---
title: App Store Publishing FAQ
description: Frequently asked questions about Capawesome Cloud App Store Publishing — credentials, TestFlight, App Review, release notes, and Google Play tracks.
faq: true
---

# FAQ

### Which stores are supported?

App Store Connect (TestFlight and the App Store), Google Play, and Huawei AppGallery. Test builds can also be distributed via Firebase App Distribution. See [Destinations](destinations/index.md).

### Do I need to upload the first version manually?

For **Google Play**, yes — Google requires the very first version of an app to be uploaded manually to the Play Console. Subsequent builds can be submitted automatically. For **Apple**, no manual first upload is required, but the first App Store version can't carry release notes when the destination submits it for review, while TestFlight's What to Test is unaffected — see [below](#why-cant-the-first-app-store-version-have-release-notes).

### How do I authenticate with App Store Connect?

With an App Store Connect **API key** (recommended) or your **Apple ID** with an app-specific password. Beta groups, App Review submission, and release notes require the API key. See the [App Store Connect destination](destinations/apple-app-store.md).

### Can I submit iOS builds for App Review?

Yes — enable **Submit for App Review** on the App Store Connect destination. Every build still goes to TestFlight first; the destination can additionally distribute it to external beta groups. See [Submit for App Review](submit-for-app-review.md).

### Can I add release notes to a submission?

Yes — pass a default text and optional translations with the CLI, the API, or the MCP server, or enter the default text in the Console. Google Play and Huawei AppGallery accept up to 500 characters per language, App Store Connect and Firebase App Distribution up to 4,000. See [Add release notes](release-notes.md).

### Can automations add release notes?

No. Submissions from an [automation](submit-automatically.md) leave the release notes unchanged, so an App Store Connect destination with [beta groups](submit-for-app-review.md#distribute-to-beta-groups), which requires release notes, can't be used with an automation.

### Why can't the first App Store version have release notes?

Apple rejects **What's New** on the very first App Store version of an app. Release notes only fail when the destination submits for review; TestFlight's What to Test is unaffected. Deploy the first version without release notes, and Capawesome Cloud submits it without **What's New**. Or use a destination with **Submit for App Review** turned off and submit the version in App Store Connect yourself. Later versions can carry release notes. See [First App Store version](submit-for-app-review.md#first-app-store-version).

### Which Google Play tracks are supported?

Internal, Alpha, Beta, and Production. Set the track on the [Google Play destination](destinations/google-play-store.md). Builds with a Wear OS, Android TV, or Automotive module also use the prefixed tracks `wear:<track>`, `tv:<track>`, and `automotive:<track>` — see [Build for Wear OS, Android TV and Automotive](../native-builds/form-factors.md).

### Can I submit automatically on every release?

Yes — attach a destination to an [automation](../automations/index.md). See [Submit automatically after a build](submit-automatically.md).

### Why did my submission fail?

The fastest way to find out is [Ask AI](../assist/ask-ai.md) on the failed deployment. See also [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md).