I have developed an Android application that I plan to publish on multiple app stores, including Google Play.
However, whenever I install the release APK on a device, Google Play Protect displays a warning that the app may be harmful and blocks the installation.
The application is completely developed by me. It is signed with a release keystore, and as far as I know, all standard Android security and signing requirements have been followed.
The problem is that I have been told I should resolve the Play Protect warning before publishing the app to any app store.
I would like to understand:
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Why would Google Play Protect flag a legitimate application as harmful?
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Is there any official way to determine the exact reason for the warning?
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Are there any Google tools or reports that identify what triggers Play Protect?
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Has anyone experienced a similar issue, and how was it resolved?
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What should I check before submitting the app to Google Play or other app stores?
Accepted Answer
If you're actually installing from the APK file itself (instead of from the google play store), this is probably just a standard warning for installing APKs.
The warning is to deter users who don't know what they're doing from installing malware from random APK files they found on the internet. If your end users will be installing the APK manually, you'll just need to guide them through this process.
Once you've published to the play store there should be no more warnings.
Josh Brunton