You uploaded an APK that was signed in debug mode. You need to sign your APK in release mode error

Question

I am trying to upload an Application on the Google Play store. I am building the .apk and signing it using Maven. I have used maven-jarsigner-plugin to sign the .apk file. I am using the key that I created using Eclipse wizard for signing another Android app. I zipalign the .apk file using the following command: zipalign [-f] [-v] infile.apk outfile.apk

When I try to uplaod the application on the playstore, I get the error You uploaded an APK that was signed in debug mode. You need to sign your APK in release mode. Can anyone please tell me how to sign the apk in release mode? I am new to Maven (started using it today). Thanks

Solution 1

I don't know how you do that in Maven, but you need to compile your app with a release keystore. You can create one with keytool, which is available in your Java bin folder:

$ keytool -genkey -v -keystore my-release-key.keystore
-alias alias_name -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

When creating it, you must supply two passwords, one for the keystore and one for the key. When your keystore is created, you can use the Eclipse Export wizard to compile your app in release mode.

For further details, please refer to http://developer.android.com/tools/publishing/app-signing.html#releasemode

Solution 2

Change to: signingConfig signingConfigs.release

from signingConfig signingConfigs.debug

in your build.gradle app level

Solution 3

Go to android/app/build.gradle

At the end of the file:

buildTypes {
    release {
        // TODO: Add your own signing config for the release build.
        // Signing with the debug keys for now, so `flutter run --release` works.
        signingConfig signingConfigs.debug <==== change this to release
    }
}

Resul should be like:

buildTypes {
    release {
        // TODO: Add your own signing config for the release build.
        // Signing with the debug keys for now, so `flutter run --release` works.
        signingConfig signingConfigs.release
    }
}

Solution 4

Always create your keystore with name and alias containing "release" not "debug". If you are having the "You uploaded an APK that was signed in debug mode. You need to sign your APK in release mode error" it's certain that you are using default keystore which is 'debug.keystore' hence generating apk in debug mode.

Solution

1. Generate new keystore
2. Give reference in build.gradle file
3. Change build variant to 'release'
4. Build

this should fix the issue.

Solution 5

I had the same issue with my flutter app,

Add these to your android/app/build. Gradle:

before android { compileSdkVersion 30

def keystoreProperties = new Properties()
def keystorePropertiesFile = rootProject.file('key.properties')
if (keystorePropertiesFile.exists()) {
keystoreProperties.load(new FileInputStream(keystorePropertiesFile))
}

And after defaultConfig {

}
signingConfigs {
    release {
        keyAlias keystoreProperties['keyAlias']
        keyPassword keystoreProperties['keyPassword']
        storeFile keystoreProperties['storeFile'] ? file(keystoreProperties['storeFile']) : null
        storePassword keystoreProperties['storePassword']
    }
}
buildTypes {
    release {
        signingConfig signingConfigs.release
    }
}

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Comments

[Nemin]

The problem is that I dont want to use Eclipse to compile the app. I tried that and was able to do that without any problem. I need to compile it using Maven,

[thiagolr]

This is the correct explanation, just use this generated keystore on maven!

[mchurichi]

I spent hours dealing with this while trying to deploy a Flutter app, this definitely needs to be better documented, a simple TODO in the file is just not enough... thanks!

[lordvcs]

@mchurichi Actually it is documented here flutter.dev/docs/deployment/android#configure-signing-in-gra‌​dle , but I missed it too

[Harsh Phoujdar]

Does not work for me, gave Could not get unknown property 'release' for SigningConfig container of type org.gradle.api.internal.FactoryNamedDomainObjectContainer. upon running flutter build apk --release

[Jesus Erwin Suarez]

It works man! Thanks a lot!

[Jesus Erwin Suarez]

It works man! Thanks a lot!