Android: Firebase App Distribution with AAB leads to production store

Question

I want distribute my app AAB for testers via App Distribution. But when I upload AAB to App Distribution and open it on device, it leads not on internal app sharing with new version, but to Google Play Store with production version. How can I fix it?

Answer 1

So,

In Firebase / App Distribution:

1. Do you need to create the linking with the Google Play Console app:

https://firebase.google.com/docs/app-distribution/android/distribute-console?authuser=1

2. Check it in Google Play Console Play, with able to upload the .aab in your App (Production) in Internal Test (made this manually)

3. Create testers in 'Tester & Groups'

4. After that, try again with AppTester on your device:

• Make sure the user logged into Google Play is the same as your group of testers
• Make sure Android Internal App Sharing is enabled?

https://stackoverflow.com/a/63610397/2550985

One more thing, there is a bug if you have two accounts on the device and one of them doesn't have permission for App Distribution.

Answer 2

I've also had this issue and in my case it was due to having two accounts on the Play Store app one of which did not have permissions for App Distribution.

The way I resolved the issue was to first open Play Store and switch to the account that has permissions (the same account that is in App Distribution). Go back to App Distribution and try to download again. This time around the Play Store will open and will give you the option to download the correct version.