Google Play target API level requirements for 2026

There are two rules with the same date. The first applies whenever you publish: from August 31, 2026, a new app or an update to an existing app must target Android 16, API level 36, unless it is built for Wear OS or Android Automotive OS (API 35) or Android TV or Android XR (API 34). The second applies to apps already on Google Play that you are not updating: to remain discoverable to new users on newer Android versions, a standard app must target at least Android 15, API level 35. In Gradle terms, this is the targetSdkVersion (or targetSdk) of the release you upload, not the minimum SDK your app supports.

Google does not remove an existing app that misses the level. Instead, the app is only available on devices running the same or a lower Android version than its target API level, so new users on newer phones can no longer find and install it. Users who already installed it from Google Play are not affected: they can still find, reinstall and use it on any Android version the app supports. Any new release, though, has to meet the higher level for its form factor, so raise the target before an update you have planned; our app launch checklist covers the other checks before you submit, and staged rollouts limit the damage if the new target breaks something.

If you need more time, Google lets you request an extension to November 1, 2026. The request is made in Play Console on the Policy status page, from the details page of the policy warning; only apps that do not comply get that warning and a notification in Play Console. An extension buys time, not an exemption: after November 1, 2026 the same availability limit applies. Moving to a new target level can change app behavior, since Android’s release notes list behavior changes that apply once an app targets the new version, so test the new build with a closed or open testing track before rolling it out; setting those up is covered in how to find beta testers.

An app that is not available on newer devices cannot be installed by the people most likely to be browsing the Play Store on a new phone, so a missed target level quietly shrinks your audience while the listing still looks live. Stability counts as well: crash and ANR rates feed Android vitals and Google Play visibility. For the listing side, see how to promote an app on Google Play and Google Play store listing reports.

Keeping the app installable is the floor; being found is the rest. Censuus ranks apps by the real visit traffic they draw, and adding your app is free on the submit page. Sponsorship raises placement and adds a followed link to your website; details are on the sponsor page. For the full plan, start with how to market an app. We do not promise installs or store rankings.