How to Fix the Publishing Error: App Already Approved

Introduction

When submitting an Android publishing request via the BuddyBoss plugin, you may encounter the error:

App Already Approved
Your app has already been approved by Google. To publish an update, please create and prepare a new release.

This usually happens because a production release draft exists in the Play Console but wasn’t saved as a draft, making it invisible to the publishing service.

Create a New Release Draft in Production

1. Sign in to Google Play Console and select your app.
2. Navigate to Test and Release > Production.
3. Click Create new release in the upper-right corner.
4. Upload or add your new build (APK/AAB).
5. Enter a Release name and Release notes.
6. Click Save as draft.

Reference Screenshot:

Retry Your Android Publishing Request

Return to your WordPress dashboard and resubmit the Android publishing request. The publishing service will now detect the new draft and proceed.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: The “App Already Approved” error still appears after saving a draft—what should I check?
A: Verify that you clicked Save as draft (not Review or Release) and confirm the draft appears under the Production track.

Q: Can I bypass this by directly rolling out a production release?
A: The BuddyBoss publishing service requires a saved draft to detect the release. After detection, you can perform the final rollout manually in the Play Console.

Q: I don’t see the Production track—why?
A: Ensure you have the necessary permissions (e.g., Release Manager) and that no testing-only tracks are blocking access to Production.