The Release Manager is your central hub for publishing and managing your mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store — directly from your Tapcart dashboard. Instead of switching between App Store Connect, Google Play Console, and Tapcart, you can handle everything in one place.

To unlock the full capabilities of the Release Manager, we recommend connecting both of your store accounts:

Without these connections, some features will be disabled — including the ability to update Release Notes, track app versions, and manage some aspects of your store listings. You can still access the Release Manager dashboard, but full functionality requires verified credentials for each platform.

The next section walks you through connecting your accounts step by step.

To unlock the full functionality of the Release Manager, you'll need to connect your Apple App Store and/or Google Play Store accounts. Each platform is set up independently — you can configure one now and add the other later.

You'll need to upload an App Store Connect API key (.p8 file). This requires Admin or Account Holder permissions in App Store Connect.

When you first open the Release Manager, the iOS platform card will show a "Setup Required" badge with a prompt to get started:

Once you have those three items, head to the Release Manager in your Tapcart dashboard:

The form will look like this — enter your Issuer ID, Key ID, and select your .p8 file:

Once verified, you'll see a "API Key Configured and Verified" confirmation. You can re-test your credentials at any time using the "Test Again" button.

If verification fails, check the following:

For a detailed walkthrough, see Provisioning an App Store Connect API Key for iOS Builds.

The Google Play setup has a few more steps. It requires Firebase Analytics to be configured first, followed by creating a Google Service Account that connects Tapcart to your Play Console.

Before you can set up Google Play credentials, Firebase Analytics must be integrated with your app. If it's not configured yet, the Release Manager will show a "Firebase Integration Required" message.

For help setting up Firebase, see Firebase Analytics – Tapcart.

Once Firebase is connected:

What happens under the hood: When you click "Create Service Account," Tapcart runs an automated setup behind the scenes:

You don't need to do any of this manually — it all happens in a few seconds.

After the service account is created, you'll see the service account email address. You need to invite it to your Play Console:

Tapcart will verify access to your Play Console. Once confirmed, you'll see a "Service Account Configured" status.

"Android App Not Found in Play Console"
This usually means no APK or AAB file has been uploaded to Google Play Console yet. Even if your app listing exists, Google Play requires at least one build to be uploaded before the app is accessible via the API. Upload your first build, wait 5–10 minutes for permissions to propagate, then click "Verify App & Service Account".

"Firebase Integration Required"
Firebase Analytics must be set up before you can create a service account. See the Firebase setup guide linked above.

Verification errors
If access verification fails, confirm that the service account email has been invited with Admin permissions in your Play Console and that the invitation has been accepted.

When you open the Release Manager, you'll land on the main dashboard. It's organized into two areas: your main content on the left and a sidebar on the right.

At the top of the dashboard, the Current Releases card shows your active versions in production. You'll see a card for each platform — iOS and Android — displayed side by side.

When a platform is connected, its card shows:

✅ Both platforms connected and live — this is what a fully set up Release Manager looks like.

When a platform is not connected, the card shows:

If an account blocker is detected (e.g., an unsigned agreement or expired membership), the card displays a red banner with the issue and a link to resolve it.

The Build Progress card tracks your pending releases in real time. When you have active builds, you'll see:

When no builds are in progress, you'll see an empty state: "No active builds — Start a new release to see build progress here."

The dashboard automatically checks for updates — every 15 seconds while builds are active, and every 60 seconds when idle.

The Release History card shows past versions and updates, split by platform.

iOS Release History (when connected):

Android Release History (when connected):

When a platform isn't connected, the history card shows a setup prompt with a "Configure Credentials" button.

The right side of the dashboard contains a single action: the "Create New Release" button. This button is enabled as long as at least one platform has verified credentials.

To start a new release, click "Create New Release" from the Release Manager sidebar. This opens the release creation form where you'll configure everything about your update — from build type and version number to app listing details and screenshots.

At any point, your progress is automatically saved. If you close the page and come back, your form data will be restored.

If a platform has an account blocker (e.g., an unsigned agreement), the Production option will be disabled for that platform. For Android, APK builds remain available even when production is blocked.

Next, choose how your build should be submitted:

Automatic release is only available for Production builds. If you've selected TestFlight or APK, the Automatic option will be disabled with a message: "Switch to Build Type: Production to enable automatic submission."

Choose which platforms to include in this release — App Store (iOS), Google Play (Android), or both. At least one must be selected. If a platform is blocked, it will be unavailable as a target.

Upload your app's visual assets. These are set per platform, so iOS and Android can have different assets.

Each asset has a drag-and-drop uploader. You'll see a preview after uploading, and an error if dimensions don't match.

This is the information customers see on your app's store page. All listing fields are per platform — you can customize them separately for iOS and Android.

Auto-import: If your credentials are connected, the Release Manager will automatically fetch your current screenshots from App Store Connect or Google Play the first time you visit the form. You can then add, remove, or drag to reorder them. If auto-import doesn't work, you'll see a message explaining why — but you can still upload screenshots manually using the upload area.

These URLs are shared across both platforms (all optional but recommended):

Your new version must be higher than the current live version. The form validates this in real time. If a build is currently in progress, version fields are locked and a banner appears: "A build is in progress. Fields are locked."

A character counter tracks your progress. At 90% of the limit, the counter turns yellow. At the limit, it turns red with "Character limit reached."

