Getting Started

Before you can start making API calls, you need to set up API access to your Google Play Developer Account. This involves changes in both the Google Play Console and Google Cloud Console. The following instructions explain the four steps needed to start using the Google Play Developer Reporting API:

  1. Link your developer account to a new or existing Google Cloud project.
  2. Enable the Google Play Developer Reporting API for your linked Google Cloud project.
  3. Authorize an API key for the Google Play Developer Reporting API in your linked Google Cloud project.
  4. Set up a service account with appropriate Google Play Console permissions to access the Google Play Developer Reporting API.

For steps 1 and 4 you'll need to be the owner of your Google Play Developer Account in the Google Play Console. All steps require you to be an owner of the linked Google Cloud project in Google Cloud Console.

Linking your account and project

Before you can access the Google Play Developer Reporting API, you must link your Google Play Developer Account to a Google Cloud project. In most cases, we recommend that you create a new Google Cloud project dedicated to your Google Play Developer Account, but you can link an existing project. Keep in mind that each Google Play Developer Account can only be linked to a single Google Cloud project. If you have multiple apps in the same Google Play Developer Account, they all must share the same Google Cloud project.

Creating a new project

  1. Go to the API access page on the Google Play Console
  2. Click Create new project.

The Google Cloud project is automatically created and linked to your Google Play Developer Account.

Using an existing project

If you are already a user of the Google Cloud Console, you can link to your existing Google Cloud project by following these steps:

  1. Go to the API access page on the Google Play Console.
  2. Choose the project you'd like to link. If your project isn't listed, verify that your user account is designated as an Owner in the Google Cloud project you want to link.
  3. Click Link existing project.

Enable the API

Once you have set up the linked Google Cloud project, you need to enable the Google Play Developer Reporting API for this project. To do this, you need to be an owner of the linked Google Cloud project.

  1. Go to the API access page on the Google Play Console.
  2. Under APIs, find the Google Play Developer Reporting API and click Turn on.

This directly updates the Google Cloud project and the change takes effect immediately.

Authorizing an API key

To use the API, you need an API key in your linked Google Cloud project that is authorized to use the Google Play Developer Reporting API. Set this up in the Google Cloud Console.

Configuring service accounts

Service accounts must be used in a secure environment, such as your server. The service account credentials need to be managed securely so they are not revealed to anyone that is not authorized to use the API.

Creating a service account

You can create a service account from the Google Play Console.

  1. Go to the API access page on the Google Play Console.
  2. Under Service accounts, click Create new service account.
  3. Follow the instructions to create your service account. During the process of account creation you need to grant your service account access to the Cloud project in order for it to appear in the Google Play Console.
  4. Once you've created the service account on the Google Play Console, click Done. The Service Accounts section of the API access page automatically refreshes, and your service account is listed.
  5. Click Grant access to provide the service account the necessary permissions to perform actions.

Granting permissions

The API access page displays a list of service accounts that belong to the linked Google Cloud project. To allow any of those access to the Google Play Console data for your apps, they have to be granted access.

  1. Go to the API access page on the Google Play Console.
  2. Under Service accounts, find the service account you want to grant access to, and click on Grant access. You will be taken to the Invite user page.
  3. Fill in the required information. It is good practice to grant the service account just the minimal set of permissions needed to call the desired API actions.
  4. Click on the Invite user button.

Once you complete these steps, you should be able to access the Google Play Developer Reporting API through the service account, using the appropriate API key.

Reference

To look up a particular resource type or method, see the Reference.