Android IAB. Error – Authentication is required. You need to sign into your Google Account

androidgoogle-playin-app-billing

In the Android > Sample app > Trivial Drive when running the app I get the following when doing an IAP:

Error - Authentication is required. You need to sign into your Google Account

I've switched to a separate account on my phone with the testing account (i.e. the testing email address I've specified in the Developer Console) and followed all the steps here:

https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/20369/getting-authentication-is-required-when-trying-to-access-the-play-store

but no joy.

Any further suggestions?

==== UPDATE

I've since blasted away all Google Accounts on my phone and now have just 1 account – i.e. the Testing account.

And I've tried everything here: https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/20369/getting-authentication-is-required-when-trying-to-access-the-play-store

Best Answer

I believe that Google now requires that the app is published as alpha version and a Google group specifically for testing is set up. I wasn't able to find this information in the official documentation (which means that Google probably didn't update it in quite some time), but here: https://help.gamesalad.com/hc/en-us/articles/203536123-7-6-In-App-Purchases-IAP-for-Google-Play

Related Solutions

Android – How to you get the build/version number of your Android application

Use:

try {
    PackageInfo pInfo = context.getPackageManager().getPackageInfo(context.getPackageName(), 0);
    String version = pInfo.versionName;
} catch (PackageManager.NameNotFoundException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}

And you can get the version code by using this

int verCode = pInfo.versionCode;

Android – This version of the application is not configured for billing through Google Play

This error may be caused by several reasons.

Here is the list of requirements for the Google IAB testing.

Prerequisites:

AndroidManifest must include "com.android.vending.BILLING" permission.
APK is built in release mode.
APK is signed with the release certificate(s). (Important: with "App Signing by Google Play" it only works if you download directly from GooglePlayStore!)
APK is uploaded to alpha/beta distribution channel (previously - as a draft) to the developer console at least once. (takes some time ~2h-24h).
IAB products are published and their status set to active.
Test account(s) is added in developer console.

Testing requirements:

Test APK has the same versionCode as the one uploaded to developer console.
Test APK is signed with the same certificate(s) as the one uploaded to dev.console.
Test account (not developer) - is the main account on the device. (Main account might be not necessary - according to @MinosL comment)
Test account is opted-in as a tester and it's linked to a valid payment method. (@Kyone)

P.S: Debugging with release certificate: https://stackoverflow.com/a/15754187/1321401 (Thnx @dipp for the link)

P.P.S: Wanted to make this list for a long time already.

Thnx @zlgdev, @Kyone, @MinosL for updates

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Android – How to you get the build/version number of your Android application

Android – This version of the application is not configured for billing through Google Play

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