Publishing on Google Play
Update the App
Change and rebuild any app you built
1What it is#
Menu → Update the App lists every app built on this phone: websites, ZIP projects, AI apps, AI Studio imports, single HTML pages, Live Dev apps, and document, gallery, audio and video apps. One place to change any of them and build the next version.
2Change any step#
Tap an app marked Ready. The build wizard opens with every step filled in as you built it last time: icon, splash, music, ads, push, PIN, permissions, scripts and signing. Tap any step circle at the top to jump straight to it, change what you need, and build. Every step is checked again before the build starts.
3Same app, next version#
The package name is locked, because a different package installs as a separate app. The update is signed with the key the app shipped with, and the version code starts one above the last one you shipped. You can raise it, never lower it. The build updates the same project, so no duplicate appears in the list.
4Needs the APK#
An app with only a history entry on this phone shows Needs the APK. Tap Find it automatically to use the APK in your Downloads, or Choose the APK file. Appwright reads every setting, file and permission from the APK, keeps the same PIN, and saves a full project, so next time the app is Ready.
5New phone or reinstall#
Tap Import from an APK file and pick the app's APK. If the app was signed with your own keystore, import that same keystore in the Signing step. The update is never signed with a different key, because phones that have the app would refuse it.
6What an APK cannot give back#
An APK holds the finished app, not your source code. An app built from source (React, Vite, an AI app) is rebuilt from its finished files; to change the code, pick the updated project ZIP in step 1. Anything that could not be brought back is listed when the app opens.
7Remote Update apps#
For an app with Remote Update on, the Finish step also offers Publish an update without rebuilding: change the website address, ads or announcements live, with no new APK.
8Older updaters#
The ZIP, Website and Single HTML updaters are still at the bottom of the Update the App screen for this release.