Most write-ups about shipping an Android app focus on the build pipeline. The thing that actually eats your weekend is the Data Safety form in the Play Console. If you have not filled it out before, here is what to expect. Why it stalls so many releases The form looks short on the surface. A few yes/no questions about data collection. But the rules behind those questions are dense, and Google quietly rejects drafts that have any of the following: A question left blank, even if it does not apply A declared SDK that handles user data without a matching disclosure A deletion request toggle set to off when your app actually has account features Conflicting answers between data collection and data sharing sections None of those throw a clear error. You hit submit, the draft sits, then the email comes back hours later asking you to re-check section 4.2. Lose another day. The settings I now check before opening the form Pull a fresh dependency tree and note every third-party SDK in the release build.…