
- Contact email monitored, website added
- Privacy policy link works and matches the Data safety form
- Listing matches your App content declarations
What a good listing does not do
A listing cannot replace testing. If your app has not reached production yet, the closed test comes first: our guide shows how to set up a closed track, and the production access guide shows the application form. Once your listing is ready and production access is granted, you can launch with confidence that the page tells the truth about the app.
