Can a service account belong to multiple Play Console accounts?

No. A service account (via its Google Cloud project) can only be linked to one Play Console developer account. Create separate service accounts for different developer accounts.

How many keys can a service account have?

Up to 10 keys per service account. This allows key rotation without downtime—create a new key, update integrations, then delete the old key.

What happens if I delete the Google Cloud project?

All service accounts and keys in that project are permanently deleted. Your Play Console API access will stop working immediately. Be very careful with project deletion.

Is there a difference between service account and OAuth2 credentials?

Yes. Service accounts are for server-to-server automation (no human interaction needed). OAuth2 is for user-authenticated flows where a human grants permission. For automation tools, service accounts are the correct choice.

Guides/Google Play Console/Creating and Configuring a Service Account for Google Play Automation

Google Play Console

Creating and Configuring a Service Account for Google Play Automation

Detailed guide to creating a Google Cloud service account for Google Play Console automation. Configure permissions, manage keys, and set up secure access for third-party tools.

7 steps

2 min read

Table of Contents

1. Create a Google Cloud project
2. Enable required APIs
3. Create the service account
4. Generate and download the JSON key
5. Grant Play Console access
6. Scope permissions to specific apps (optional)
7. Test and verify

Create a Google Cloud project

Go to console.cloud.google.com > Select a project > New Project. Name it clearly (e.g., "Play Console Integrations"). A dedicated project keeps your Play Console credentials isolated from other Google Cloud resources.

Enable required APIs

In your new project, go to APIs & Services > Library and enable the Google Play Android Developer API. If you also need build management, enable the Google Play Custom App Publishing API as well.

Create the service account

Navigate to IAM & Admin > Service Accounts > Create Service Account. Choose a descriptive name and ID. For Google Play automation, you do not need to assign Google Cloud IAM roles—the relevant permissions are managed in Play Console.

Generate and download the JSON key

Click on your new service account > Keys tab > Add Key > Create new key > JSON. The browser downloads the key file. This file contains client_email, private_key, and project_id—the three values needed for API authentication.

Tip: Store the JSON key in a secrets manager (like 1Password, AWS Secrets Manager, or Google Secret Manager) rather than in plain files on your machine.

Grant Play Console access

Open Google Play Console > Settings > Developer account > API access. Link your Google Cloud project if not already linked. Find the service account by its email address and click Grant access. Select the appropriate permission level:

Admin — Full control over all apps and account settings
Release manager — Create and manage releases, but not financial data
Store presence — Edit store listing, screenshots, and descriptions

Scope permissions to specific apps (optional)

For security, you can restrict the service account to specific apps rather than granting account-wide access. In Play Console, when granting access, select Add app and choose only the apps the integration needs. This follows the principle of least privilege.

Test and verify

Use the JSON key with your integration tool to verify access. In AppDrift's Google setup, upload the key file and run a test connection. The tool will attempt to list your apps via the API to confirm permissions are correct. If the test fails, review the permissions in Play Console.

Common Errors & Solutions

"The project id used to call the Google Play Developer API has not been linked" error

Solution: Go to Play Console > Settings > API access and link the Google Cloud project that contains your service account. This step is easy to miss.

Service account has access but cannot modify a specific app

Solution: If permissions are scoped to specific apps, ensure the target app is included in the service account's app list in Play Console.

JSON key file not working after team member left

Solution: Service accounts are tied to Google Cloud projects, not individual users. As long as the project exists and the key is valid, it continues working. However, rotate keys when team members with access leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

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