How to Publish a Book on Google Play Books

The short answer

Google Play Books is Google's eBook and audiobook store, and authors publish to it through the Google Play Books Partner Center. You sign up as a partner, upload an EPUB or PDF and a cover, enter the book details and price, and publish.

Published October 2026 · By Harmony Publishing Editorial Team

What do you need before you start?

A finished eBook as an EPUB or PDF. A reflowable EPUB reads best on phones; a PDF keeps a fixed layout.
A cover image at the size and quality the platform asks for.
Your book details: title, author name, description, categories and keywords.
A Google account, an approved Partner Center account, your tax details and a bank account for payment.

Platforms change their menus, formats and terms. Use this guide for the order of the work, and check the platform's own help pages for the current rules before you upload.

How to publish on Google Play Books, step by step

Sign in to the Google Play Books Partner Center with a Google account and complete the partner sign-up, including tax and payment details. Approval can take time, so do this first.
Add a new book and enter the title, author, description, language and categories.
Enter the ISBN if you have one for the eBook; the book is also given a Google identifier.
Upload the EPUB or PDF and the cover. The platform checks the file and reports problems to fix.
Set the price and the countries where the book is sold, and decide whether readers can preview part of the book.
Preview the book, then publish. After review, the book appears in the store and can be updated later.

The mistakes that hold a Google Play Books file up

A PDF used for a text-heavy book, which does not resize on a phone. Use EPUB for text.
A broken table of contents or missing metadata.
Waiting until launch week to apply for the partner account.

Google Play Books and other eBook stores

Google Play Books reaches readers on Android phones and tablets and in the browser. The same clean EPUB can be used on Apple Books, Kobo and other stores, so the file is the part worth getting right once.

Harmony converts manuscripts to clean EPUB files and can prepare the book for the stores you pick.

Want Harmony to do it for you?

Harmony Publishing is a full-service self-publishing and book printing company that has published 1,000+ books for 500+ authors in 20+ countries, and authors keep 100% of their royalties. We can edit, design and format your book, prepare the files to Google Play Books's specifications, and print it, or you can do any of those steps yourself and use us only for printing. Harmony is an independent company and is not part of Google Play Books.

See the packages Price your printing Get a quote

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Frequently asked questions

Is it free to publish on Google Play Books?

Listing an eBook through the Partner Center does not carry a charge, and Google keeps a share of each sale. Check the current terms before you publish.

Do I need an ISBN for Google Play Books?

An ISBN is recommended rather than essential for an eBook. If you use one, give the eBook its own ISBN, separate from your paperback and hardcover.

EPUB or PDF for Google Play Books?

Use EPUB for books that are mostly text, because it reflows to the reader's screen. A PDF suits a fixed layout, such as a picture book, where the page design must not move.

Can Harmony prepare the files?

Yes. See the eBook conversion service, or ask for a quote.