This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Pratiksha Patil
tarting November 1, 2025, Google Play will require all new apps and app updates targeting Android 15+ to be compatible with 16KB memory pages. Here's what that means for you and how to get your app ready.
📦 Why This Matters
Android devices are evolving with higher RAM and more powerful hardware. Moving to 16KB page sizes allows the OS to manage memory more efficiently, reducing overhead and improving performance.
📈 Real-world benefits seen on devices with 16KB pages:
App launch time: up to 30% faster
Battery life: ~4.5% improvement
Camera startup: 4.5–6.6% faster
System boot: ~8% faster
✅ Is Your App Affected?
You’re likely already compatible if:
Your app is 100% Kotlin/Java
You don’t use native code or native libraries
You need to check compatibility if:
You use NDK, C/C++, or third-party native libraries
You’re building native extensions or relying on native SDKs
🛠️ How to Make Your App 16KB-Compatible
Use NDK r28+
Older NDK versions may assume a 4KB page size. Rebuild with NDK r28 or later.
Audit Your Dependencies
Check if native libraries or SDKs you're using are 16KB-aware or need updating.
Test in 16KB Environments
Android Studio emulators now support 16KB page emulation. Use them!
Use APK Analyzer
Android Studio will warn you about incompatible builds during the APK build process.
🔍 How to Test
Android Studio → Run on 16KB emulator
Use the APK Analyzer to flag potential issues
Check the .so files and linked symbols for assumptions about 4KB pages
⏳ What If You Don't Update?
Apps that aren’t compatible may crash or fail to load on new devices. Android 16+ includes compatibility fallbacks, but Google strongly recommends native support to avoid degraded performance or broken experiences.
🧪 Bonus: Use This Gradle Snippet to Warn Early
groovy
android {
lintOptions {
checkReleaseBuilds true
warningsAsErrors true
}
}
Combine that with static analysis or custom lint rules to catch compatibility issues early in CI.
🔗 Resources
Official Google Blog Post
NDK Downloads
Android Studio 16KB Emulator Support
💬 Have you started testing your app with 16KB pages? Any issues with native libraries or build tools? Let’s discuss in the comments 👇
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Pratiksha Patil
Pratiksha Patil | Sciencx (2025-06-05T11:08:59+00:00) Heads-Up Android Devs: 16KB Page Size Support Required by Nov 2025. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/06/05/heads-up-android-devs-16kb-page-size-support-required-by-nov-2025/
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