When you select a TestFlight build for iOS, a testers panel appears where you can manage beta testing:

When you select an APK build for Android, a distribution panel appears:

APK builds are for manual distribution only — they are not published to Google Play.

When you're ready, click "Submit Release" at the bottom of the page. The button is disabled if no target platform is selected or required fields are incomplete. If all platforms are blocked, the button changes to "View Blockers" and opens a modal showing what needs to be resolved.

Once you've filled out the release form, here's what happens when you hit "Submit Release".

Before the release is sent, the Release Manager runs a series of checks automatically.

After a successful submission, head to the Build Progress card on your dashboard. Your new build will appear there with real-time status updates. The dashboard polls for updates every 15 seconds while builds are active.

After you submit a release, the Build Progress card on your dashboard tracks each build in real time. You don't need to refresh the page — it updates automatically.

Build progress is estimated based on elapsed time using a ~20-minute build window. Progress is capped at 95% until the build actually completes — the final jump to 100% happens when the system confirms success.

The progress bar fills to 100% and turns green. Click the card to open the Build Details modal, which shows the full build pipeline, build details, source code info, and a link to view in App Store Connect or Play Console.

The progress bar turns red and a "View Details" link appears. The Build Details modal includes a user-friendly error message, suggested next steps, and a "Get Help" button linking to the Building and Deploying Releases help article.

If a build runs for more than 30 minutes without completing, it's automatically marked as failed: "Build timed out after 30 minutes. The build may have failed in Bitrise without sending a webhook notification." Try submitting a new release. If timeouts persist, reach out to support.

The Release Manager monitors the health of your Apple Developer and Google Play Developer accounts in real time. If there's an issue that could prevent a release, you'll see a blocker with details on what's wrong and how to fix it.

The Release Manager includes built-in TestFlight management, so you can organize beta testers and share test builds without leaving your Tapcart dashboard. The TestFlight panel appears on the Create Release page when you select an iOS TestFlight build type.

Creating a group:

Adding a tester:

Once added, the tester appears in the list with their name, email, and status badge — Installed (green), Invited (blue), Not Invited (gray), or Expired (red).

Removing a tester: Hover over a tester row and click the X button. The tester is removed immediately.

For external groups, you can enable a public link that lets anyone join your TestFlight beta without a personal invitation.

Enabling a public link:

You can set a tester limit (1–10,000) via the settings icon. When the limit is reached, no new testers can join via the public link. Public links are not available for internal groups.

"Why can't I click the Submit Release button?"
The button is disabled when required fields are incomplete. Hover over it for a tooltip that tells you what's missing. Common reasons: no target platform selected, missing branding images, app title/subtitle/description not filled in, no keywords added, categories not selected, or version number not set.

"Why does it say I can't create a new release?"
If you see "Cannot create new release. Please remove your current App Store submission (currently in review) before creating a new update" — you have an iOS build that's currently Waiting for Review, In Review, or Pending Developer Release. Remove that submission in App Store Connect before submitting a new one.

"I submitted a release but nothing is happening."
After submitting, head to the Build Progress card on the dashboard. Your build should appear there within a few seconds. If it doesn't, try refreshing the page.

"My version number shows a red error."
Your new version must be greater than the current live version. Click the "Use [suggested]" button to apply the recommended next version.

"Why are my screenshots not loading automatically?"
Auto-import requires verified API credentials. You can still upload screenshots manually — the upload area is always available regardless of credential status.

"My screenshot upload was rejected."
Check format (JPEG only), dimensions (iOS: 1242 × 2688 px; Android: 1444 × 2880 or 1242 × 2688 px), file size (iOS: 10 MB max; Android: 8 MB max), and count (min 3, max 8).

"My Apple credentials failed verification."
Check that the API key has the Admin or App Manager role, the .p8 file matches the Key ID, the Issuer ID is correct, and the API key hasn't been revoked. You can re-upload your credentials or click "Test Again."

"My Google service account says 'Needs Invitation'."
The service account was created successfully but hasn't been invited to your Google Play Console yet. Copy the service account email shown on screen, go to Google Play Console → Users and Permissions → Invite new users, paste the email with Admin access, then return and click "I've Invited the Service Account."

"I see 'Android App Not Found in Play Console'."
No APK or AAB has been uploaded to Google Play Console yet. Upload your first build, wait 5–10 minutes, then click "Verify App & Service Account."

"I see 'Firebase Integration Required'."
Firebase Analytics must be configured before you can set up Google Play credentials. See Firebase Analytics – Tapcart for setup instructions.

"My build failed. What do I do?"
Click the failed build card to open the Build Details modal. If error analysis is available, you'll see an explanation and suggested fix. Click "Get Help" in the modal to open the Building and Deploying Releases help article.

"My build timed out."
If a build runs for more than 30 minutes, it's automatically marked as failed. Try submitting a new release. If timeouts persist, contact support.

"My platform shows 'Blocked'."
A blocker means there's an issue with your developer account. Common causes:

Click the action link on the blocker to resolve the issue in the relevant console. The Release Manager re-checks your account status automatically. See Section 7 (Account Blockers) for a full list.

"My image upload was rejected."
Each asset has strict dimension requirements: App Icon (1024 × 1024 px), Launch Screen (1125 × 2436 px), Placeholder Image (750 × 750 px). Images must be JPG and under 10 MB.

"I accidentally closed the page. Is my work saved?"
Your form data is automatically backed up to your browser's local storage. When you return to the Create Release page, your data should be restored.