Google Play Console API
Learn how to create and configure Google Play Console API credentials to connect your Android app with ForVibeApp.
To manage your Android app listings from ForVibeApp, you need to create a service account in Google Cloud Console and grant it access to your app in Google Play Console. This guide will walk you through the entire process.
You need to have Owner or Admin access to your Google Play Console account to complete this setup.
Prerequisites
- A Google Play Developer account
- An app already created in Google Play Console
- Owner or Admin access to your Google Play Console
- Access to Google Cloud Console
Step 1: Create a Google Cloud Project
Go to Google Cloud Console
Open Google Cloud Console and sign in with your Google account.
https://console.cloud.google.comCreate a new project or select existing
Click on the project dropdown at the top of the page and either select an existing project or create a new one by clicking "New Project".
Name your project
Give your project a meaningful name (e.g., "ForVibeApp Integration") and click "Create".
Step 2: Enable Required APIs
Navigate to APIs & Services
In the left sidebar, go to "APIs & Services" > "Library".
Enable Google Play Android Developer API
Search for "Google Play Android Developer API" and click the "Enable" button. This is required for managing listings and subscriptions.
Enable Google Play Developer Reporting API
Search for "Google Play Developer Reporting API" and enable it as well. This is required for fetching app reviews and financial reports.
Step 3: Create a Service Account
Go to Service Accounts
Navigate to "IAM & Admin" > "Service Accounts" in the left sidebar.
Create Service Account
Click "Create Service Account" at the top of the page.
Fill in service account details
Enter a name and description for your service account:
- Service account name: ForVibeApp Integration
- Service account ID: forvibeapp-integration (auto-generated)
- Description: Service account for ForVibeApp to manage Play Store listings
Grant Project Access (Required)
In the "Grant this service account access to project" step, you must assign a role to your service account to allow it to call the APIs in this project.
- Click the "Select a role" dropdown
- Choose "Service Usage Admin" or "Editor" for full access
- Alternatively, search for and select the "Service Account User" role
Granting at least the "Service Account User" role is essential to avoid "Permission denied" errors, even if the account is correctly linked in Play Console.
Click "Continue" and then "Done" to complete the service account creation.
Step 4: Create and Download JSON Key
Select the service account
Click on the service account you just created from the list.
Go to Keys tab
Click on the "Keys" tab.
Add a new key
Click "Add Key" > "Create new key".
Select JSON format
Select "JSON" as the key type and click "Create". The JSON file will be automatically downloaded.
Keep this JSON file secure! It provides access to your Google Play Console. Never share it publicly or commit it to version control.
Step 5: Grant Service Account Access in Play Console
It can take up to 36 hours for your Play Service Credentials to work properly with the Google Play Developer API. You may see "Invalid credentials" errors until this propagation completes.
Navigate to Users and Permissions
In the left sidebar, click on "Users and permissions" under your account settings.
Invite new user
Click the "Invite new users" button at the top right of the page.
Add service account email
In the email address field, enter your service account email address. You can find this email in the JSON key file you downloaded earlier - it will look like:
your-service-account@your-project-id.iam.gserviceaccount.comOpen your downloaded JSON file and look for the "client_email" field to find your service account email address.
Set account permissions
Under the "Account permissions" tab, grant the following permissions to the service account:
- View app information and download bulk reports (read-only) - Required for reading app data
- View financial data, orders, and cancellation survey responses - Required for subscription management
- Manage orders and subscriptions - Required for subscription operations
For store listing management, also enable these permissions:
- Release to production, exclude devices, and use Play App Signing - Required for releases
- Release apps to testing tracks - Required for testing
- Manage store presence - Required for store listing updates
Set app permissions
Switch to the "App permissions" tab. Here you can choose which apps the service account can access:
- Click "Add app" to select specific apps
- Or select "All apps" to grant access to all current and future apps
For each app, you can set granular permissions. Make sure to enable the permissions needed for the features you want to use.
Send invitation
Review your settings and click "Invite user" at the bottom right to save your changes.
Unlike regular users, service accounts are automatically accepted - no email confirmation is needed.
Step 6: Connect in ForVibeApp
Go to Project Settings
In ForVibeApp, navigate to your project and go to Settings.
Find Google Play Console section
Scroll down to "Store Connections" and find "Google Play Console".
Enter your Package Name
Enter your app's package name (e.g., com.yourcompany.yourapp).
Upload JSON key
Click "Upload JSON file" and select the service account JSON key file you downloaded earlier.
Test connection
Click "Connect" to verify your credentials. You should see a success message if everything is configured correctly.
Congratulations! Your Google Play Console is now connected to ForVibeApp. You can start managing your app listings from the Store Listings page.
Troubleshooting
Credentials take time to activate
After creating or updating your service credentials, it can take up to 36 hours for the changes to propagate through Google's servers. During this time, you may see "Invalid credentials" or permission errors.
If you're experiencing issues, wait 24-36 hours before troubleshooting further. This is a known Google API limitation.
API not enabled error
If you see an error about the API not being enabled, make sure you enabled the "Google Play Android Developer API" in Step 2. You may also need to enable the "Google Play Developer Reporting API" for additional features.
Permission denied error
This usually means the service account doesn't have the required permissions in Google Play Console. Verify the following:
- The service account has been added as a user in Play Console (Users and permissions)
- All required account permissions are enabled
- The service account has access to the specific app(s) you're trying to manage
- You've waited at least 24-36 hours since making permission changes
Invalid JSON key
Make sure you're uploading the correct JSON key file. The file should start with { and contain fields like:
- "type": "service_account"
- "project_id": Your Google Cloud project ID
- "private_key_id": A unique key identifier
- "client_email": Your service account email
If you're still having issues, try regenerating the JSON key from Google Cloud Console and re-uploading it.
Service account not appearing in Play Console
If your service account doesn't appear in the Users and permissions list after inviting:
- Verify the Google Cloud project is linked to your Play Console (Setup > API access)
- Ensure you're using the correct service account email from the JSON file
- Check that the service account was created in the same Google Cloud project linked to Play Console
Need more help? Contact our support team at support@forvibeapp.com