diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index dc4d0fb..5b8d91a 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ WNH_BASE_URL=
 # production capacity recommendations.
 WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS=5000
 WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS=15000
+WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=1
+WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=0.1.0
+# Public identifier of the locally held Google Play upload key. The private
+# keystore and its randomized password live outside the repository under
+# ~/.config/who_need_help/android-release/.
+WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS=who-need-help-upload
 WNH_ANDROID_TEST_API_MATRIX="24 30 34 37.0"
 WNH_ANDROID_TEST_DATA_PARTITION_SIZE=1G
 # Public raster tile template used by MapLibre. Use a provider whose policy and
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/quality.yml b/.gitea/workflows/quality.yml
index 3f6d4a1..e0f36c7 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/quality.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/quality.yml
@@ -27,3 +27,6 @@ jobs:
         env:
           WNH_ENV_FILE: .env.example
         run: ./scripts/android-build.sh
+
+      - name: Exercise signed APK and Play AAB release pipeline
+        run: ./scripts/android-release-ci.sh
diff --git a/.github/workflows/quality.yml b/.github/workflows/quality.yml
index d0c0896..96324c1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/quality.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/quality.yml
@@ -58,3 +58,6 @@ jobs:
         env:
           WNH_ENV_FILE: .env.example
         run: ./scripts/android-build.sh
+
+      - name: Exercise signed APK and Play AAB release pipeline
+        run: ./scripts/android-release-ci.sh
diff --git a/android/Dockerfile b/android/Dockerfile
index c9de20d..d4fe494 100644
--- a/android/Dockerfile
+++ b/android/Dockerfile
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ COPY --chown=gradle:gradle . .
 ARG WNH_DEBUG_BASE_URL
 ARG WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS
 ARG WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS
+ARG WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=1
+ARG WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=0.1.0
 
 RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/home/gradle/.gradle,uid=1000,gid=1000 \
     --mount=type=cache,target=/home/gradle/.android,uid=1000,gid=1000 \
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/home/gradle/.gradle,uid=1000,gid=1000 \
         "-PWNH_DEBUG_BASE_URL=${WNH_DEBUG_BASE_URL}" \
         "-PWNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS=${WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS}" \
         "-PWNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS=${WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS}" \
+        "-PWNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=${WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE}" \
+        "-PWNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=${WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME}" \
         testDebugUnitTest lintDebug assembleDebug assembleDebugAndroidTest
 
 FROM android-base AS emulator
@@ -144,6 +148,8 @@ COPY --chown=gradle:gradle . .
 ARG WNH_BASE_URL
 ARG WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS
 ARG WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS
+ARG WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=1
+ARG WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=0.1.0
 
 RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/home/gradle/.gradle,uid=1000,gid=1000 \
     --mount=type=cache,target=/home/gradle/.android,uid=1000,gid=1000 \
@@ -152,6 +158,8 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/home/gradle/.gradle,uid=1000,gid=1000 \
         "-PWNH_DEBUG_BASE_URL=${WNH_BASE_URL}" \
         "-PWNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS=${WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS}" \
         "-PWNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS=${WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS}" \
+        "-PWNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=${WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE}" \
+        "-PWNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=${WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME}" \
         "-PWNH_TEST_BUILD_TYPE=staging" \
         testStagingUnitTest lintStaging assembleStaging assembleStagingAndroidTest
 
@@ -168,3 +176,82 @@ COPY --from=android-staging-sdk \
 COPY --from=android-staging-sdk \
     /workspace/android/app/build/reports/lint-results-staging.html \
     /lint-results-staging.html
+
+FROM android-base AS android-release-base
+
+USER root
+SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-o", "pipefail", "-c"]
+
+ARG BUNDLETOOL_VERSION=1.18.3
+ARG BUNDLETOOL_SHA256=a099cfa1543f55593bc2ed16a70a7c67fe54b1747bb7301f37fdfd6d91028e29
+
+RUN curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 \
+        "https://github.com/google/bundletool/releases/download/${BUNDLETOOL_VERSION}/bundletool-all-${BUNDLETOOL_VERSION}.jar" \
+        -o /opt/bundletool.jar \
+    && echo "${BUNDLETOOL_SHA256}  /opt/bundletool.jar" | sha256sum -c - \
+    && chmod 444 /opt/bundletool.jar
+
+USER gradle
+
+FROM android-release-base AS android-release-sdk
+
+USER gradle
+WORKDIR /workspace/android
+
+COPY --chown=gradle:gradle . .
