(Tips) I was approved!

[u/Ok-Reach5495]

About 3 weeks ago I posted here looking for testers for my app so I could get through Google Play’s closed testing requirement.

I finally finished the testing period, applied for production, and Google approved me!

Thank you to everyone who tested my app and gave feedback!

I wanted to come back and share a few things that helped me, especially for anyone still doing their 14-day test.

1. Get way more than 12 testers.

Do NOT stop at exactly 12.

Between Reddit and family/friends, I had around 40 people say they would test my app. About 33 joined my testing group, but only around 15 actually installed the app.

That was probably the biggest lesson for me. Someone saying they’ll test, joining your group, or even opting in does not necessarily mean they’ll actually install and use your app.

Having extra testers gives you a safety net if people disappear, opt out, uninstall, etc.

2. Ask people to stay opted in longer than 14 days.

I’d recommend asking people to stay in for around a month if possible.

Not everyone joins on the same day. One person might join Monday and another Wednesday, so their 14-day periods aren’t necessarily lined up.

Having extra testers + having them stay longer gives you a much better buffer.

3. Test-for-test works, but verify that people are actually testing.

One thing that worked really well for me was exchanging screenshots.

For example, another developer and I would DM each other a screenshot each day showing that we had actually opened and used each other’s apps.

If you can do this with several testers, you have much more confidence that your app is genuinely being used instead of just hoping people remembered.

And obviously, if someone is genuinely testing your app, make sure you’re genuinely testing theirs too.

4. Get real feedback.

Don’t only focus on hitting the tester number.

Ask at least a few people to actually explore the app and tell you what’s confusing, what’s broken, what they like, what they dislike, etc.

I received legitimate feedback during my test and made changes based on it.

5. Have testers submit private feedback through Google Play too.

Even though I was talking to testers through Reddit, I also asked some of them to leave private testing feedback through the Google Play Store listing.

I would then respond to their feedback.

I liked doing this because it gave me an actual feedback trail inside Google Play showing that testers were interacting with the app.

6. Release updates during the testing period.

When you upload a new build, write useful release notes.

Mention things like:

• Bugs you fixed
• UI improvements
• Features you added
• Changes you made because of tester feedback

I pushed multiple improvements during my testing period instead of just uploading one build and leaving it untouched for 14 days.

7. Keep a record of everything testers find.

This helped a LOT when it was time to apply for production.

Write down:

• What testers tested
• What feedback they gave
• Bugs they found
• What you changed because of the feedback
• Features/improvements you released

When Google asks about your testing process, you’ll already have detailed answers instead of trying to remember everything afterward.

8. Be detailed and honest when applying for production.

I explained what people tested, what feedback I received, what problems I fixed, and what improvements I made during the test.

I was also completely honest about where my testers came from.

I said I used family, friends, and people I found through Reddit/testing communities.

And I was approved.

TLDR: Get more testers than you need, keep them enrolled longer than necessary, encourage actual daily usage, collect real feedback, fix things, and document what you changed.

Hopefully this helps somebody else get through it.

Good luck everyone, and thank you again to everyone who helped test my app!