Per Google Play's policy page, from 31 August 2026 new apps and app updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher. Wear OS and Android Automotive OS need API level 35. Existing apps must target API level 35 or higher to stay available to new users on newer Android versions.
The rule in one table
| App type | Target level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| New apps and updates (general rule) | Android 16, API 36 | 31 August 2026 |
| Wear OS, Android Automotive OS | Android 15, API 35 | 31 August 2026 |
| Android XR | Android 14, API 34 | 31 August 2026 |
| Android TV | Android 14, API 34 | 31 August 2025, already in effect |
| Existing apps, to stay available to new users on newer OS versions | Android 15, API 35 | 31 August 2026 |
An app below the existing app level is still available, but only on devices running the same or an older Android version than the app's target.
Extension
Google says developers can request an extension to 1 November 2026. Affected apps receive a link to the request form in Play Console notifications, reached from the warning on the Policy status page. Google says the forms will be available later in the year, so check Play Console rather than assuming it is open.
Why this is a dependency problem
Raising targetSdk is a one line change in your build file. The work is everything it touches. Newer targets change platform behavior, and libraries written for older behavior can break or misbehave. Old SDKs that are abandoned may never support a new target.
That makes the target bump a good moment to take inventory:
- List every library and SDK in the build.
- Note the last release date of each one.
- Find the ones that have not shipped in a long time.
- Test the app on the new target before you submit.
An abandoned library that fails on the new target is also usually a library with no one fixing its vulnerabilities.
Steps for the update
- Read the current policy page for your form factor.
- Update the Android Gradle Plugin and compile SDK first, then targetSdk.
- Run your tests and a manual pass on a device on the newest OS.
- Review dependency updates that the new target forces.
- Use a staged rollout and watch crash reports.
Quick check
What happens if I miss the date?
Per Google's page, new apps and updates that do not meet the level cannot be submitted, and existing apps below level 35 become available only to devices on the same or older Android versions than their target. Check the policy page for the full text.
Does the extension apply to everyone?
It is a request made through the form in Play Console, and Google says the form is for impacted apps.
Safeguard helps with the inventory half of this work through dependency and SBOM scanning, so you can see which libraries are old and which carry known advisories. You can try a free scan.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