+
+ARG WNH_BASE_URL
+ARG WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS
+ARG WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS
+ARG WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE
+ARG WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME
+
+RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/home/gradle/.gradle,uid=1000,gid=1000 \
+    --mount=type=cache,target=/home/gradle/.android,uid=1000,gid=1000 \
+    --mount=type=secret,id=android_upload_keystore,required=true,uid=1000,gid=1000,mode=0400 \
+    --mount=type=secret,id=android_upload_password,required=true,uid=1000,gid=1000,mode=0400 \
+    --mount=type=secret,id=android_upload_alias,required=true,env=WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS \
+    WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_STORE_FILE=/run/secrets/android_upload_keystore \
+    WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_PASSWORD_FILE=/run/secrets/android_upload_password \
+    gradle --no-daemon \
+        "-PWNH_BASE_URL=${WNH_BASE_URL}" \
+        "-PWNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS=${WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS}" \
+        "-PWNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS=${WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS}" \
+        "-PWNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=${WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE}" \
+        "-PWNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=${WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME}" \
+        testReleaseUnitTest lintRelease assembleRelease bundleRelease \
+    && "${ANDROID_HOME}/build-tools/37.0.0/apksigner" \
+        verify --verbose --print-certs \
+        app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk \
+        >app/build/outputs/apk/release/signing-certificate.txt \
+    && LC_ALL=C jarsigner -verify -verbose -certs \
+        app/build/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab \
+        >app/build/outputs/bundle/release/signing-verification.txt \
+    && grep -Fq "jar verified." \
+        app/build/outputs/bundle/release/signing-verification.txt \
+    && java -jar /opt/bundletool.jar validate \
+        --bundle=app/build/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab \
+        >app/build/outputs/bundle/release/bundletool-validation.txt
+
+FROM scratch AS release-artifact
+
+USER 65532:65532
+
+COPY --from=android-release-sdk \
+    /workspace/android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk \
+    /who-need-help-release.apk
+COPY --from=android-release-sdk \
+    /workspace/android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab \
+    /who-need-help-release.aab
+COPY --from=android-release-sdk \
+    /workspace/android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/signing-certificate.txt \
+    /signing-certificate.txt
+COPY --from=android-release-sdk \
+    /workspace/android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release/signing-verification.txt \
+    /bundle-signing-verification.txt
+COPY --from=android-release-sdk \
+    /workspace/android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release/bundletool-validation.txt \
+    /bundletool-validation.txt
+COPY --from=android-release-sdk \
+    /workspace/android/app/build/reports/lint-results-release.html \
+    /lint-results-release.html
diff --git a/android/README.md b/android/README.md
index 107b01b..139c626 100644
--- a/android/README.md
+++ b/android/README.md
@@ -34,17 +34,48 @@ The same ignored file supplies `WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS` and
 local client freshness and timeout behavior; these values are not claimed as
 measured production capacity settings.
 
-Release builds do not have a default server. Supply the real HTTPS deployment:
+Release builds do not have a default server and cannot be produced unsigned.
+The repository reads non-secret version/origin settings from the selected
+ignored environment file, while the upload key and its randomized password
+stay outside the repository. Create that key once:
 
 ```sh
-./gradlew :app:assembleRelease \
-  -PWNH_BASE_URL=https://help.your-domain.example \
-  -PWNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS=5000 \
-  -PWNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS=15000
+./scripts/init-android-release-signing.sh
 ```
 
-The build rejects a missing, HTTP, credentialed, query-bearing, or
-fragment-bearing release URL.
