Early access and access to beta apps are two options that users have when they use the Google Play Store to discover, download, and manage Android apps and games.

The main difference between early access and beta apps is as follows: Beta apps always require a release version of an application or game on Google Play. However, early access means that the app or game in question has not yet been released to the public.

Both give Google Play users options to use preview versions of applications or games. These may be less stable than release versions, and may contain bugs that are not present in release versions.

Early access release

Early Access releases are listed in the Exclusive category on Google Play. To get started you need to open the official Google Play application.

Find the category listings on the main page that opens. It starts with “Top Charts”, “Games”, “Categories” and can be scrolled horizontally. Early Access is currently the fourth option, but this may change at any time.

This opens the main hub of early access to Google Play. You get two lists there, one for games, the other for applications. You can scroll through them horizontally right there, or tap More to open the selected category on a separate page.

You may notice that early access games or apps are not available on Google Play. When I looked at today’s lists, less than 20 apps and less than 20 games were listed as Early Access releases.

You install Early Access releases just like any other release on Google Play: tap the Install button, accept the permission dialog, and wait for the app or game to install.

Google characterizes application status in several ways. It includes a warning on the Apps page that it may be unstable, and an (unreleased) addition to the title.

Beta apps on Google Play

Finding beta apps on Google Play can be difficult. There is no beta category available that lists them all. Basically, you have two options:

1. If you already know what you’re looking for, search for the name of the app or game, and install the beta version.
2. You use search and add “beta” to your query.

Some apps display information about beta programs on the stable version page on Google Play. You have to scroll down a bit before reaching the section.

Please note that this is only available when a beta version is available, and is not always on top of it.

If you open the list of Google Chrome on Google Play for example, you don’t find any information about beta versions that are available.

Manage early access and beta releases.

While it’s difficult to find beta applications specifically, it’s easy to manage early access releases and beta apps you’ve already installed.

All you need to do is tap on the menu icon while on Google Play, and select the “My Apps & Games” option when the menu opens.

There you find a beta tab that you can tap to show all installed beta and early access apps.

While you can’t remove apps right there, a single tap opens the Store page with options to do so.

Summary

Subject Name

Early access and beta apps on Google Play

Description

The guide gives you information on how to find, install, and manage Early Access and beta apps for Android on Google Play.

The author

Martin Brinkman

Publisher

Ghacks Technology News

people

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