Introduction
As of November 1, 2025, all new apps or updates into Google Play that target Android API level 35 (Android 15) or above must be built considering the use of a 16KB page size. In compliance with updates of Android 15, this is one of the more significant new requirements Google Play will impose on app developers. The move is part of efforts by Google to continue optimizing efficiency and performance on Android devices. For developers, that could mean not only improved app speed but also some parts of it possibly breaking under such considerations for compliance.
This guide will cover the requirements of a 16KB page size, the reason behind this requirement, who it applies to, and how to prepare your app to comply with this requirement. Regardless of whether you’re creating a utility or a fully-fledged game, one thing is sure: adapt and change will ensure you remain competitive in Google Play.
Understanding Page Sizes in Android
In Android, a page size means the smallest block of memory used by the operating system for the purpose of memory management. Pages are the basic units at which memory is allocated and mapped to both virtual and physical addresses. Traditionally, Android used to deal with a page size of 4KB, that is, each page of memory is of size 4 kilobytes. With Android 15, the system now supports a bigger page size of 16KB to make memory management more efficient.
The page size is determined by the hardware architecture and managed by the Memory Management Unit (MMU) of the CPU through Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB). TLB maps by page-sized chunks between parts of virtual memory and physical memory. Since a larger page size like 16KB reduces the number of mappings needed, it reduces management overhead, but increased fragmentation may happen in some cases. This is the classic trade-off for introducing 16KB page sizes as an option for device manufacturers and as mandatory for apps on Google Play.
Shift Justification Behind Moving to 16KB Page Size
Being that modern Android devices are equipped with more MB’s of RAM to run heavy-duty applications like games and video editors, optimizing its entire concept of handling better performance through an increase in page sizes becomes logical for Android 15. The reason behind this may also include the necessity to reduce the number of page table entries with the adoption of larger page sizes, which leads to reducing workload bookkeeping of the CPU. Thus, all these lead to visible performance gains across the whole system.
Benefits:
- Launching Apps Faster: Depending on the requirements and resource availability of apps, they can be launched from 3% to more than 30% faster.
- Improved Battery Consumption: A device generally may use a 4.5% improvement of battery usage, which may improve the usability time of a device.
- Faster Starts for the Camera: Camera application starts can become approximately 4.5% to 6.6% faster. For example, openings of camera apps often ask for immediate memory access.
- Speedier System Boot-ups: The Android system itself boots almost 8% faster, making overall user experience better.
All these improvements, however, are of importance for memory-heavy applications made from native code or game engines, where reasonable memory management has the capacity to change the whole scenario.
Who’s Affected by That?
All new apps and updates submitted to Google Play aimed at Android 15 (API level 35) and higher must comply with a 16KB page size requirement starting from November 1, 2025. Depending on the type of application, the effect on developers will vary:
- Apps Without Native Code: If your app’s feature is entirely in Java or Kotlin and has nothing about native components like C or C++, then it will generally be compatible with 16KB page sizes without changes.
- Apps That Have Native Code: Applications compiled with Android Native Development Kit (NDK) or bundled with libraries dealing with native code (like .so libraries) mostly require some updates. These applications must be recompilable for compatibility with the 16KB page size.
- Third-Party Libraries: If third-party libraries are used in your application with functions that call native code, such as com.github.barteksc:pdfium-android, you must get complete assurance that they are certified to use 16KB page sizes. If a library is discontinued, consideration will have to be made to reconvene or replace it with an alternative.
For example, a discussion on Stack Overflow highlighted the pdfium-android library, which has not received any updates for years. This may require developers to either rebuild the library from source or find another one that actively maintains changes.
How to Prepare Your App for 16KB Page Sizes
Here are some of the actionable steps to ensure compliance of your app with new requirements:
Check Compatibility
Check with the App Bundle Explorer in Play Console whether your app bundle supports 16KB page sizes. This tool makes it easy to quickly determine whether there are any compliance issues.
Testing in a 16KB Environment
Google has published extensive resources for testing your app using Page Sizes Testing. Testing is an essential thing to do to know that your app works well in this configuration, for example, on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series, which use 16KB page sizes as an option for developers.
Recompile Native Code
If your app uses native code, recompile using the latest Android NDK version that supports 16KB page sizes. Google has documentation on this process at Page Sizes Compilation. Make sure to include third-party native libraries: update or rebuild.
Monitor Third-Party Dependencies
If your application uses libraries that call native code, reach out to library maintainers to see if updates are available. If no updates are available, you can also consider rebuilding the library yourself or replacing it with one that is compatible.
Compatibility Checklist
| Task | Description | Resource |
| Check Compatibility | Play Console’s App Bundle Explorer makes it possible to check compliance. | App Bundle Explorer |
| Test in 16KB Environment | Test your app on 16KB emulator or device. | Testing Guide |
| Recompile Native Code | Update native code with the most recent version of the NDK. | Compilation Guide |
| Update Libraries | Ensure third-party libraries support 16KB page sizes. | Check library documentation or rebuild |
Support from SDKs and Game Engines
Most major SDKs and game engines are being supported by 16KB page sizes, so it is much easier for developers to comply:
- React Native: Version 0.77 and above include support for 16KB page sizes.
- Flutter: Support is ongoing as updated on the Flutter Issue Tracker.
- Unity: Unity has updated Android Player Settings to comply with 16KB page sizes.
- Unreal Engine: Support is planned and expected soon, as per documentation on Google.
These updates ensure that developers using popular frameworks can transition smoothly to the new requirement.
What if You Do Not Comply?
Not supporting 16KB page sizes will be a source of serious problems:
- Malfunctions in Applications: Applications may crash or perform poorly on devices that set 16KB page sizes, which are expected to be more numerous in future Android releases.
- Google Play Rejection: From November 1, 2025, onwards, new apps and updates not complying with this rule will be blocked from being uploaded on Google Play.
It may prevent your app from reaching its audiences and will have a negative impact on its competitiveness. More and more devices are starting to adopt 16KB page sizes, so will the store.
Further Learning Opportunities
The following resources are provided by Google to guide the developer through this transition:
- Official Documentation: Page Sizes Documentation covers comprehensive information regarding page sizes.
- Developer Blog: “Prepare your apps for Google Play’s 16 KB page size compatibility requirement” provides full instructions in the Android Developers Blog.
- Community Chattering: These additional sources of information are located at sites like Medium and Stack Overflow, although not preferred for accuracy.
Conclusion
This requirement for Android 15 and above that page sizes be 16KB is a leap into optimizing Android devices for performance purposes. And it requires a bit of effort from developers, especially for apps with native code; however, the improved results—such as faster app launches, better battery life, and smoother system operations—are worth their weight.
On that note, developers should ensure that their apps remain competitive on Google Play by checking compatibility, testing in a 16KB environment, and updating native code or libraries.
Now is the time to act as the fast-approaching deadline of November 1, 2025, looms, so utilize Google’s resources and tools to continue updating the app to stay on top and provide the best experience possible to your users on newer Android devices.
