Test BillingResult response codes

The Play Billing Library returns a BillingResult response to let you know the outcome of an action that was triggered. For more information, see handling BillingResult response codes. Before you deploy your app to the production environment, you can test your app's various response flows by using the Response Simulator.

Response Simulator

When you integrate your app with the Play Billing Library, it can be difficult to test all of the BillingResponseCode flows, because you don't have much control over the communication between the Play Store and Play's backend. The Response Simulator feature in the Play Billing Lab app lets you configure error code responses for the Play Billing Library to test various complex error scenarios.

Enable billing overrides testing for the Play Billing Library

Note: Before testing, ensure that your app is using Play Billing Library version 7.1.1 or later.

To enable communication between the Response Simulator and your app, you must enable billing overrides testing for the Play Billing Library from within your app. To do this, add the following metadata tags to your app's AndroidManifest.xml file.

<manifest ... >
  <application ... >
    ...
     <meta-data
      android:name="com.google.android.play.largest_release_audience.NONPRODUCTION"
      android:value="" />
    <meta-data
      android:name="com.google.android.play.billingclient.enableBillingOverridesTesting"
      android:value="true" />
  </application>
</manifest>

Note: Even though adding only the enableBillingOverridesTesting tag and setting it to true is sufficient to enable billing overrides testing for your app, it's recommended that you also add the NONPRODUCTION tag. The NONPRODUCTION tag prevents accidental deployment of your app to the production environment with billing overrides testing enabled.

When you deploy your app to the production environment, you should either use a separate AndroidManifest.xml file that doesn't include these metadata tags or ensure that you've removed these tags from the AndroidManifest.xml file.

Simulate Play Billing Library errors

To simulate Play Billing Library errors, first, configure the response codes in the Play Billing Lab app, and then test your app.

Configure a response code

1. In the Play Billing Lab app, sign in with a license tester account for your app. This displays the Play Billing Lab Dashboard including the Response Simulator card.

   

   Figure 1. Response Simulator card.

2. Click Manage on the Response Simulator card. This shows the Response Simulator screen.

3. When prompted, allow notifications from Play Billing Lab to see the connection status of your app.

4. Enable the Simulate Play Billing Library responses switch, if it isn't already enabled.

   

   Figure 2. Simulate Play Billing Library responses switch.

5. Select a response code for the Play Billing Library APIs that you want to test. Your selections are automatically saved, and the Response Simulator is ready to send the selected response codes to your app.

Test your app's error handling

Note: When testing using the Response Simulator, ensure that you first open Play Billing Lab, and then open your app. Opening your app before opening Play Billing Lab may result in issues connecting to the Response Simulator.

1. Open your app.

   • If you have allowed notifications from Play Billing Lab, you will see the Play Billing Lab notification icon in your device's status bar which indicates a successful connection to the Response Simulator.

   

   Figure 3. Play Billing Lab icon indicating successful connection.

2. Trigger the Play Billing Library API method you want to test. For example, if you want to test the launchBillingFlow, initiate an in-app purchase flow.