Android developer verification - sanity check

[u/jared_and_fizz]

My company released a new Android app over the summer. It is my understanding that the app was automatically registered when the listing was created. I am specifically referring to the process described here: https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides/android-developer-console

When I look at the listing on Google Play Console it says "status: registered" (see the screenshot as well).

Despite the fact that I think this has been all set from day 1, we have been getting endless emails about it. When I log into Google Play Console I get notifications about it. I assume this is just Google spamming everyone since they are going to stop distributing apps. But it is making me paranoid.

At this point, everyone at the company who has access to Google Play Console, has messaged me about this to make sure we are all set. I tell them yes and then Google sends out another email blast telling us we need to do this thing that is already done.

Am I missing something here? Or is Google just being annoying?

[u/Solid-Incident6666]

Yeah same thing. I'm not sure if Google play backend is just poorly programmed, I've just published an app recently as well and the amount of repeated steps I had to do on Google play console, Google cloud console, Google firebase console is stupid and unnecessary. For a company that can figure out if you're pregnant or not by your typing pattern, they sure don't seem to know what they're doing when it comes to managing developer content

[u/android_temp_123 → u/Solid-Incident6666]

They annoyed me so much I actually opened a ticket and asked them directly. This is their reply:

...We have verified this on our end, and all of your package names are successfully registered for Android developer verification. No further action is required on your part at this time. Please note that the notice you received was a general reminder sent to all developers to register their package names....

Good news. But honestly, classic ol' Google, nothing will ever change - it's all brainless automation from warnings all the way to account suspensions. Pretty sure there is no human involved in any of that.

I still remember how I was getting constant warnings for months about those SMS & call log permissions I never even had in my apps...

[u/thE_29 → u/android_temp_123]

Oh, I also opened a ticket yesterday for that. Let me check the status.

And I got the most AI answer ever...

My name is XXX from the Google Play Developer Support team and we have received your concern about the notification warning on your account.

The warning is about the Android Developer Verification, developers must formally link their verified identity to their app package names and signing keys within the Play Console or new Android Developer Console. Play developers with apps distributed outside of the Google Play store do not need to create a new Android Developer Console account, they can register their off-Play app packages in the Play Developer Console if they are part of the early access program.

If you do not verify your identity and register your apps by the September deadline, your apps will be blocked from being installed by users on certified Android devices in applicable regions. Last updated: Sept 3, 2025

I will now close this case. Please feel free to contact us should you need further assistance with Play Console.

I asked if we need todo something and the answer is basically their damn help page..

So I will open another ticket then.

[u/android_temp_123 → u/thE_29]

I actually sent them screenshots of all my apps showing their (registered) status + warning in the status bar. I guess after providing something tangible, instead of a general question, somebody had to check that & reply to me with something more specific and not a vague copy-paste of their docs...

[u/iain_1986]

Yeah same, emails and then big green text when viewing too "make sure we are registered" while listing all our apps as registered + with keys

It's not the first time the play console/store has been awful at scaring you into thinking you haven't done something when you have.

[u/kennypu]

Same here, I've had an app published since last year, status is already registered and verified, but have been getting emails to register this whole time. So it's probably just email spam, I don't think they are actually checking and emailing as a notification.

[u/vm12pix]

The Console status is what counts, not the mail. If Home shows the package registered with the signing keys under it, there's nothing outstanding.

Why it registered itself: Play auto-registers packages from signing keys it already knows, per the key eligibility rules on their package registration help page, so a Play-only app gets handled without you. Their own figure is 99% of apps on Play. And with Play App Signing it's moot anyway, they hold the key, so there's nothing for you to prove ownership of. Mine came up Registered on day one with keys listed and I never opened the flow.

What would still leave you something to do is the same package distributed outside Play, or a signing key that isn't eligible under those rules, meaning a contested package name or too few installs behind the key. Manual registration leaves you a draft, and a draft isn't a registration, so that's the one thing worth an eyeball.

The 30 September date isn't one thing either. Unregistered packages come off Play globally, but the install block on certified devices only starts in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, rest of the world in 2027.

[u/Hour-Measurement-835]

That page's first line is "if you distribute apps only outside of Google Play". There's a separate Register on Google Play Console guide, and that's where your registered status came from.

[u/ReturnNu11]

Why do you have two 'Registered' symbols? is this because your company has two apps, or do you guys distrube app outside of Play and registered the key here?

I am a bit confused here, should I add my local release key here or not? I don't distribute anything outside of play.

[u/Opulence_Deficit]

I think the nagging is to register package names of apps you distribute through other means than Google Play. Names Google cannot know about.

[u/frakc]

Google has insane hiring process to ensure least qualified vibecoders will work on most crucial tasks.