Cannot remove "Internal test track" build from Google Play Console

I've been developing my first app for work and am having trouble removing an earlier version from the Google Play Console.

My first release was version 2, which I released on the Internal Test track, as much as an experiment to understand the working of things. I have subsequently release the app up to version 8, always targeting Alpha/Closed Track and had no problems with them.

However my first release, the one in Internal test track, simply refuses to go away. All the others I have found I can click MANAGE then RELEASE TO BETA then DISCARD (at the bottom) and they go away, but not this one.

Can anyone help me with this please. I have to say that the websites for releasing to both Android and to Apple do leave much to be desired - a bit of a baptism of fire to get your first app out there, even just to testers.

Solution 1:

It is possible to discard the release by creating a new release without a bundle or APK, inserting a release name, which is required, and completing the process.

Solution 2:

We found that while there is no remove, we had to add an empty version which replaced the test version. This was a huge problem for us as the test version was in violation of permissions rules and our production code was not, but the production app was pulled from the Play store... Yikes. Adding a remove or delete would be soooo much more intuitive.

Solution 3:

I would upload your next alpha to the internal test track and promote it to the alpha/closed track. You will still have a build in the internal test track, but at least it is a relevant build.