Android Credentials

Android needs a Firebase project (app registration and push notifications) and, optionally, a Google Play service account for automated Play Store uploads. In Studio, go to Store Setup → Credentials → Android.

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1. Connect Firebase

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Create a Firebase project

Already have a Firebase project? Skip to Get the service account JSON.

1. Go to console.firebase.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
2. Click Create a project (it may say Add project).
3. Enter a name, such as your app or company name. Firebase generates a project ID you can edit.
4. Continue past any AI assistance screen, then choose whether to enable Google Analytics. Studio doesn’t need it.
5. Click Create project, wait for setup to finish, then click Continue.

You can also use an existing Google Cloud project, such as the one you use for Play. A separate Firebase project works fine.

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Get the service account JSON

1. Click the gear icon next to Project Overview, then Project settings.
2. Open the Service accounts tab.
3. Make sure Firebase Admin SDK is selected, then click Generate new private key.
4. Confirm with Generate key. A JSON file downloads. Google keeps no copy, so store it securely.

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Add it to Studio

1. In the Android card, find Service account (admin SDK) JSON and click Upload service account JSON.
2. Click Save & verify.

You should see ✓ Connected to Firebase — N Android apps found. A new project shows 0 apps.

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2. Set your package names

Package names are set on the Blockli project tab, in the Android section. You need a release package name and a test package name.

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Use an app that already exists in Firebase

Open Release package name or Test package name. Studio lists the Android apps in your Firebase project. Type to search, then pick one.

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Register new apps

1. Open either Android field and choose Register new….
2. In the side panel, enter an App nickname and your Release package name (for example com.yourcompany.yourapp).
3. Studio suggests the Test package name by adding .test to the release name. You can edit it.
4. Review the preview, then click Create in Firebase.

Studio registers both apps in your Firebase project, generates the matching google-services.json, and fills in both fields. Click Save at the bottom of the tab when you’re done.

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google-services.json (optional)

Studio creates and saves google-services.json automatically when you register apps, so you normally don’t need to upload one. If you already have an existing Firebase app and want to use its google-services.json, follow the steps below.

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Getting google-services.json for an existing Firebase app

1. Open the Firebase console and pick your project.
2. Click the gear icon next to Project Overview, then Project settings.
3. On the General tab, scroll to Your apps and select your Android app — the one with your package name.
4. Click google-services.json to download it.
5. In Studio, go to Store Setup → Credentials → Android and upload it under google-services.json. That field appears after you’ve connected the service account.

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3. Google Play service account (optional)

Only needed for automatic Play Store uploads. If you upload builds to Play by hand, skip this.

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Create the service account

1. Open Google Cloud Console and sign in with the Google account that owns your Play Console, or one with access to the project.
2. Pick or create a project. Then go to APIs & Services → Library, search for Google Play Android Developer API, and click Enable.
3. Go to IAM & Admin → Service Accounts and click + Create service account.
4. Enter a name such as blockli-play-publisher. Add a description if you like. Click Create and continue.
5. Skip the next two steps (“Grant this service account access to the project” and “Grant users access to this service account”) and click Done. Play permissions are set in Play Console, not here.
6. Copy the new account’s email. It looks like blockli-play-publisher@your-project.iam.gserviceaccount.com.

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Download the JSON key

1. In IAM & Admin → Service Accounts, click the account you created.
2. Open the Keys tab and click Add key → Create new key.
3. Choose JSON and click Create. The file downloads. Google keeps no copy, so store it securely.

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Give it access in Play Console

1. Open Play Console and go to Users and permissions → Invite new users.
2. Paste the service account’s email.
3. Grant access to your app, or account-level permissions. Uploading builds needs release rights, or Admin.
4. Click Invite user. Service accounts have no inbox, so there’s nothing to accept.

Access can take a while to become active. If an upload fails with a permissions error right after inviting, wait and try again.

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Add it to Studio

1. In the Android card, find Google Play service account (.json) and click Upload Play .json.
2. Click Save.

Studio only stores this file. There’s no connection check, so you’ll find out it works on your first Play upload.