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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAs of October 3, 2026, Google Play’s August 31 deadline for most new apps and updates to target Android 16 (API 36) has passed. Google says developers who need more time will be able to request an extension through November 1, 2026, but its published guidance does not confirm that the request form is available now or explain who qualifies. Check your Play Console and Google’s current policy before relying on an extension.
What the Google Play API 36 deadline means now
Google’s target API requirements, updated September 16, 2026, set API 36 as the general target for new apps and app updates submitted from August 31, 2026. The requirement varies by app category, and submission rules are distinct from rules that affect whether an existing app is available to new users on newer Android versions.
| Situation | General target threshold | Who or what is affected | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| New app or app update submission | API 36 (Android 16) | Most apps; applies to submissions from August 31, 2026 | Target API 36 or higher, or check whether your app falls under an exception or an extension. |
| New app or update for Wear OS or Android Automotive OS | API 35 or higher | Apps in these categories | Meet the category-specific threshold. |
| New app or update for Android TV or Android XR | API 34 or higher | Apps in these categories | Meet the category-specific threshold. |
| Existing app availability to new users | Generally API 35 or higher | New users on Android versions newer than the app’s target; category-specific lower thresholds apply to Wear OS, Android TV, Android XR, and Android Automotive OS | Check the existing-app rule for your category and target. Apps below the applicable threshold are limited to devices running Android at or below their target API. |
Google lists an exception for permanently private apps restricted to users in a specific organization and intended only for internal distribution. Do not assume a broadly distributed app qualifies.
What happens if my app still targets API 35?
For a general app, API 35 is below the API 36 submission threshold. That means the new-app/update rule is the immediate issue when you try to publish an update; the existing-app availability rule is a separate question. An app below the applicable existing-app threshold can be unavailable to new users on devices running Android newer than its target, while remaining available on devices running Android at or below that target. This is not the same as saying Google removes the app for every current user.
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Category matters: API 35 meets the stated new-submission threshold for Wear OS and Android Automotive OS, but not the API 36 general threshold. API 35 is also above the API 34 submission threshold for Android TV and Android XR. For existing apps, consult the category-specific availability threshold rather than applying the general API 35 figure to every app.
How the API 36 extension works—and what is not confirmed
Google’s requirements page states: “If you need more time to update your app, you’ll be able to request an extension to November 1, 2026.” It also says app-specific extension forms will be available in Play Console “later this year.” The page does not establish whether the form is accessible on October 3, 2026, who is eligible, or the steps for submitting a request.
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Open your app’s Play Console listing and check Google’s current policy for the live request path and any app-specific information. Do not treat the announcement as automatic eligibility or assume a request has been granted. An extension provides additional time to meet the requirement; it is not a permanent substitute for upgrading.
Android 16 upgrade checklist
Changing the target API can change how an app behaves at runtime. Google’s Android 16 migration guidance recommends reviewing the behavior changes relevant to the app and testing on an Android 16 device or emulator. Not every item below affects every app; prioritize based on the code, libraries, permissions, and device categories your app actually supports.
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- Confirm the target and category. Inspect
targetSdkVersionin your Gradle configuration. Google also identifiesandroid:targetSdkVersionin the manifest as a place to confirm or set the value. Verify whether your app is subject to the general, Wear OS/Automotive, or TV/XR threshold. - Prepare an Android 16 build and test environment. Obtain the Android 16 SDK, update
targetSdkVersionand related build configuration, then build and test with an Android 16 device or emulator. - Review both sets of behavior changes. Check changes that apply when targeting API 36 and changes that apply to apps running on Android 16 regardless of target. Identify which listed changes intersect with features the app uses.
- Remove edge-to-edge opt-out assumptions. Apps targeting API 36 cannot opt out of edge-to-edge on Android 16. Review how content is laid out around system bars, display cutouts, and window insets, and test screens where those boundaries matter.
- Migrate back navigation. For apps targeting API 36 and running on Android 16 or higher, predictive back animations are enabled by default. Google’s guidance says
onBackPressedis not called andKeyEvent.KEYCODE_BACKis no longer dispatched as described there. Use supported back-navigation APIs; treat the documented manifest opt-out as a temporary transition path, not the completed migration. - Check text rendering. For API 36 targets, Android 16 ignores the deprecated
elegantTextHeightattribute. Review layouts using affected writing systems, including Arabic, Lao, Myanmar, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Telugu, and Thai. - Test large screens and resizable windows. On displays with a smallest width of at least 600 dp, orientation, resizability, and aspect-ratio restrictions are ignored by default for API 36 apps, subject to documented exceptions such as games. Test rotation, folding and unfolding, multi-window, and desktop resizing; verify that app state survives configuration changes. Google describes the compatibility opt-out as temporary.
- Exercise background work. Android 16 changes job execution quotas and fixed-rate scheduling behavior for API 36 targets. If the app uses
JobSchedulerorscheduleAtFixedRate, check stop reasons and confirm that missed-work handling still matches the app’s needs. - Test core journeys and third-party dependencies. Test the sign-in, permissions, notifications, navigation, media, background tasks, and form factors the app actually uses. Check Android 16 support for SDKs and libraries; update them or contact their providers if needed. Google’s migration guidance recommends compatibility toggles to focus testing on selected behavior changes.
Choose between upgrading now and requesting extra time
| Path | What it changes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade and submit | Brings the app toward the applicable target requirement, with runtime changes to validate before release | Complete the relevant migration checks, test the app, and submit a compliant update. |
| Request the announced extension | May provide time through November 1, 2026; current form availability and eligibility are not confirmed in Google’s published page | Check Play Console and the current policy for your app’s request option and status. Continue planning the upgrade rather than treating the extension as permanent relief. |
For either path, keep the submission requirement separate from the existing-app availability rule: meeting one does not automatically answer the other.
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