+Back up both reported files before uploading the first bundle. Losing this
+dedicated upload key is recoverable through Play App Signing, but keeping an
+offline backup avoids a reset. Do not copy either file into the repository.
+
+Configure these non-secret values in the deployment's ignored environment
+file, then produce the signed APK and Play bundle:
+
+```dotenv
+WNH_BASE_URL=https://your-final-origin.example
+WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=1
+WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=0.1.0
+WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS=who-need-help-upload
+```
+
+```sh
+WNH_ENV_FILE=.env.production ./scripts/android-release-build.sh
+```
+
+The build passes the private files with Docker BuildKit secret mounts, runs
+release unit tests and lint, enables code/resource shrinking, signs both
+artifacts, verifies the APK and AAB signatures, and validates the AAB with the
+same `bundletool` used underneath Android Gradle Plugin and Google Play before
+exporting anything.
+It rejects a missing, HTTP, credentialed, query-bearing, or fragment-bearing
+release URL and rejects missing or partial signing configuration.
+
+Google Play requires an Android App Bundle for a new app. With Play App
+Signing, the locally held key signs the uploaded bundle and Google holds the
+separate app-signing key used for distributed APKs:
+
+- <https://developer.android.com/studio/publish/app-signing>
+- <https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9859152>
+- <https://docs.docker.com/build/building/secrets/>
 
 ## Public staging build
 
@@ -147,5 +178,7 @@ docker exec who-need-help-android-emulator adb install \
 ```
 
 The application ID `org.whoneedhelp.mobile` is provisional until the publishing
-identity and store listing are chosen. Changing it after publication creates a
-different Android application.
+identity and store listing are chosen. Google documents Play package names as
+unique and permanent, so do not create the Play Console app or publish this
+identifier until that choice is explicit. Changing it after publication creates
+a different Android application.
diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle.kts b/android/app/build.gradle.kts
index b51c733..2046dc1 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import java.net.URI
+import java.nio.file.Files
+import java.nio.file.Path
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.compile.JavaCompile
 
 plugins {
@@ -12,6 +14,43 @@ val trackingHttpTimeoutMs =
     providers.gradleProperty("WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS").orElse("0")
 val instrumentationBuildType =
     providers.gradleProperty("WNH_TEST_BUILD_TYPE").orElse("debug")
+val androidVersionCode = providers.gradleProperty("WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE").orElse("1")
+val androidVersionName = providers.gradleProperty("WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME").orElse("0.1.0")
+val releaseSigningStoreFile =
+    providers.environmentVariable("WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_STORE_FILE").orNull
+val releaseSigningPasswordFile =
+    providers.environmentVariable("WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_PASSWORD_FILE").orNull
+val releaseSigningKeyAlias =
+    providers.environmentVariable("WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS").orNull
+
+fun nonBlank(value: String?): String? = value?.trim()?.takeIf(String::isNotEmpty)
+
+val releaseSigningInputs =
+    listOf(
+        nonBlank(releaseSigningStoreFile),
+        nonBlank(releaseSigningPasswordFile),
+        nonBlank(releaseSigningKeyAlias)
+    )
+val releaseSigningConfigured = releaseSigningInputs.all { it != null }
+val releaseSigningPartiallyConfigured = releaseSigningInputs.any { it != null }
+
+fun readSigningPassword(): String {
+    val passwordPath =
+        nonBlank(releaseSigningPasswordFile)
+            ?: throw GradleException("Android release signing password file is not configured")
+    val path = Path.of(passwordPath)
+
+    if (!Files.isRegularFile(path)) {
+        throw GradleException("Android release signing password file does not exist")
+    }
+
+    val password = Files.readString(path).trimEnd('\r', '\n')
+    if (password.isBlank() || password.contains('\n') || password.contains('\r')) {
+        throw GradleException("Android release signing password file is invalid")
+    }
+
+    return password
+}
 
 fun manifestOrigin(value: String): URI? =
     runCatching { URI(value) }
@@ -36,8 +75,12 @@ android {
         applicationId = "org.whoneedhelp.mobile"
         minSdk = 24
         targetSdk = 37
-        versionCode = 1
-        versionName = "0.1.0"
+        versionCode =
+            androidVersionCode.get().toIntOrNull()?.takeIf { it > 0 }
+                ?: throw GradleException("WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE must be a positive integer")
+        versionName =
+            androidVersionName.get().trim().takeIf(String::isNotEmpty)
+                ?: throw GradleException("WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME must not be empty")
         buildConfigField("long", "TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS", "${trackingMinTimeMs.get()}L")
         buildConfigField(
             "long",
@@ -48,6 +91,22 @@ android {
         testInstrumentationRunner = "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
     }
 
+    signingConfigs {
+        if (releaseSigningConfigured) {
+            create("release") {
+                val storePath = Path.of(nonBlank(releaseSigningStoreFile)!!)
