On this page
Play Console lets you manage closed test testers with either email lists or Google Groups. Groups are the better fit when your tester pool is large or changes often — here's exactly how they work, how to set one up, and how testers join.
When a group beats an email list
| Email list | Google Group |
|---|---|
| Up to 2,000 users per list | No listed user limit |
| Addresses copied into the list — you update them manually | Membership lives in the group — updates automatically as people join and leave |
| CSV uploads overwrite typed addresses | Members manage themselves through group join rules |
| Good for small, stable tester pools | Good for large or rotating pools, and for cross-app reuse |
Create the group
Create the group at groups.google.com
Choose a group name and note the address it creates, in the format yourgroupname@googlegroups.com.
Set the join policy
Members can be added by you directly, or the group can allow anyone with the link to ask to join. For a tester pool, an open 'anyone can join' policy keeps friction low.
Add your testers as members
Invite addresses from outside the domain if needed — Google Groups accepts any Google Account as a member.
Link the group in Play Console
Open the track
In Play Console, go to Testing > Closed testing > Manage track, then open the Testers tab.
Enter the group address
Under Testers, choose Google Groups and enter the full group address, for example testers-2026@googlegroups.com.
Save changes
Select Save changes. Membership changes in the group now flow into the test automatically.
How testers join your test
Join the group first
A tester must be a member of the group before they can join your test — an opt-in link won't work for someone who isn't in the group.
Open the opt-in link
Send testers the link from the track's Testers tab once the release is published. The link only appears when the release is live.
Opt in on the device
Testers tap Become a tester and confirm, then install the app from the Play Store page the link opens.
Using groups for license testing
The same pattern works for license testing, which is how you verify your in-app purchases work. Email lists and Google Groups manage license testers the same way they manage closed test testers — the group address replaces the email list and membership updates automatically.
Sources & references
Official Google documentation- Set up an open, closed, or internal testsupport.google.com
- Set up a license testingsupport.google.com
These links open Google's official Play Console Help pages used to verify this guide. AppsTestLab guidance is independent and not affiliated with Google.
Get help doing this