Flutter Play Store Deployment A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

You’ve spent days (or weeks!) building your Flutter mobile app. Maybe it’s your first time working with Dart and Flutter, or maybe you’re a seasoned dev launching your next side project. Either way now you’re ready to go live.

The Google Play Store gives you access to billions of Android users, but publishing can feel overwhelming if you’ve never done it before.

This guide walks you through every step from building and signing your app to navigating the Play Console and complying with Google’s policies. Whether you choose APK or AAB, we’ll keep it simple, actionable, and beginner-friendly.

Flutter Play Store Deployment: APK vs AAB What Should You Use?

Before uploading your app, you need to decide: APK or AAB?

FormatDescriptionProsCons
APKClassic Android app packageSimple to use, easy to install manuallyDeprecated for new apps on Play Store
AABAndroid App BundleSmaller downloads, required by GoogleNot installable directly on devices

✅ Recommendation: Use AAB for production uploads. It’s required for new apps and supports Google’s Dynamic Delivery.

Flutter Play Store Deployment: Prepare Your App for Release

✅ Update Version Code & Name

In pubspec.yaml, set:

version: 1.0.0+1
  • 1.0.0: Visible to users (version name)
  • +1: Internal version code (must increment with each upload)

✅ Clean Up Code & Dependencies

  • Remove debug prints and test data
  • Delete unused assets and packages from pubspec.yaml
  • Test thoroughly in release mode: flutter run --release

✅ Build Release Version

For AAB (recommended):

flutter build appbundle --release

For APK (if needed):

flutter build apk --release

Your output will be in:

APK: build/app/outputs/flutter-apk/app-release.apk

AAB: build/app/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab

Flutter Play Store Deployment: Sign Your Flutter App

All Play Store apps must be signed with a private key.

✅ Generate a Key

Use the terminal:

keytool -genkey -v -keystore my_flutter_key.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias my_key

This creates a .jks file. Place it in android/app/, but do not commit it to Git.

✅ Create key.properties

In the /android directory:

storePassword=your_store_password
keyPassword=your_key_password
keyAlias=my_key
storeFile=./app/my_flutter_key.jks

✅ Update build.gradle

Edit android/app/build.gradle:

signingConfigs {
    release {
        keyAlias keystoreProperties['keyAlias']
        keyPassword keystoreProperties['keyPassword']
        storeFile file(keystoreProperties['storeFile'])
        storePassword keystoreProperties['storePassword']
    }
}
buildTypes {
    release {
        signingConfig signingConfigs.release
        shrinkResources true
        minifyEnabled true
        proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
    }
}

🔐 Pro Tip: Store Your Key Safely

Losing your key means you can’t update your app later. Use a password manager or encrypted vault, and never share it.

Flutter Play Store Deployment: Set Up Your Google Play Developer Account

  1. Go to Google Play Console
  2. Sign in with a Google account
  3. Pay the one-time $25 registration fee
  4. Fill out your developer profile

Flutter Play Store Deployment: Create Your App in Play Console

  • Click “Create App”
  • Choose App/Game, Free/Paid, and language
  • Accept Developer Program Policies
  • App name, short & full descriptions
  • Screenshots (min 2): JPG or PNG, 320px–3840px
  • App icon: 512×512, 32-bit PNG
  • Feature graphic: 1024×500, JPG or PNG
  • Contact email, privacy policy URL
Flutter Play Store Deployment

Flutter Play Store Deployment: Upload APK or AAB

  1. Go to Release > Production > Create New Release
  2. Upload your .aab or .apk
  3. Add release notes
  4. (Optional) Use internal testing before going public

Flutter Play Store Deployment: Fill Out App Content & Policies

✅ Data Safety Form
Declare what data you collect/share and why.

✅ App Access Instructions
If login is required, provide test credentials.

✅ Target Audience & Content Rating
Specify age groups. Affects content rules.

✅ Ads Declaration
Declare if your app contains ads.

✅ Privacy Policy
Provide a public link (can be hosted on GitHub, your website, or a generator like Termly).

Play Store Deployment

Flutter Play Store Deployment: Final Checks & Publish

  • Fix any console warnings
  • Ensure all required fields are complete
  • Click “Publish” or “Rollout to Production”
  • Wait for Google’s review (usually 1–3 days)

🎉 Conclusion

Congrats! You’ve successfully deployed your Flutter app to the Play Store.

Next steps:

  • Share your app with your network
  • Monitor reviews and crashes (via Play Console)
  • Plan future updates

Looking to deploy on iOS too? Stay tuned for our next guide: Flutter App Store Deployment

Or automate your release process? Check out: CI/CD for Flutter with GitHub Actions (coming soon!)

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