The Google Play Publishing Key (a JSON service account key) enables seamless automation for release workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and third-party tools via the Google Play Developer API.
Requirements
Access to your Google Play Console with Admin or Release Manager privileges.
How to access your Google Play Publishing Key
Log in to your Google Play Console, then navigate to Settings → API access
Create a service account
Click “Create service account”
The Play Console will automatically handle linking to a Google Cloud Project, if required
Generate and download the JSON key
From the newly created service account, click to Create key, select JSON, then download the key file
Important: Keep this JSON file secure—do not commit it to version control or expose it publicly
Grant permissions to the service account
In the API access section, locate the service account
Click “Grant access” and assign the Release Manager role—or customize roles based on your automation needs (e.g., managing subscriptions, in-app purchases)
Pro tips
Store the JSON key securely using a secrets manager (e.g. GitHub/GitLab Secrets, Google Secret Manager).
Follow least privilege principle—grant only the permissions required for specific automation tasks.
Rotate the service account key periodically—track access and revoke old keys.
Leverage the key in automation tools like
fastlane supply, Gradle plugins, or CI/CD pipelines to publish builds, update metadata, and manage app tracks.