How I Revived My Dormant Google Play Developer Account with One Simple Flutter App
In 2026, Google quietly introduced one of the most brutal policies for indie developers: dormant accounts are automatically closed.
If you don’t actively publish or maintain apps, your developer account is considered “not in use” — and eventually terminated.
No appeal. No refunds. Just gone.
What is a Dormant Google Play Account?
A dormant account is an account with:
-
No active published apps
-
No production updates for a long time
-
No real developer activity
Google assumes you’re no longer a real developer.
The Real Problem
Most developers think:
-
Logging in is enough ❌
-
Creating drafts is enough ❌
-
Uploading internal tests is enough ❌
It’s not.
Google only counts production releases.
The Survival Strategy (White-Hat)
I used what I call a “Zombie App Strategy”:
Build one extremely simple app:
-
Offline only
-
No login
-
No ads
-
No data collection
Example apps:
-
Simple Notes
-
To-Do List
The goal is not to make money.
The goal is to stay alive as a developer.
Why Flutter is Perfect
Flutter lets you:
-
Build fast
-
Reuse templates
-
Maintain with minimal effort
One Flutter template can spawn:
-
Notes app
-
Todo app
-
Counter app
-
Journal app
With 80% identical code.
My Exact Compliance Rules
To guarantee approval:
-
Target SDK 34+
-
No internet permission
-
No third-party SDK
-
Local storage only
-
Clear privacy policy: “No data collected.”
This removes 90% of policy risk.
The Maintenance Ritual
Every 6 months:
-
Bump version
-
Change icon or description
-
Publish update
That’s it.
You remain an “active developer” forever.
Final Thought
Google Play Console is no longer a playground.
It’s a license.
And licenses expire if you don’t use them.
The smartest developers in 2026 are not chasing downloads.
They’re chasing survival.
Tiada ulasan :
Catat Ulasan