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How do you create a release build of a MAUI app? What is the difference between an APK and an AAB for Android? What is required to publish a MAUI app to the Apple App Store? How do you manage app versioning across platforms? How do you set up CI/CD for a MAUI app? How do you implement over-the-air updates or feature flags in MAUI?
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.NET MAUI › Publishing & Deployment

How do you sign a MAUI Android app for release?

Intermediate

Answer

Create a keystore, then reference it via MSBuild properties (AndroidKeyStore, AndroidSigningKeyStore, alias, and passwords) or use Play App Signing. Keep the keystore and passwords secret (CI secret store). The signature identifies the app; losing the key can prevent future updates unless Play App Signing manages it.
dotnet publish -f net8.0-android -c Release \
  -p:AndroidKeyStore=true \
  -p:AndroidSigningKeyStore=my.keystore \
  -p:AndroidSigningKeyAlias=mykey \
  -p:AndroidSigningStorePass=env:STORE_PASS
Real-world example Release builds are signed in CI using a keystore pulled from a secret manager, never committed to source control.

Common follow-ups: What is Play App Signing? | Why protect the keystore?

Android Security Deployment
All 7 Publishing & Deployment questions