Google requires app owners to have their own Google Developer Account. Learn how to create and connect your account with this guide.

Google recently made a change to their terms and conditions and now require all app owners to have their own developer account. 

This isn’t bad news, however, as having your own account means you can have your own name on your app’s Google Play listing. 

This not only gives you an increased sense of brand ownership - but also improves your visibility on the Store and helps you get discovered.

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Create your Google Developer Account

2. Invite our App Builder team to your Google Developer Account

3. Create and upload your Google Play JSON Key

Follow the step by step guide below to learn how.

Create your Google Developer Account

Follow the steps below to create your Google Play developer account. Google Play charges a $25 (approx. £17) one-time developer fee.

1. Click the link below to create your Google Developer Account: https://play.google.com/apps/publish/signup/

2. Sign in using an existing Google account or click "Create account":

3. If you are creating a new account, fill out the form to create your Google account, and click "NEXT".

4. Complete the additional information and click "NEXT" again.

5. Click the blue down arrow to scroll to the bottom of the terms and conditions.

6. When you've scrolled to the bottom, select the two tick boxes to agree to the Terms and Conditions and click "CREATE ACCOUNT". 

7. Click the tick box to accept the developer agreement and click "CONTINUE TO PAYMENT" to pay the one-time $25 (approx. £17) fee.

8. Enter your payment information, and click "PAY".

9. You will receive an email from Google notifying you when your account is ready to be activated. Click the link in the email to activate your account.

Note: This process can take up to a week.

Invite our App Builder team to your Google Developer Account

Now you've created your account you'll need to invite our App Builder team to manage your developer account so we can automatically apply updates to your app.

1. Login to your Google Play developer account at https://play.google.com/apps/publish.

2. On the lefthand menu click on "Settings".

3. Now under 'Developer account' click ‘Users & Permissions’. Then click "INVITE NEW USER".

4. Enter the following information:

- Email: support@appinstitute.co.uk 

- Access expiry date: Never

- Role: Administrator

Then click "SEND INVITATION".

5. You now need to add your Google Developer account number to the CMS. This can be found in the URL from any page in the Google Play Developer Console. Copy the number that follows "account="

6. Log into your AppInstitute account and go to the Publish page and click on "Go to step 4" to edit your App Store Details:

7.  Paste your Google Developer account no. into the Google Play Account No field. Click "Save". 

Create and upload your Google Play JSON Key

From the Google Play Console Settings men select the 'API access' tab and then click "CREATE SERVICE ACCOUNT"

2. From the pop-up window click the "Google API Console" link in no. 1

3. In the new window, click the "+ CREATE SERVICE ACCOUNT" button

4. In the pop-up, enter the following information:

- Service account name: App Builder Service

- Role: Project > Owner

- Check the 'Furnish a new private key' option and select 'JSON'

- Click "Save"

5. Your JSON key has been created and will be automatically downloaded to your computer. Click close.

6. Go back to the Google Play developer console, click ""DONE" to close the pop-up window.

7. Click on "GRANT ACCESS" for the newly added service account.

8. Change Role to 'Administrator' from drop-down menu, and click "ADD USER".

9. You should be redirected to the Settings > "Users & Permissions" and see the new user in the list.

10. Finally, upload your JSON file you downloaded in Step 5 to the JSON Key field in the AppInstitute App Builder and click Save.