Most changes reach your users the moment you publish – see How your changes reach your users. This is the exception, and it’s worth knowing what it looks like so it doesn’t catch you off guard.
Why this happens
Occasionally, a change you’ve made needs a capability that the version of the app your users currently have installed doesn’t have yet – something only a newer build of the app itself can do.
What you’ll see
Instead of the usual “published successfully” confirmation, Save or Publish will show you a message explaining that your change has been saved, but it won’t reach your users until a new version of the app is submitted and approved.
When this can come up
- Only after your app has already been built and submitted at least once. It won’t appear while you’re still setting things up for the very first time.
- It can appear right after Save, before you’ve even published – so don’t assume you’re clear just because nothing showed up yet. Check again when you publish.
What to do
Go to Build & Deploy, start a new build, and submit it to Google Play and the App Store. See Build your app – and submit it to the store.
What still works normally in the meantime
Everything else you publish continues to reach your users right away, as usual – only the one specific change that needed the newer version is held back until that new version is approved.