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Issues and Solutions while upgrading Google Play Billing Library version 3

Issues and Solutions while upgrading Google Play Billing Library version 3?

You might receive an email regarding last date to update your app to Google Play Billing Library 4 or later by Nov 1, you might also see a similar reminder alert at android developer site when you visit Google Play billing system which says:

Reminder: Starting on August 2, 2022, all new apps must use Billing Library version 4 or newer. By November 1, 2022, all updates to existing apps must use Billing Library version 4 or newer. Learn more.

So one of main issue the developer might face when he is managing multiple clients and accounts with multiple apps is to find out exactly which apps are going to be effected, because many of my clients contacted me in panic after getting this email as they were unable to find which apps are causing the issue. That is why I am writing this post to help people who are facing similar issues.

Google had announced back in August 2022, about deprecation the Play Billing version 3, and instructs developers to update their Billing Library by 1 November, 2022. Although many of them had already upgraded to latest versions of Play Billing Library to version 4 or 5 respectively.

Contents

Find depreciated Applications

I am going to explain step-by-step instruction how you can find app that are using old Google Play Billing or later than 4 by what i mean. Our goal here is to find apk or app that is triggering that warning.

Methods

Find through Android Studio

Open your android project in Android Studio, and Open your project AndroidManifest.xml file and search for permission com.android.vending.BILLING if you found that means its is the on that you might be be looking for, one you found this permission also open buid.gradle for your project and make sure version for Play Billing Library should be greater than 4.0.0

You have to repeat this procedure for every application that you have published on Google Play Store to find out depreciated Google Play Billing Library

 

Find in Google Play Console

To find application that is using billing you have to access your Google Play Store account then have to do the below actions for all apps one by one to find the effected app.

  1. Select App Apps from the left menu
  2. Select App that you want to Check
  3. Once you are in App Dashboard select App Bundle Explorer
  4. Choose Active release of your application by clicking the -> arrow button
  5. In the detail tab scroll down to the permissions and click Show Detail option which have chevron down icon with it.
  6. In permission list check for com.android.vending.BILLING and if you find it, that’s means might be the app you are searching for.
Screenshot of Google Play Console showing how you can find if Google Play Billing Library 3 is used

Frequently Asked Questions


Question: Which version of Play Billing Library is expiring?

Answer: Play Billing Library 3

Question: When Google announced depreciation of Play Billing Library 3?

Answer: On 02, August 2022

Question: Until when i can upgrade Play Billing Library 3?

Answer: 01 November,2022

Question: How long support is provided for Play Billing Library?

Answer: For major released Google continue support it for 2 years

Question: What are current Play Billing Library version that i upgrade to?

Answer: You can upgrade your Play Billing Library 4 or 5 . Version 4 will be supported for up-to 2024 and version 5 till 2025

Do you have any specific query?

Additional Resources