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Google Play: Artwork and Listing Guide
This guide covers everything you need to publish your Android and Android TV apps on Google Play: the artwork for your app and your store page, the text Google asks for, the right category, and the rights and review details Google checks.
Bamboo usually prepares and submits your store listing for you. Use this guide to get everything ready in advance, or to manage your listing yourself in Google Play Console.
Before you start: you need your own Google Play Developer account and payments profile, with Bamboo invited as an Admin. Learn more: Activating the Google Play Platform
Where to find it: sign in to Google Play Console and open your app. Your listing is split into these pages:
- Store presence → Main store listing: app name, descriptions, and graphics.
- Store settings: category, tags, and contact details.
- Policy → App content: the declarations, such as app access, ads, content rating, and data safety.
In this article:
- Artwork for your app: icon, splash screen, and Android TV banner
- Store artwork: feature graphic, screenshots, and video
- Listing text: name, short description, and full description
- Choose a category and tags: which ones fit your app
- Third-party content and rights: the agreements to have ready
- App content and review: the declarations Google asks for
- Checklist: everything in one list
Artwork for your app
These images are built into your app. Send them to Bamboo with your Kickoff document. Learn more: Bamboo apps Kickoff document
| Image | Size (pixels) | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| App icon | 512 × 512 and 1024 × 1024 | PNG | A full square. Don't round the corners or add a shadow: Google Play does that for you. |
| Splash screen (phones and tablets) | 1080 × 1920 and 1080 × 1240 | PNG or GIF | Shown while the app loads. Use a GIF for an animated splash screen. |
| Placeholder | 1920 × 1080 | PNG | Shown when a category image is missing. |
| Android TV banner | 1280 × 720 | PNG | Only if you have an Android TV app. Include your app name in the banner. |
| Android TV splash screen | 1920 × 1080 and 1240 × 1080 | PNG or GIF | Only if you have an Android TV app. |
Tip: keep your logo and any text away from the edges, so nothing is cut off on different screen sizes.
Store artwork
These images appear on your Google Play page. Screenshots must show your real app.
| Image | Size (pixels) | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Feature graphic | 1024 × 500, JPG or PNG with no transparency | Yes |
| Phone screenshots | Each side 320 to 3840, up to 2:1 | Yes, at least 2 |
| Tablet screenshots (7" and 10") | 1080 to 7680, 16:9 or 9:16 | Recommended, at least 4 |
| Android TV banner | 1280 × 720, JPG or PNG with no transparency | Yes, for your Android TV app |
| Android TV screenshots | Landscape, from your TV app | Yes, at least 1, for your Android TV app |
| Preview video | A YouTube link | Optional |
- Add up to 8 screenshots per device type, as JPG or PNG with no transparency.
- The feature graphic appears at the top of your store page. Keep your logo and text in the center, away from the edges.
- The preview video must be a public or unlisted YouTube video with ads turned off. Only the first 30 seconds play automatically.
Make your screenshots work for you: Bamboo can take screenshots from your app for you. We recommend turning them into marketing images: your real app screens with a short message for viewers. For example, a screenshot of your channels with the text "24/7 channels, watch anytime". Keep tablet screenshots free of added text, since Google asks for plain app screens there.
Learn more: Google: Add preview assets
Listing text
| Field | Limit | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| App name | 30 characters | Your brand or service name. |
| Short description | 80 characters | One line about your app. It's the first thing people read. |
| Full description | 4000 characters | What viewers can watch and do in your app. |
| Contact email | Required | An email viewers can use for support. |
| Website | Recommended | Your site. |
| Privacy policy URL | Required | A page with your privacy policy, also linked inside your app. |
Google Play has no keywords field. People find your app through its name, descriptions, category, and tags, so use the words your viewers search for naturally in your descriptions.
Writing tips
- No emojis or ALL CAPS in the app name, unless they're part of your brand.
- No rankings or prices: avoid "#1", "Best", "Free for a limited time", or "Editor's Choice".
- No keyword stuffing: repeated or unrelated words can get your app suspended.
- Android TV: mention "Android TV" in your description if you have a TV app.
Learn more: Google: Metadata policy
Choose a category and tags
Choose one category, and up to 5 tags that clearly describe your app.
| Your app | Category |
|---|---|
| Movies, shows, or general video | Entertainment |
| Church or faith | Lifestyle |
| Courses and lessons | Education |
| Sports | Sports |
| Music and concerts | Music & Audio |
| News | News & Magazines |
Learn more: Google: Categories and tags
Third-party content and rights
Google only allows content you own or have a license for, and may ask for proof. If your app shows content you didn't create, get written permission before you submit. This includes:
- Movies, shows, or sports licensed from a distributor.
- Videos from YouTube or Vimeo channels that aren't yours.
- Music, sermons, or worship content from other artists or ministries.
- Other brands' names, logos, and artwork, including movie posters and cover art.
Have a signed license agreement or a permission letter from each rights holder, as a PDF, ready to send if Google asks. If Bamboo submits for you, send the documents to us with your Kickoff document.
Learn more: Google: Intellectual property policy
App content and review
In Play Console, under App content, Google asks you to fill in these declarations before you publish:
- App access: a working username and password for Google's reviewers, with access to all content, including paid content.
- Ads: whether your app shows ads.
- Content rating: a questionnaire about your content that gives your app its age rating.
- Target audience: the age groups your app is for. Choosing children adds extra rules.
- Data safety: the data your app collects and shares. Required for every app.
- Financial features: most apps tick that they don't offer financial features.
- News: only if your app is a news app.
Payments: subscriptions and paid content sold in your app must use Google Play's billing.
Android TV: Google reviews TV apps separately, after you add the TV banner and screenshots. You'll get an email if anything needs fixing.
Learn more: Google: Prepare your app for review
Checklist
- Google Play Developer account and payments profile, with Bamboo invited as an Admin
- App artwork: icon, splash screens, placeholder, and Android TV banner (if used)
- Feature graphic and screenshots for phones, tablets, and Android TV (if used)
- App name, short description, and full description
- Contact email and privacy policy URL
- Category and tags chosen
- Rights documents for any third-party content
- Demo account and App content declarations
Need help? Contact us