After Taking Over a Developer Account: First-Week Security Checklist
A first-week checklist after taking over a Google Play or Apple developer account: passwords, recovery, 2FA, team, payments, tax, apps and policy status.
Short answer: In the first week after a handover, lock down access, then review money and apps. Change the password from your own device, confirm recovery email, phone and two-factor are yours, remove unknown users, review payments, tax and banking, then check every app's policy status, target API level and privacy forms.
Day 1: Access
- Change the password on your own device and sign out other sessions.
- Confirm recovery email and phone are yours; replace backup codes.
- Move two-factor to your device and remove old trusted devices.
Day 1–2: Team
- Google Play: Users and permissions, remove anyone not agreed in writing.
- Apple: App Store Connect users and roles; confirm who is Account Holder.
Day 2–3: Money
- Payments profile (Google) or paid agreements, tax and banking (Apple): read them before changing anything and note who receives payouts.
- Note the Apple renewal date or any Google verification task.
Day 3–7: Apps and policy
- Policy status (Google) and any App Review messages (Apple).
- Target API level of each Play app; Data safety and App Privacy forms.
- Signing keys, certificates, TestFlight groups and closed-test tracks.
Keep records
Save the written handover checklist and dates. If something on the list did not move, raise it on Telegram @hagee66 straight away rather than weeks later.
Official sources
Google's and Apple's current pages always win. Guyi is not affiliated with Google or Apple and does not promise review results.
Related guides
- Buy a Google Play Developer Account: 9-Point Pre-Purchase Checklist
- Sell a Google Play Console Account: Seller Checklist Before You Ask
- Buy an Apple Developer Account: Individual vs Company Checklist
- Sell an Apple Developer Account: Renewal, 2FA and Roles Checklist
- Apple Developer Account Transfer: Account Holder Role and App Transfer
- Register Your Own Developer Account or Buy One? An Honest Comparison
Related pages
Questions
Should I change the account's legal details?
Do not edit legal name, country or payments identity casually; those are tied to verification and can trigger reviews.
What if I find an unknown user?
Remove them and record it. Unknown users with admin rights are a takeback risk.
Ask for the account this guide describes
Send the spec to @hagee66