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Firebase App Distribution lets you share pre-release Android builds with selected testers, either by uploading a package in the Firebase console or automating distribution through the Firebase CLI, Gradle, fastlane, or the public API. To get a release out safely, register the correct Android app, build and sign the package, choose testers, and plan for release expiry.
What Firebase App Distribution does
App Distribution is a pre-release testing workflow: it delivers builds to invited testers and provides release and tester status in Firebase. It is separate from Google Play closed testing. Firebase also documents an integration with Google Play internal app sharing for Android App Bundle (AAB) testing; an uploaded AAB does not automatically appear in a Play developer account unless the integration requirements are met. See Firebase App Distribution and its Android troubleshooting guidance.
Set up and distribute your first Android build
- Register the Android app in Firebase. Add the Android project and enter the app’s package name. It must match the distributed app exactly; the value is case-sensitive and cannot be changed for that Firebase app after registration. Check the application ID in your Android project before submitting it. See Firebase’s CLI distribution guide.
- Enable App Distribution. In the Firebase console, open the app and enable App Distribution. Firebase’s CI/CD guide notes that trying to distribute for an app where the feature is not enabled can return a 404 error: CI/CD best practices.
- Build and sign the pre-release package. Use your normal Android build process to create an APK and sign it with a debug key or app signing key, as appropriate for the testing workflow. Firebase also supports AAB distribution through its documented Google Play internal app sharing integration.
- Choose a distribution route. For an occasional upload, use the Firebase console. For recurring releases, choose a tool that fits the team’s build and release setup.
- Select testers and add release notes. Send the release to individual testers or groups. Include concise notes that identify what changed or what testers should check.
- Distribute and monitor. Testers receive invitations or notifications. Check acceptance and download status in the Firebase console.
The console upload workflow is described in Firebase’s console distribution guide. The CLI guide also describes three links after distribution: a Firebase console release link, a tester-facing link that requires release access, and a signed direct binary link that expires after one hour. Treat the direct download URL as temporary, not as a durable way to share the build.
Choose a distribution method
| Route | Useful when | What to manage |
|---|---|---|
| Firebase console | You need to make a manual or occasional release. | Select the app, testers or groups, and release notes in the interface. |
| Firebase CLI | You want scripted uploads or a CI job. | Configure authentication, app ID, tester list, and release notes in the automation. |
| Gradle plugin | Distribution belongs in the Android build process. | Keep release and tester configuration aligned with build variants. |
| fastlane | Your team already runs release tasks through fastlane. | Add distribution to the existing lane and its access controls. |
| Public App Distribution API | You need custom automation or bulk management. | Implement API access and manage authentication. |
Firebase documents console, CLI, Gradle, and fastlane distribution, and its CI/CD guide also points to the public API. For CI use of supported tools, Firebase recommends service credentials; service accounts represent applications rather than individual users. Keep credentials out of source code and use the authentication method appropriate for your CI provider. Firebase does not identify one method as best for every team. See Firebase’s CI/CD guidance.
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Example: upload with the Firebase CLI
The CLI accepts an app ID, release notes, and testers supplied as email addresses or a file. A typical command shape is:
firebase appdistribution:distribute PATH_TO_APK --app FIREBASE_APP_ID --release-notes "Release notes" --testers "tester1@example.com,tester2@example.com"Replace the path, app ID, notes, and tester addresses with your own values. For a recurring build, keep these settings in your CI configuration and follow Firebase’s current authentication instructions rather than embedding credentials in the command or repository. Consult the CLI guide for current options and syntax.
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Manage tester access and onboarding
Use testers and groups deliberately
You can add testers individually or organize them into groups. Groups help when the same set of people needs access to multiple releases. Removing a tester from a group also removes access to releases shared with that group, so include tester access in offboarding. Firebase documents tester and group management in its CLI guide and CI/CD best practices.
Use invite links for self-service enrollment
An invite link can let people add themselves as testers. Without a group, Firebase says the link adds testers to the latest distributed release they were invited to test. You can restrict acceptance to the recipient’s email address. See Firebase’s invite-link instructions and tester management documentation.
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Explain the tester’s first install
Testers open the invitation on an Android device, sign in with Google to accept, then follow the setup flow to install the release. Firebase App Tester is another way for testers to access builds in one place. Share Firebase’s Android tester setup instructions when onboarding people who have not used the service before.
Understand release, tester, and invitation limits
Firebase’s documentation reviewed on October 7, 2026, lists these limits and retention periods. They are current documented limits, not claims about when Firebase introduced them.
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- 500 testers per Firebase project.
- 200 testers per App Distribution group. Firebase says teams can request a no-cost increase to this limit.
- 1,000 releases per app. When the cap is exceeded, Firebase automatically removes the oldest releases above the limit.
- 150 days of release availability. Firebase removes releases after this period and shows a notice 30 days before expiry.
- 30 days to accept an invitation. An unaccepted invitation expires after 30 days; Firebase shows a notice five days before expiry.
For the documented limits and expiry behavior, see Firebase’s troubleshooting page, CLI guide, console guide, and tester management page.
Keep builds you need beyond the retention period
App Distribution is not a permanent archive. Download builds before they expire or are displaced by the release cap, then store them in your own archive. Firebase suggests Cloud Storage for archiving; using a custom results bucket incurs storage charges and requires a billing-enabled project. You can re-upload a saved build if it needs to be distributed again. See the CLI documentation and troubleshooting guidance.
Quick Recap
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