Android Question App Certificate problem

[Brian Dean]

I have had a developer account for over ten years but I have published only three apps in the Playstore and only one of them is still active. That one has been there for several years and I update it just to match Android SDK changes - there are usually minimal code changes. The app relates to a fairly specialised activity (English-style bell-ringing) so is in the 100+ download range. It is Activity based.

I am about to submit an update for SDK 36 and edge-to-edge enforcement, but somehow during the update I inadvertently signed the apk with a different certificate - not sure how - and so cannot upload the updated apk. This takes me into an area with which I am entirely unfamiliar - what should/can I do now?

I understand that I cannot "reset" the certificate to its previous value. Where is the certificate held? I have a complete backup of the previous level of the app - if the certificate is held within that folder then, hopefully, I can roll-back to that previous level and begin my update over again. If the certificate is held elsewhere then I will have a backup of that too so maybe I can retrieve and reset the old certificate.

Any guidance or advice would be welcome before I blunder even deeper into trouble, but please make any instuctions simple. Thank you.

 

[DonManfred]

what should/can I do now?

Compile again WITH THE RIGH certificate. Get it from Backup

if the certificate is held within that folder then

The certificate is the SIGN-Key you defined in the IDE. Use your "old" sign-Key. It is most probably NOT(!) part of the Projectfolder.

Select your "old" keystorefile and use its password.

 

[Brian Dean]

Thank you @DonManfred for your quick reply. You have pointed me to a menu option that I had not noticed before, and I have now switched back to my original keystore and successfully submitted my app for release.

Select your "old" keystorefile and use its password.

I seem to have done this without needing to use the keystore password. I noticed that the rogue keystore that I must have created inadvertently a few days ago used the same password. I am not sure what the role of the password is, but never mind.

 

[DonManfred]

I have now switched back to my original keystore and successfully submitted my app for release.

Great you got it working again

 

[Brian Dean]

Just to complete the story - I submitted my update at 16:27 and received the "Your update is live." response from Google at 16:54!

Can I claim this as a World Record?

 

[Alex_197]

Just to complete the story - I submitted my update at 16:27 and received the "Your update is live." response from Google at 16:54!

Can I claim this as a World Record?

Not even a week to wait?