+                if (!Files.isRegularFile(storePath)) {
+                    throw GradleException("Android release signing keystore does not exist")
+                }
+
+                storeFile = storePath.toFile()
+                storePassword = readSigningPassword()
+                keyAlias = nonBlank(releaseSigningKeyAlias)
+                keyPassword = storePassword
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     buildTypes {
         debug {
             applicationIdSuffix = ".debug"
@@ -82,6 +141,9 @@ android {
         release {
             isMinifyEnabled = true
             isShrinkResources = true
+            if (releaseSigningConfigured) {
+                signingConfig = signingConfigs.getByName("release")
+            }
             buildConfigField(
                 "String",
                 "BASE_URL",
@@ -114,6 +176,20 @@ android {
 
 tasks.matching { it.name == "preReleaseBuild" || it.name == "preStagingBuild" }.configureEach {
     doFirst {
+        if (name == "preReleaseBuild" && !releaseSigningConfigured) {
+            val detail =
+                if (releaseSigningPartiallyConfigured) {
+                    "Release signing is only partially configured"
+                } else {
+                    "Release signing is not configured"
+                }
+            throw GradleException(
+                "$detail; set WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_STORE_FILE, "
+                    + "WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_PASSWORD_FILE, and "
+                    + "WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS"
+            )
+        }
+
         val value = releaseBaseUrl.orNull.orEmpty()
         val uri = runCatching { URI(value) }.getOrNull()
 
diff --git a/android/gradle.properties b/android/gradle.properties
index 3cdd395..f17192e 100644
--- a/android/gradle.properties
+++ b/android/gradle.properties
@@ -2,3 +2,6 @@ org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8
 org.gradle.parallel=true
 org.gradle.caching=true
 android.useAndroidX=true
+# AGP 9 enables unit-test components only for testBuildType by default. Release
+# is independently minified and signed, so keep its JVM test task available.
