What a Google Play listing needs
Before Play Console lets you send an app for review, the main store listing must have an app name, a short description, a full description, an app icon, a feature graphic and at least two screenshots. You also have to complete the App content section — privacy policy, Data safety, ads, content rating and target audience. This guide covers each piece with the exact limits.
Text fields and character limits
| Field | Limit | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| App name | 30 characters | Your brand plus, if it fits naturally, one descriptive word. No emojis or ALL CAPS. |
| Short description | 80 characters | Shown at the top of your listing. State the main benefit in plain words. |
| Full description | 4,000 characters | Google indexes this text for search. Use the words people search for, naturally — keyword stuffing violates policy. |
Each field can be translated for every language you support. Google can machine-translate listings, but a human-checked translation for your top markets reads much better.
Graphic assets: icon, feature graphic, screenshots
| Asset | Requirements |
|---|---|
| App icon | 512×512 px, 32-bit PNG (alpha allowed), max 1024 KB. Full square — Google applies the mask. |
| Feature graphic | Required. 1024×500 px, JPEG or 24-bit PNG without alpha. |
| Phone screenshots | At least 2, up to 8. JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha). Each side 320–3840 px; the long side at most twice the short side. |
| Tablet / Chromebook screenshots | Optional (recommended for large-screen apps). 1080–7680 px, 16:9 or 9:16. |
| Other form factors | Wear OS (1:1, min 384 px), Android TV (plus a 1280×720 banner), Android Automotive and Android XR have their own specs. |
Watch the alpha channel. Most design tools and browsers export PNGs with transparency information even when the image is fully opaque, and Play Console rejects them for the feature graphic and screenshots. Export as JPEG, or use a tool that writes true 24-bit PNGs — the feature graphic maker does this automatically.
Aim for at least four screenshots at 1080×1920 or larger. Google's guidance says apps need four or more screenshots at that resolution (games need three) to be eligible for larger, more prominent formats in recommendations.
Promo video
A promo video is optional for apps and highly recommended for games. You add it as a YouTube URL — a single public or unlisted video (not a playlist), not age-restricted, embeddable, with ads turned off. When you add one, its play button is drawn over the middle of your feature graphic, so keep important text away from the center.
App content declarations
Under Policy → App content in Play Console you must complete:
- Privacy policy — a public URL. Required for virtually every app, and mandatory if you target children or collect personal or sensitive data. (See our privacy policy guide.)
- Data safety form — what data your app and its SDKs collect and share, and why. It must match your privacy policy and your app's real behavior.
- Ads — whether the app contains ads (including ads from SDKs like AdMob).
- Content rating — a questionnaire that produces IARC age ratings.
- Target audience and content — the age groups you target. Choosing under-13 brings in the Families policy.
- Account deletion — if users can create an account, you must offer deletion in the app and provide a web link where users can request it.
Technical requirements: target API level
Google raises the minimum targetSdkVersion every year. From August 31, 2026, new apps and app updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher. Wear OS and Android Automotive apps need API 35, and Android TV and Android XR apps need API 34. You can request an extension until November 1, 2026 if you need more time.
New apps must be uploaded as an Android App Bundle (.aab), signed with Play App Signing.
The 12-tester rule for new personal accounts
If your developer account is a personal account created after November 13, 2023, you can't publish straight to production. You first need a closed test with at least 12 testers who stay opted in for at least 14 consecutive days. Only then can you apply for production access from the Play Console dashboard. Organization accounts are not affected.
Plan for this: invite friends, family or community members early, and use the two weeks to fix the bugs they find.
Metadata policy: what gets listings rejected
- Performance or ranking claims in the title, icon or graphics: "#1", "Best", "Top", "App of the Year".
- Price and promotion text in graphics: "Free", "50% off", "Download now".
- Keyword stuffing or lists of unrelated keywords in the description.
- Misleading screenshots that don't show the real app.
- Unattributed testimonials or reviews in the description.
- Impersonation — names, icons or graphics that imitate another app or brand.
Sources: Play Console Help "Add preview assets to showcase your app", "Target API level requirements", "App testing requirements for new personal developer accounts", Google Play Metadata policy. Last checked October 2026.
The 1024×500 Google Play feature graphic, ready to upload.