Must-Know Rules Before Publishing Your App to Google Play or App Store

Publishing a mobile app today is not just about writing good code. It is about satisfying store policies, protecting user data, and presenting your product in a way that both humans and algorithms understand.

In this guide, you will learn the essential rules you must follow before releasing your app on Google Play or the Apple App Store. The structure and language are optimized for:

• SEO – so the article and your app listing can rank for relevant keywords.
• AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) – so it answers common questions clearly for search and AI assistants.
• VSO (Voice Search Optimization) – so users asking “How do I publish an app?” get clear, conversational answers.

Why Platform Compliance Matters in 2025

If you are asking, “What should I know before publishing my app?” the short answer is: compliance and quality.

• Both Google and Apple constantly update their policies, technical requirements and review guidelines.
• Apps that do not follow these rules can be rejected, removed, or restricted to a smaller audience.
• Non-compliance can also damage your brand through poor reviews, warnings or security flags.

Think of the app stores as curated shelves in a huge digital supermarket. Your app gets a better shelf position—and stays there—only if it is safe, high-quality and clearly explained.

Key reasons compliance matters:

• User trust: transparent permissions, privacy and data handling.
• Legal safety: alignment with local laws, especially for data protection and children’s content.
• Technical stability: modern APIs, compatible builds and good performance.

Essential Steps for Publishing on Google Play (Android)

Set Up and Secure Your Google Play Developer Account

Before anything else, you need a Google Play Console account. Pay the one-time registration fee, choose a professional developer name, and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your account. This account becomes your public developer identity across all your apps.

Meet Technical Requirements – API Levels, Formats and Performance

When you upload an Android app, Google checks whether you align with current platform standards:

• Target a recent Android API level that matches the latest stable Android version.
• Use the Android App Bundle format (.aab) instead of a raw APK for store distribution.
• Optimize performance for modern devices so your app does not crash or lag.

Also avoid “resultless actions” such as infinite loading spinners, empty pages with no explanation, or buttons that do nothing. These are red flags for both reviewers and users.

Craft a Store Listing That Actually Works

Your store listing is both your sales page and a major SEO and AEO asset. Prepare:

• App name: clear, brand-friendly and including one or two main keywords.
• Short description: a punchy summary of what your app does and who it helps.
• Full description: a detailed but readable overview using real, user-focused language and relevant phrases.

Use bullet points to highlight:

• Core features and key benefits.
• Your unique value compared with alternatives.

For visuals, make sure you:

• Add high-quality screenshots taken from real app screens.
• Include different screen sizes if your app supports phones and tablets.
• Consider a promo video if it clearly shows how the app works.

Respect Content, Privacy and Age Rules

Google Play focuses heavily on content quality and user safety. If your app shows user-generated content—such as posts, comments or reviews—you should:

• Provide clear terms of use explaining where and how content appears.
• Add an easy-to-use “Report” or “Complain” button to relevant screens.
• Test that reports actually reach you, for example via a test admin account.
• Allow users to delete their own content without needing support.

If your app contains ads, it is usually not considered suitable for children. Complete age-rating questionnaires honestly and carefully.

For apps that sell products or subscriptions, make sure users can quickly access your privacy policy, terms of use, and refund or cancellation policies. These must be readable and accessible inside the app and, where required, in the store listing.

Payment, In-App Purchases and Google Pay

If your Android app includes paid features, use Google’s in-app billing for digital goods and subscriptions where required. For physical products, follow all rules for secure processing and clear pricing. Avoid hidden charges or confusing messaging, which can lead to complaints and policy issues.

Permissions, Data and Transparency

Permissions are a sensitive area. Only request the permissions you truly need. If a feature is removed, remove its unused permissions as well. Explain in simple language why you need each sensitive permission, such as location, camera or advertising ID. A short, honest sentence often builds more trust than a long legal paragraph.

Essential Steps for Publishing on the App Store (iOS / Apple Platforms)

Prepare a Release-Ready Build in Xcode

Apple expects your app to feel polished and complete. That means no debug menus, no placeholder buttons and no “coming soon” features on key screens. Use Xcode to create a stable, signed release build, with a valid Apple Developer account, bundle identifier, provisioning profile and clear versioning.

Configure Your App Store Connect Listing

In App Store Connect, you create the public face of your app. Define your app name and subtitle, select a primary language and category, and upload your app icon and screenshots. Write a description that explains what the app does in the first one or two sentences, highlights features and benefits, and uses natural phrases your users might say out loud when searching.

