Skip to main content

Distributing release candidates for testing

Abstract

Bitrise Release Management offers seamless beta testing. After uploading a release candidate to TestFlight or Google Play, you can distribute it for testing. Distribute to either Google Play testing tracks or TestFlight testing groups.

After uploading a release candidate to TestFlight or Google Play, you can distribute it for testing. Distribute to either Google Play testing tracks or TestFlight testing groups.

Testflight

Google Play

For TestFlight testing, you can choose between internal and external beta groups. These tester groups must be created in App Store Connect:

  1. Upload the release candidate to TestFlight.

  2. Open your release and go to the Testing in TestFlight section.

    testflight-testing-processing-done.png

  3. Optionally, you can fill out the Testing information section for your testers. To do so, click the Edit button under What to test.

    The information will be visible on TestFlight and in the TestFlight apps. You can also localize the information: choose a language from the menu on the right to provide information for that localization.

    testflight-testing-info.png

  4. Choose testing groups, either in the Internal testing or the External testing section.

    • Internal testing groups with automatic distribution enabled will automatically have access to the release candidate. You can enable automatic distribution when creating the group in App Store Connect. If automatic distribution is not enabled, toggle Distribution for the group on to make the release candidate available.

    • For external testing groups, you must submit the release candidate for beta review: click Submit to review, and in the pop-up window, check Automatically notify testers and click Save. External testing groups will not have access to the release candidate automatically: after the beta review submission, toggle Distribution for the group on to make the release candidate available.

    testflight-testing-int-ext.png

  1. Upload the release candidate to Google Play.

  2. Open your release and go to the Testing in Google Play section.

    testing-google-play-processing-finished.png

  3. Choose a testing track.

    Release Management supports open, internal, and closed testing. For more information about Google Play testing, check out the Google Play Console documentation.

    testing-google-play-tracks-status.png

    Newer builds

    If there is a newer build (a build with a higher version_code number) on the testing track, you can’t replace that build with your release candidate and the Start button will not be available.

    If there is an older build on the testing track, your release candidate will replace it.

    testing-google-play-cant-replace.png

  4. Click the Start button next to the name of your track to start the distribution.

    If all goes well, the Status of the build should change to Testing.

In this section: