BrightRevamp
Blog / Google Play requirements

Google Play 16 KB Page Size: Does Your Android App Need Changes?

By Muhi Uddin Haider, Founder8 Oct 20263 min read

The 16 KB page size rule sounds technical, but for most apps the answer is simple: it either does not affect you at all, or it affects one specific kind of file. Here is how to tell, and what the fix looks like.

The short answer

Google's documentation says that apps targeting Android 15 (API 35) or higher must support 16 KB memory page sizes on 64-bit devices. It states that from 1 February 2027, app updates that do not support 16 KB pages cannot be released.

Since every app update now has to target API 36, this applies to every app that is still being updated.

What "page size" means, in one paragraph

A phone hands out memory in blocks called pages. For years Android used 4 KB pages. Newer devices can use 16 KB pages, which makes them a little faster. Code written in Java or Kotlin does not care about the page size. Compiled native code (.so files) does: if it was built for 4 KB pages only, it can fail to load on a 16 KB device.

Who is affected

Only apps that contain native code. Your app has native code if any of these is true:

  • It includes C or C++ code, for example through the Android NDK.
  • It uses a third-party library or SDK that ships .so files. Common examples are some video, audio, image, database, PDF, game and security SDKs.
  • It was made with an app builder or engine that adds native libraries.

Who is not affected

Apps written only in Java or Kotlin, with libraries that are also only Java or Kotlin, already work on 16 KB devices. Google still recommends testing them in a 16 KB environment, which is part of any proper update test.

How to check your app

You can do the first check yourself in a few minutes:

  1. In Android Studio, open Build → Analyze APK and choose your release APK.
  2. Look for a lib folder. No lib folder and no .so files means no native code, and you can stop here.
  3. If there are .so files, the Alignment column shows a warning for each file that is not 16 KB aligned.

A developer can also verify the whole APK from the command line. Google's documentation gives this check, which should end with "Verification successful":

zipalign -v -c -P 16 4 your-app.apk

How it is fixed

  • The build tools. Google's documentation says Android Gradle Plugin 8.5.1 or higher packages native libraries with the right alignment, and NDK r28 or higher compiles 16 KB aligned code by default. Old projects are usually far behind both.
  • Your own native code: rebuild it with the current NDK (or add the linker flags Google lists for older NDK versions).
  • A third-party library: update to a version that supports 16 KB pages. A prebuilt library can only be rebuilt by the company that makes it.
  • An abandoned library: replace it with a maintained alternative. This is the case that takes real time, so find out early.

How it is tested

Android Studio offers emulator images with 16 KB page size, and some recent Pixel phones have a developer option to boot with 16 KB pages. We install the updated app in a 16 KB environment and open every screen that uses a native library, not only the home screen.

Check the date in Google's documentation when you plan. Requirements are updated from time to time, so confirm the current deadline there, and use our free check to find out where your app stands.

Frequently asked questions

My app is only Java and Kotlin. Do I need to do anything?

The code already works on 16 KB devices, but you should still test the app in a 16 KB environment as part of the update.

What is a .so file?

A compiled native library. If your app contains any, the 16 KB requirement can apply to it.

Can you tell me if my app is affected?

Yes. We check your files and tell you exactly where you stand, as part of the free check.

Keep reading

Native libraries in your app?

BrightRevamp updates older native Android apps (Java and Kotlin) to Google Play's current rules. Same app, same design, same features.

Email us about your app

Sources

Checked against the official documentation on 8 Oct 2026. Rules change, so confirm the dates in your Play Console.