Google Play policy updates in 2026, with the deadlines

Google introduced a Contacts Permissions policy for broad access to users’ contacts: apps that do not need it must use the Android Contact Picker. The Location Permissions policy now recommends the location button as the minimum scope for precise location, and geofencing is no longer an approved foreground service use case. A new Account Transfer policy requires the official Transfer ownership workflow in Play Console, see how to transfer an app. Apps offering real-money prediction markets had to join Google’s pilot by June 1, 2026, and news and magazine apps had to complete their self-declaration by May 27, 2026 or be removed. Google also clarified the photo and video permissions policy, the rules for dating as an incidental feature, and its health and fitness data guidelines.

Anonymous chat and random chat apps now fall under new child safety and age-restricted content requirements, and the Families policy prohibits them from targeting children. READ_CALL_LOG can no longer be used to verify accounts by phone call; Google points to the Digital Credentials API or the SMS Retriever API instead. To meet Android developer verification, apps must be registered in Play Console; Google says 99% were registered automatically, so check the Home page for any that were not, or they face global removal.

The July round also clarified existing rules, which Google says does not change enforcement: the User Data policy applies to third-party AI integrations, and you remain responsible for limited use, disclosure and consent; unrated apps are not allowed; the Personal Loans policy covers Earned Wage Access apps; and there is more guidance on precise and approximate location in the Data safety section. Google also reminded developers of the yearly target API level requirement, due August 31, 2026.

Google announces policy changes in rounds and lists each with its deadline on the Policy Deadlines page, so check it after every announcement rather than waiting for a Play Console warning. For each row, search your code for the permission or API it names, decide whether your app has a core need for it, and move to the recommended picker or API if not. Google has also released an open-source Android skill that grounds AI assistants in Play policies so you can check your code from your IDE or command line.

Staying compliant keeps the app on Google Play; being found is the rest. Censuus ranks apps by the visits they draw, and adding your app is free on the List my app form. Placement comes from traffic and sponsorship: apps climb on the visits they draw, and a sponsor can pay to rise higher.