The short answer
To respond to a Google Play review, open Play Console, go to Ratings and reviews > Reviews, type in the Your reply field under the review (or pick a suggested reply) and publish. You need the Reply to reviews permission. You get one public reply per review and can edit it any time. The user receives a push notification and an email, and can update their rating afterwards.
- Anyone on your Play Console team with the Reply to reviews permission can answer, on the web or in the Play Console app.
- One public reply per review, editable at any time; the user is notified by push and email.
- The Play Developer API caps replies at 350 characters, so plan for short answers.
- Report reviews that break the Comment Posting Policy with the flag icon; everything else needs a reply, not a report.
Who can reply to Google Play reviews
Replies are posted from Play Console by team members who have the Reply to reviews permission. You don't need to give someone full admin rights to let them handle reviews; an account owner or admin can grant just that permission. It's a sensible setup for support agents, who can answer users without access to releases or financial data.
Unlike a local business on Google Maps, there's nothing to verify per listing. If your app is published and you have the permission, the reviews are there to answer. Replies are public on the Play Store and signed with your developer name.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where do I reply? | Play Console > Ratings and reviews > Reviews, or the Play Console app |
| Permission needed | Reply to reviews |
| Replies per review | One public reply, editable at any time |
| Is the user notified? | Yes, by push notification and email |
| Length | Replies through the API are limited to 350 characters; plan for the same in Console |
| Can the user change their review? | Yes. Users rate once but can update the rating or review any time |
| Suggested replies | Offered for recent English reviews when you view Play Console in English |
| Reporting | Flag icon on the review, for Comment Posting Policy violations |
How to reply in Play Console
Open the Reviews page
In Play Console, select the app and go to Ratings and reviews, then Reviews. Filter by star rating, language, app version or device to find the reviews that need you.
Write in Your reply
Under the review, type your response in the Your reply field, or choose a suggested reply if one is offered and adjust it.
Publish
Select Publish reply. The user gets a push notification and an email.
On the Play Console app
Open Reviews, tap the review, tap Reply, enter your text and tap Send. Handy for clearing urgent reviews away from your desk.
Edit when things change
You can edit your reply at any time, for example once the fix for a reported bug has been released.
Google Play's reply policies
Google publishes a short set of rules for developer replies. They're sensible, but they're also enforced, so it's worth knowing exactly what they say:
- Be clear and relevant: replies should address the user's comment in a clear, valuable and truthful way.
- Be nice: nothing abusive, hateful, dismissive, threatening or harassing.
- Don't solicit or promote: no pushing users to other apps, offers or rating changes.
- Keep it clean: no sexually explicit content or profanity.
"Dismissive" is the one teams trip over. A reply like "works fine for us, please read the FAQ" can fail it. The fix is the same as on any platform: acknowledge, explain, give a next step.
Example Google Play replies
With roughly 350 characters to work with, every reply needs to earn its words. These examples fit comfortably under that.
Login loop on a specific device
Can't log in on my Pixel. Keeps sending me back to the start screen.
Sorry about that. We've found a login loop on some Android 15 devices and fixed it in version 3.8.2, rolling out now. Please update and try again. Still stuck? Tap Help in the app and we'll check your device.
Too many ads
Decent game but an ad after every level is too much.
Fair point, thanks. We've reduced ads to every third level in the next update, and the one-time Remove Ads purchase turns them off completely.
Missing feature
Good tracker but needs widgets.
Thanks for the feedback! Home screen widgets are on our roadmap for this year. We'll mention them in the release notes when they land.
Positive review
Finally a budgeting app that doesn't need a bank login. Simple and private.
Thank you! Keeping your data on your device was the whole point, so it's great to hear that matters to you too.
Refund request
Paid for premium and it doesn't work. Want refund.
Sorry premium isn't working for you. Purchases go through Google Play, so refunds can be requested from your Play order history. We'd also like to fix the problem: tap Help in the app so we can check your account.
- Login loop on a specific device: Specific device, specific version, one clear action. Under 250 characters.
- Too many ads: Acknowledges the complaint, describes a real change, and mentions an existing option factually rather than as a sales pitch.
- Missing feature: Short and honest without committing to a date the team might miss.
- Positive review: A one-line thanks that reinforces the feature other privacy-minded users are looking for.
- Refund request: Points to the correct refund route and still offers to fix the underlying issue.
Short replies are a skill of their own. Our short positive review responses show how to say a lot in very few words.
How to report a Google Play review
If a review breaks Google Play's Comment Posting Policy (for example spam, hate speech or off-topic content), open it on the Reviews page in Play Console, select the flag icon and choose Report. Google says only reviews that violate the policy will be removed. A bad but genuine review is not a policy violation, however unfair it feels.
Do
- Reply to bug reports even while you're still investigating.
- Use filters by app version to spot reviews caused by one bad release.
- Edit replies after a fix ships so the user has a reason to revisit.
Don't
- Ask users to change their rating in exchange for help or rewards.
- Paste identical text under dozens of reviews.
- Report reviews just because they are negative.
For businesses with both an app and a physical location, Google Business Profile reviews are a separate system from Play reviews. Responsly handles the Business Profile side: it drafts and posts Google review replies for your locations, not Play Store replies.
Sources
- Play Console Help: View and analyze your app's ratings and reviews — Reply steps on web and app, permission, one reply, editing, notifications, reply guidelines
- Play Console Help: Report inappropriate reviews — Flag icon and Comment Posting Policy
- Google Play Developer API: Reply to Reviews — 350-character limit, production and text reviews only, permissions