Publishing on Google Play
Play Store App Ownership Verification
Prove APK Ownership to Google Without a PC
1What Is Play Store App Ownership Verification?#
Google Play has a challenge-response system that lets you prove you are the legitimate owner of an APK without needing Android Studio or a PC.
When does this happen?
- A user or business partner asks you to prove the APK they have is yours
- Google Play or a distributor sends you a verification token
- You need to inject that token into the APK and re-sign it
The token is a small text file (adi-registration.properties) placed inside the APK's assets folder. Google then downloads and installs the APK to confirm the token matches their records.
2Open the Play Store Verification Tool#
The verification tool is built directly into AppMint:
- Open AppMint
- Tap the ☰ menu (top-left)
- Tap '🛡️ Play Store Verification'
No PC, Android Studio, or command-line tools needed.
3Step 1 - Choose Your APK File#
Tap 'Choose APK File' and select the APK AppMint generated for the app you want to verify.
✅ This should be the same APK you submitted to (or generated for) Google Play.
⚠️ The APK must be signed by a key on this phone (built here, or signed with a keystore you imported). APKs signed with other keys cannot be re-signed here.
APK file location after generation:
Downloads/ (the .apk AppMint saved when the build finished)4Step 2 - Paste Your Verification Token#
Google (or whoever requested verification) will send you a token string. It typically looks like a random alphanumeric code.
Paste it into the 'Verification Token' field exactly as received - do not add spaces or line breaks.
Example token format:
adi-registration.properties content:
token=eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...
(Paste ONLY the token value, not the key name)5Step 3 - Generate the Verification APK#
Tap 'Generate Verification APK'. The tool:
- Reads the package name from the APK itself
- Finds which key on this phone signed it - the app's own AppMint key, the legacy shared key, or a keystore you imported - and names it on screen
- Removes the old META-INF signature files and injects assets/adi-registration.properties with your token
- Re-signs the APK with that same key
An APK signed with a key that is not on this phone is refused - it is never re-signed with a different key. The whole process runs on-device in seconds.
Output file:
verification_upload.apk — shared or saved with 'Share / Save Verification APK'6Step 4 - Share or Save the Verification APK#
After generation, tap 'Share / Save Verification APK' to send it directly to:
- Email (attach to your reply to Google)
- Google Drive / OneDrive
- WhatsApp / Telegram
- Any other sharing method
Send the verification APK back to whoever requested the verification. Google's system will automatically download it, extract the token, and complete the ownership check.
7What Gets Injected Into the APK?#
The tool injects a single properties file at the path required by Google:
File path inside APK:
assets/adi-registration.properties
File content:
<your token exactly as provided>8Signing Key Details#
The verification APK is signed with the key that signed the APK you picked, so its signature matches what Google has on record:
✅ Apps built by AppMint: the app's own key, derived from its package name - no keystore file needed
✅ Apps first published on the legacy shared key: that key, only when the APK you picked carries it
✅ Your own imported keystore: used while it is still on this phone
⚠️ An APK signed by another tool, or by a keystore that is no longer on this phone, cannot be re-signed here - the tool says so instead of signing with a different key.
9Frequently Asked Questions#
Q: Will this break my app or change its behavior?
A: No. The only change is the addition of the properties file in assets. All other functionality stays identical.
Q: Do I need to update my Play Store listing?
A: No. The verified APK is used only for the ownership challenge, not submitted as a new release.
Q: Can I verify multiple APKs with different tokens?
A: Yes - run the tool once per APK/token combination.
Q: My token expired. What do I do?
A: Contact Google to request a new token, then repeat this process with the fresh token.