Target API level requirements for new apps and updates on Google Play

Since August 31, 2026, new apps and app updates for phones and tablets on Google Play must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher. If you need more time, you can request an extension to November 1, 2026 from Play Console. Existing apps that don't update must target at least API level 35 to stay available to new users on newer Android versions.

This is a technical rule about your build, not about testing. But it affects your closed test directly, because every bundle you upload, including your first one, has to meet it.

The current requirements

According to Google's target API level requirements page:

Google updates this requirement regularly, usually once a year, so check the official page before you plan a release.

What "target API level" means

Your app's targetSdkVersion tells Android which version's behavior your app has been built and tested for. It's different from:

• minSdkVersion, the oldest Android version your app can install on
• compileSdkVersion, the SDK you compile against

Raising the target doesn't stop your app from running on older phones. It tells newer Android versions that your app is ready for their newer behavior and restrictions.

Why it matters for closed testing

If you're a new personal developer, your first uploads go to a closed testing track. Our first AAB upload guide lists target API level as one of three settings to check before you build, because:

• An app bundle that targets a lower level than required is likely to be rejected at upload or flagged before you can roll it out.
• Every update during the test is an "app update" and must meet the rule too. A project that builds fine today may need its target raised before your next release if Google's deadline passes mid-test.
• A behavior change from the new target can break something that worked before. Better to find that during the closed test than in production.

That last point is a good reason to raise the target early, not on the last day. Your testers then use the build that will actually go to production.

How to update your target API level

1. Update your tools. Install a recent Android Studio and the Android 16 (API 36) SDK platform through the SDK Manager.
2. Change the setting in your app module's build file. In most Gradle projects, set targetSdk = 36 (and normally compileSdk = 36 as well).
3. Read the behavior changes. Android publishes a list of behavior changes for apps that target each new version. Go through the ones that apply to your app's features.
4. Update your dependencies. Libraries often need newer versions to work properly with a new target.
5. Test on a device or emulator running Android 16, and on the oldest version you support.
6. Increase your version code, build a signed release bundle and upload it to your closed track.
7. Send the change for review from Publishing overview.

If you use a cross-platform framework, the target is usually set in that framework's Android configuration. Check its documentation for where the value lives and whether you need a framework update first.

Requesting the extension

If you can't meet the deadline, Google allows you to request an extension to November 1, 2026. Google says "the extension form is available through the details page of the warning" in Play Console, which you'll find on the Policy status page.

An extension only buys time. Use it to finish the migration, not to skip it. After the extension date, new apps and updates need to target API 36.

What happens to apps that don't update

Existing apps that are already published and don't release updates are treated differently: they must target API level 35 or higher "to remain available" to new users on newer Android versions. Apps below the threshold are only discoverable on devices running an Android version at or below their target.

For a new developer who hasn't reached production yet, this mostly matters later. Your immediate concern is that every new upload meets the current rule for new apps and updates.

Common questions

Do I need to target API 36 for a closed test? Google's page talks about "new apps and app updates" without carving out testing tracks, so plan as if every upload needs to meet it.

My app targets 35. Can I still upload? After Aug 31, 2026, a new app or update targeting 35 likely won't be accepted unless you have an extension, and only until Nov 1, 2026.

Does raising the target reset my 14-day closed test? Not according to Google's documentation. The 14 days are measured on testers' opt-in, and nothing Google publishes says a new build on the same track restarts them. Your testers simply get the update.

Checklist

• targetSdk set to 36 (or higher) in the release build
• Behavior changes reviewed and tested on Android 16
• Libraries updated where needed
• Version code increased for each upload
• Data safety answers still accurate if dependencies changed (Data safety form guide)

Key takeaways

• New apps and updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) from Aug 31, 2026.
• An extension to Nov 1, 2026 can be requested from the warning on the Policy status page.
• The rule applies to your closed test uploads, so set it before your first build.
• Test the new target during the closed test, not after.

Once your build meets the requirements and your closed track is live, our setup guide shows how to invite GoPlayTester's tester group. For the step after the 14 days, see the production access guide.