Google Play review replies: policy and the 350-character limit
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Google Play lets you reply publicly to user reviews in Play Console or through the Google Play Developer API. Here is what Google's documentation says about length, permissions and content.
Where to reply and who can
- In Play Console: Monitor and improve > Ratings and reviews > Reviews (Play Console Help). Users need the "Reply to reviews" permission (Play Console Help: View and analyze your app's ratings and reviews).
- You can post one public reply per review and edit it later. Play Console can also suggest replies (Play Console Help: View and analyze your app's ratings and reviews).
- New ratings can be held for about 24 hours before they are published; you can still reply in that time (Play Console Help: View and analyze your app's ratings and reviews).
The 350-character limit
The Reply to Reviews API accepts a replyText of at most 350 characters, in plain text. Well-formed HTML tags are removed and not counted, but the text inside them is kept. A reply that is too long returns 400 Bad Reply Request (Google Play Developer API: Reply to Reviews).
Writing every reply to 350 characters or fewer keeps the same text usable in Play Console, in the API and in support tools.
Developer Comment Posting Policy
Play Console Help summarises the policy for replies (Play Console Help: View and analyze your app's ratings and reviews):
- Be clear, relevant and truthful.
- Be nice: no harassment or attacks on the user.
- Don't solicit or promote: no incentives, no ads in replies.
- Keep it clean: no profanity or offensive content.
The Ratings, Reviews, and Installs policy adds that replies should focus on the user's issue and must not ask for a higher rating; it suggests including a support address or FAQ link (Play Console Help: Ratings, Reviews, and Installs policy). Don't include sensitive information about users, because replies are public (Google Play Developer API: Reply to Reviews).
Notifications
The user is notified when you first reply. If you later update your reply, they are not notified again unless they updated their review first (Google Play Developer API: Reply to Reviews). Google also discourages posting automated replies with the intention of updating them manually later (Google Play Developer API: Reply to Reviews).
Language and results
Google says you can reply in your own language and users can translate it, and that responding to a negative review can increase that rating by an average of +0.7 (Google Play Console: Ratings and reviews; Google's figure). Play Console's Reviews analysis includes an "Updated ratings" view that compares rating changes for reviews with and without replies (Play Console Help: View and analyze your app's ratings and reviews).
Sources
- Play Console Help: View and analyze your app's ratings and reviews
- Google Play Developer API: Reply to Reviews
- Play Console Help: Ratings, Reviews, and Installs policy
- Play Console Help: Report inappropriate reviews
- Google Play Console: Ratings and reviews
Related guides
- Google Play Reply to Reviews API: list and reply to reviews
- App review response templates for bugs, pricing, login and crashes
- How to reply to App Store reviews: Apple's rules
- All app developer guides
Questions
What is the character limit for Google Play review replies?
The Google Play Developer API accepts replies of up to 350 characters of plain text; longer replies return a 400 error.
Can I ask a user to change their rating in a reply?
Google's Ratings, Reviews, and Installs policy says replies should focus on the issue and not ask for a higher rating.
Is the user notified when I edit my reply?
No. Google notifies the user after your first reply to a new or updated review; editing your reply alone does not send another notification.
Who can reply to reviews in Play Console?
Users with the "Reply to reviews" permission.