+android.onlyEnableUnitTestForTheTestedBuildType=false
diff --git a/scripts/android-release-build.sh b/scripts/android-release-build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..431ec1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/android-release-build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+ROOT=$(CDPATH='' cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")/.." && pwd)
+ENV_FILE=${WNH_ENV_FILE:-"$ROOT/.env"}
+config_home=${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-"$HOME/.config"}
+SIGNING_DIR=${WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_DIR:-"$config_home/who_need_help/android-release"}
+KEYSTORE="$SIGNING_DIR/who-need-help-upload.p12"
+PASSWORD_FILE="$SIGNING_DIR/who-need-help-upload.password"
+OUTPUT_DIR=${WNH_ANDROID_RELEASE_OUTPUT_DIR:-"$ROOT/android/dist-release"}
+
+case "$ENV_FILE" in
+  /*) ;;
+  *) ENV_FILE="$ROOT/$ENV_FILE" ;;
+esac
+
+if [ ! -f "$ENV_FILE" ]; then
+  echo "Missing Android release environment file: $ENV_FILE" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+set -a
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+. "$ENV_FILE"
+set +a
+
+: "${WNH_BASE_URL:?Set WNH_BASE_URL in the selected environment file}"
+: "${WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS:?Set WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS in the selected environment file}"
+: "${WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS:?Set WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS in the selected environment file}"
+: "${WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE:?Set WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE in the selected environment file}"
+: "${WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME:?Set WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME in the selected environment file}"
+: "${WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS:?Set WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS in the selected environment file}"
+
+for secret_file in "$KEYSTORE" "$PASSWORD_FILE"; do
+  if [ ! -f "$secret_file" ]; then
+    echo "Missing Android release signing file: $secret_file" >&2
+    echo "Run scripts/init-android-release-signing.sh once." >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  mode=$(stat -c '%a' "$secret_file")
+  case "$mode" in
+    400|600) ;;
+    *)
+      echo "Android release signing file must have mode 0400 or 0600: $secret_file" >&2
+      exit 1
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+case "$OUTPUT_DIR" in
+  /*) ;;
+  *) OUTPUT_DIR="$ROOT/$OUTPUT_DIR" ;;
+esac
+
+docker build \
+  --secret "id=android_upload_keystore,src=$KEYSTORE" \
+  --secret "id=android_upload_password,src=$PASSWORD_FILE" \
+  --secret "id=android_upload_alias,env=WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS" \
+  --build-arg "WNH_BASE_URL=$WNH_BASE_URL" \
+  --build-arg "WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS=$WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS" \
+  --build-arg "WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS=$WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS" \
+  --build-arg "WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=$WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE" \
+  --build-arg "WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=$WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME" \
+  --target release-artifact \
+  --output "type=local,dest=$OUTPUT_DIR" \
+  "$ROOT/android"
+
+for artifact in \
+  "$OUTPUT_DIR/who-need-help-release.apk" \
+  "$OUTPUT_DIR/who-need-help-release.aab" \
+  "$OUTPUT_DIR/signing-certificate.txt" \
+  "$OUTPUT_DIR/bundle-signing-verification.txt" \
+  "$OUTPUT_DIR/bundletool-validation.txt" \
+  "$OUTPUT_DIR/lint-results-release.html"; do
+  if [ ! -s "$artifact" ]; then
+    echo "Android release build did not export the expected artifact: $artifact" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+done
+
+sha256sum \
+  "$OUTPUT_DIR/who-need-help-release.apk" \
+  "$OUTPUT_DIR/who-need-help-release.aab"
+echo "Signed Android APK, Play AAB, certificate report, and lint report: $OUTPUT_DIR"
diff --git a/scripts/android-release-ci.sh b/scripts/android-release-ci.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..a44133f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/android-release-ci.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+umask 077
+
+ROOT=$(CDPATH='' cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")/.." && pwd)
+workspace=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/wnh-android-release-ci.XXXXXX")
+signing_dir="$workspace/signing"
+environment_file="$workspace/release.env"
+output_dir="$workspace/output"
+
+cleanup() {
+  rm -rf "$workspace"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT HUP INT TERM
+
+printf '%s\n' \
+  'WNH_BASE_URL=https://android-release-ci.invalid' \
+  'WNH_TRACKING_MIN_TIME_MS=5000' \
+  'WNH_TRACKING_HTTP_TIMEOUT_MS=15000' \
+  'WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_CODE=1' \
+  'WNH_ANDROID_VERSION_NAME=0.1.0-ci' \
+  'WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS=who-need-help-ci-upload' \
+  >"$environment_file"
+chmod 600 "$environment_file"
+
+WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_DIR="$signing_dir" \
+WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS=who-need-help-ci-upload \
+  "$ROOT/scripts/init-android-release-signing.sh" >/dev/null
+
+WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_DIR="$signing_dir" \
+WNH_ANDROID_RELEASE_OUTPUT_DIR="$output_dir" \
+WNH_ENV_FILE="$environment_file" \
+  "$ROOT/scripts/android-release-build.sh"
+
+echo "Ephemeral signed Android release pipeline passed."
