No information on how to upload the externally-hosted APK definition file

[hsolg]

I can generate an APK definition file successfully, but I can not find any information here or anywhere else on how to upload this file to the Google Play Console.

[hdurer]

Indeed this seems to be poorly documented (it is a very obscure and little used feature). There is a support article that you may want to check out.

I believe the following should work though:

• Ensure that the Allow users to publish and update Google Play private apps. checkbox is set in the admin console. (Under Device management ‣ Advanced Settings in the section Google Play private apps.)
• Then in the Play console make sure your app is marked as a private app. (Under Pricing & distribution in the Managed Google Play section set the checkmark for Privately target this app to a list of organizations.)
• At that point you should have a new checkbox in the APKs to add section when adding an apk (under App releases).

Also have a look at blog post and the developers documentation for publishing via an API.

[hsolg]

Thank you very much for the response! I don't have access to the admin console though, because I don't have a G Suite account. And I don't get a checkbox when I target the app privately for an organization. I also had a chat session today with Google developer support and they claimed it was impossible to self-host an app in this way. But publishing via an API as you mention at the end seems like a more promising option. I will try that instead.