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As of August 31, 2026, most new Google Play apps and updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher. Existing general apps have a separate availability threshold: Android 15 (API 35) to remain available to new users on devices running a newer Android version. The right requirement depends on the app’s form factor and whether you are submitting a release or maintaining an existing listing.
Which target API level does your Google Play app need?
Google Play applies different rules to new submissions and existing app availability. The thresholds below are effective August 31, 2026, and come from Google Play’s target API level requirements. Check that page and your Play Console for the app-specific rule before submitting.
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| App category | New app or update submission | Existing app availability to new users |
|---|---|---|
| General apps | Android 16, API 36 or higher | Android 15, API 35 or higher to remain available to new users on devices running a newer Android OS |
| Wear OS | API 35 or higher | Confirm the applicable existing-app threshold on Google Play’s requirements page |
| Android Automotive OS | API 35 or higher | Confirm the applicable existing-app threshold on Google Play’s requirements page |
| Android TV | API 34 or higher | Confirm the applicable existing-app threshold on Google Play’s requirements page |
| Android XR | API 34 or higher | Confirm the applicable existing-app threshold on Google Play’s requirements page |
The specialized-platform submission thresholds do not establish their existing-app thresholds; consult the linked policy page for those cases rather than applying the general-app rule.
What happens if an app misses the requirement?
For a new app or update, Play blocks submission if the release does not meet the applicable target API threshold. For an existing app below its availability threshold, the consequence is different: it may no longer be available to new users whose devices run a newer Android version than the app targets. Google Play says prior installers can continue to discover and reinstall the app, and use it on Android versions it supports. See Google Play’s policy summary.
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Google Play describes an extension to November 1, 2026 for impacted apps. It is a request option, not an automatic grace period: extension request forms are delivered through Play Console notifications. Check the app’s Console notifications and eligibility before planning a release around an extension.
How to migrate and verify a release
- Identify the category and release situation. Establish whether this is a new app, an update, or an existing listing with an availability concern. Confirm whether it is a general app, Wear OS, Android TV, Android Automotive OS, or Android XR app; thresholds can vary by form factor. Use the current Google Play requirements page.
- Check the target in the release build. In a Gradle project, inspect the app module’s
targetSdkortargetSdkVersion. Android also documents the manifest attributeandroid:targetSdkVersion. Verify the final merged and built configuration that will ship, rather than relying on a remembered project setting. See Android’s target API guidance. - Keep the SDK settings distinct.
compileSdkcontrols which Android APIs are available while compiling.targetSdkdeclares the platform behavior level the app opts into and is expected to test against.minSdksets the oldest Android API level on which the app can run. RaisingtargetSdkdoes not, by itself, require dropping support for older Android versions. Android explains these settings in its target SDK documentation. - Review changes across the migration path. Read changes that affect all apps on the destination Android release as well as behavior changes activated specifically by targeting its API level. If you are moving across multiple Android releases, review relevant changes for intervening versions too, along with the impact on dependencies and SDKs. Start with the Android 16 behavior changes and the Android migration guide.
- Use the upgrade and compatibility tools. Android Studio’s SDK Upgrade Assistant can help update
targetSdkand surface major breaking changes. For Android 16, compatibility toggles can help exercise target-gated changes in debuggable builds without changing the target SDK for each experiment. See the migration guide and Android 16 compatibility framework changes. - Build and test on the destination platform. Android’s Android 16 setup guidance shows
compileSdk = 36andtargetSdk = 36examples and recommends Android Studio Meerkat 2024.3.1 or higher for Android 16 SDK work. Test on an Android 16 device or emulator, concentrating on flows affected by behavior changes and the libraries your app relies on. Treat tooling guidance separately from Play policy, since tool requirements can change independently. See Android 16 SDK setup. - Recheck the artifact and Console before release. Confirm the target level in the final artifact, revisit the current Play Console requirements, and review app notifications for any applicable extension request or exception. Do not assume an extension is available until the app’s Console shows the request path.
Does the policy apply to private apps?
Android identifies an exception for apps that are permanently private, restricted to users in a specific organization, and intended only for internal distribution. This is a narrow exception; being unlisted or privately distributed alone does not establish eligibility. Consult Android’s target API guidance and the app’s Play Console status.
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