Privacy Details and “Nutrition Labels”

The App Privacy section shows users what data you collect and how you use it. Declare all data types you collect, how they are used, whether data is linked to identity or used for tracking, and include a clear privacy policy URL. Ideally this URL is hosted on your own domain or company website and reused inside your app and across your customer touchpoints.

Understand and Respect the App Store Review Guidelines

Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines cover safety, performance, business, design and legal topics. To minimize the risk of rejection, test your app thoroughly on physical devices, avoid copying other apps too closely, and provide features like account deletion where appropriate. Be especially careful with user data, subscriptions, and any content that could be considered sensitive.

Submitting, Waiting and Handling Rejections

After uploading your build, select it in App Store Connect, complete all required information, and submit your app for review. Reviews can take anywhere from a few hours to several days. If your app is rejected, read the message carefully, fix the issues and respond politely in the Resolution Center. Each rejection is also a quality checklist you can use to improve your app.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many developers run into the same avoidable problems when publishing apps. Here are some of the most common—and how to avoid them:

• Resultless screens and broken flows: empty pages, endless loading and dead buttons. Always test every flow like a first-time user.
• Outdated technical targets: targeting old API levels or using deprecated permissions. Regularly update your target SDK and review platform changes.
• Weak or misleading descriptions: promising features that do not exist or stuffing keywords. Be honest and write for humans first.
• Missing legal and privacy information: no privacy policy or unclear terms. Add accessible legal pages inside your app and in the store listing.
• Incorrect age rating and audience settings: marking ad-heavy apps as suitable for children. Answer age-rating questions cautiously and truthfully.
• No test accounts for restricted areas: if reviewers cannot log in, they cannot fully review the app. Provide a dedicated test account in the console.

Best Practices for Higher Approval Rates and Better Discoverability

Think Like a User, Write Like a Search Query

To optimize for SEO, AEO and VSO, your text should answer the questions people actually ask, such as “How do I publish my Android app to Google Play?” or “What do I need before submitting an iOS app?”. Use these natural language questions in subheadings, FAQs and key paragraphs so search and answer engines can easily match your content to user intent.

Use Clear, Keyword-Rich but Human Titles and Descriptions

Focus each app and each article on one to three main keyword themes. Integrate them naturally into titles, subtitles and descriptions, without repeating them unnaturally. This approach makes your content friendlier for readers and more effective for ranking.

Visuals, Localization and Ongoing Maintenance

A professional, well-maintained app is more likely to be approved and discovered:

• Visuals: use crisp screenshots that show real UI and highlight your main features.
• Localization: if your app supports multiple languages, localize titles, descriptions and screenshots for each market.
• Maintenance: revisit policies and OS changes regularly and schedule updates before breaking changes affect your users.

FAQ – Short Answers for Search and Voice Assistants

You need a Google Play Developer account, a signed Android App Bundle targeting a recent Android API level, a stable and well-tested build, and a complete store listing with name, descriptions, icon, screenshots, category, privacy details and age rating.

Test your app thoroughly, remove broken or empty screens, request only necessary permissions, provide a clear privacy policy, add accurate descriptions and screenshots, and make sure your content and monetization follow each store’s rules.

In practice, yes. Both Google and Apple expect a clear privacy policy, especially if you collect user data, use analytics, show ads or manage user accounts. It should be accessible in your app and via a URL in your store listing.

This usually happens because of device and OS filtering, geo-restrictions, age limits or outdated API targets. Check your console settings for supported devices, countries, age ratings and minimum OS versions.

On average, Google Play often approves apps within hours to a couple of days. The Apple App Store typically takes one to three days for review, though times can vary depending on complexity and review queues.

Conclusion – Treat Publishing as a Product Launch, Not a Last Step

Publishing your app to Google Play or the App Store is not just a final button at the end of development. It is a structured process where technical standards, policy compliance, user experience and clear communication all come together.

By following the rules in this guide—clean UI flows, honest descriptions, strong privacy practices and up-to-date technical targets—you greatly increase your chances of smooth approval, better store rankings and happier users.

Remember: every update is another chance to improve your app’s quality and visibility. Treat each release like a mini-launch, and your app will keep growing in trust and reach.

Visit the Original Source

This article is inspired by the original post published by Murat Yüksektepe on Medium. If you would like to dive deeper into mobile app development, app publishing workflows, and practical tips for Google Play and the App Store, make sure to check out the source article.

Especially if you are planning to publish your own iOS or Android app, you can learn a lot from his real-world experience, detailed explanations, and hands-on recommendations.

Read the original Medium article