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Google Play Console Connection Setup

Use this page to gather the Google Play credentials Vexly needs. You'll create a service account key in Google Cloud, grant it permissions in Google Play Console, then paste the JSON into Vexly.

What you'll collect

  • Service Account JSON – contains the client email and private key Vexly uses to access the Google Play Android Developer API.

Start the Google Play connection in Vexly

  1. In Vexly, open Connections.
  2. Click Add Connection → choose Google Play Console.
  3. Stop on the empty Google Play Console popup.

Create a service account in Google Cloud Console

  1. Go to https://console.cloud.google.com and sign in with the Google account that owns your Play project.
  2. In the top bar, select the project that is linked to your Android app (or create a new one).
  3. Enable the API: open APIs & Services → Library, search Google Play Android Developer API, and click Enable.
  4. Create the service account:
    • Go to IAM & Admin → Service Accounts.
    • Click + CREATE SERVICE ACCOUNT.
    • Name it (e.g., google-play-api) and optionally add a description. Click Create and Continue, then Done.
  5. Generate the JSON key:
    • Click the service account email you just created.
    • Open the KEYS tab → ADD KEY → Create new key → choose JSON → Create.
    • A .json file downloads automatically—keep it safe; you can't download the same key again.

Grant Play Console access to the service account

  1. Copy the client_email value from the downloaded JSON (e.g., google-play-api@your-project.iam.gserviceaccount.com).
  2. Go to https://play.google.com/console and sign in as an Owner or Admin.
  3. Open Users and permissions (left menu) → click Invite new users.
  4. Paste the service account email and assign access:
    • App permissions: pick the specific app(s) or select All apps if needed.
    • Account permissions: choose only what your workflow requires, for example:
      • Releases: Manage releases (and Create releases if you need new tracks).
      • Tracks & testers: Manage testing tracks and Edit tester lists.
      • Store presence: Manage store presence for listing edits.
      • Reviews/support: Reply to reviews and View app quality information.
      • Orders/subscriptions: Manage orders and subscriptions plus View financial data.
      • Full control: Admin (use sparingly).
  5. Click Invite user to send the invitation. The service account is added automatically (no inbox to check).

Verify integration

  1. In Play Console, go to Setup → API access.
  2. Confirm your Google Cloud project is linked.
  3. Under Service accounts, you should see the email you invited.

Finish in Vexly

  1. Return to the Google Play Console popup in Vexly.
  2. Upload the Service Account JSON file you downloaded.
  3. Click Add Connection.

Troubleshooting

  • API not enabled: If the connection fails immediately, re-check the Google Play Android Developer API is enabled in Google Cloud.
  • Permissions not applied: Access changes can take up to 15 minutes to propagate in Play Console.
  • Wrong project: Ensure the Google Cloud project you selected is the one linked under Play Console API access.
  • Key rotated or lost: Create a new JSON key on the service account, re-invite (if needed), and update the key in Vexly.