diff --git a/scripts/init-android-release-signing.sh b/scripts/init-android-release-signing.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3d70cc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/init-android-release-signing.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+umask 077
+
+config_home=${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-"$HOME/.config"}
+SIGNING_DIR=${WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_DIR:-"$config_home/who_need_help/android-release"}
+KEYSTORE="$SIGNING_DIR/who-need-help-upload.p12"
+PASSWORD_FILE="$SIGNING_DIR/who-need-help-upload.password"
+KEY_ALIAS=${WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS:-who-need-help-upload}
+KEY_IMAGE="gradle:9.6.1-jdk17@sha256:7364ce528f33bb6038672bcef990d524f1ad8fbc292935819c235db886d0fae7"
+run_id="$$-$(openssl rand -hex 4)"
+temporary_keystore="$SIGNING_DIR/.who-need-help-upload.$run_id.p12"
+temporary_password="$SIGNING_DIR/.who-need-help-upload.$run_id.password"
+
+cleanup() {
+  if [ -e "$temporary_keystore" ]; then
+    unlink "$temporary_keystore"
+  fi
+  if [ -e "$temporary_password" ]; then
+    unlink "$temporary_password"
+  fi
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT HUP INT TERM
+
+case "$KEY_ALIAS" in
+  ''|*[!A-Za-z0-9._-]*)
+    echo "WNH_ANDROID_SIGNING_KEY_ALIAS must use only letters, digits, dot, underscore, and dash." >&2
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
+
+if [ -L "$SIGNING_DIR" ]; then
+  echo "Refusing to use a symlink as the Android signing directory: $SIGNING_DIR" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+install -d -m 700 "$SIGNING_DIR"
+
+if [ -e "$KEYSTORE" ] || [ -e "$PASSWORD_FILE" ]; then
+  echo "Android upload signing material already exists; nothing was overwritten:" >&2
+  echo "  $KEYSTORE" >&2
+  echo "  $PASSWORD_FILE" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+openssl rand -hex 32 >"$temporary_password"
+chmod 600 "$temporary_password"
+
+docker run --rm \
+  --user "$(id -u):$(id -g)" \
+  --mount "type=bind,src=$SIGNING_DIR,dst=/secure" \
+  --entrypoint keytool \
+  "$KEY_IMAGE" \
+  -genkeypair \
+  -keystore "/secure/$(basename "$temporary_keystore")" \
+  -storetype PKCS12 \
+  -storepass:file "/secure/$(basename "$temporary_password")" \
+  -keypass:file "/secure/$(basename "$temporary_password")" \
+  -alias "$KEY_ALIAS" \
+  -keyalg RSA \
+  -keysize 2048 \
+  -validity 10000 \
+  -dname "CN=Who Need Help upload key"
+
+docker run --rm \
+  --user "$(id -u):$(id -g)" \
+  --mount "type=bind,src=$SIGNING_DIR,dst=/secure,readonly" \
+  --entrypoint keytool \
+  "$KEY_IMAGE" \
+  -list \
+  -keystore "/secure/$(basename "$temporary_keystore")" \
+  -storetype PKCS12 \
+  -storepass:file "/secure/$(basename "$temporary_password")" \
+  -alias "$KEY_ALIAS" >/dev/null
+
+chmod 600 "$temporary_keystore"
+mv "$temporary_keystore" "$KEYSTORE"
+mv "$temporary_password" "$PASSWORD_FILE"
+
+echo "Generated a dedicated Android upload key without placing secrets in the repository."
+echo "Private keystore: $KEYSTORE"
+echo "Password file: $PASSWORD_FILE"
+echo "Back up both files before the first Play Console upload."