On 26 August 2026, Google announced new technical quality requirements for apps and games distributed through Google Play. The reason the company gives is an industry-wide memory shortage driven by rising component prices, together with a broader push to improve the stability and performance of mobile products.
The new requirements cover three parameters: dynamic memory usage (Anonymous RSS + Swap), bitmap memory usage, and the degree of DEX code optimization. The full technical thresholds and measurement methodology are set out by Google in the Play Console help section Play Console technical quality requirements.
Memory thresholds differ for apps and games, and also depend on the device’s physical RAM tier (from 4 GB to 16 GB and above) and on the app state: foreground, user-perceived service, background, cached. Compliance is assessed against the 90th percentile (P90) of values collected over the preceding 28 days. If P90 exceeds the set threshold, the app is treated as non-compliant.
The DEX code optimization requirement only applies to projects with a meaningful amount of DEX code: above 10 MB for apps and above 50 MB for games. For such projects, obfuscation, optimization and shrinking rates must each reach at least 25%. Google recommends R8, but other optimization tools are fine as long as they achieve the same result.
A separate requirement, Zero-Tap Sign-In Restoration, has also been announced: automatic restoration of a user’s sign-in state when data is transferred to a new device, through the Restore Credentials API. It takes effect later, from April 2027, and initially does not apply to games.
| Parameter | In force today | From February 2027 (new) |
| Crashes, ANRs, wake locks, battery | Thresholds for user-perceived crash rate, ANR rate, excessive partial wake locks and battery usage already apply | Unchanged |
| Memory usage (Anon RSS + Swap) | Not regulated separately | New threshold, different for devices with different RAM and for different app states (foreground, background, service) |
| Bitmap memory usage | Not regulated | New threshold: above 200 MB for user-perceived service and background states, above 400 MB for the cached state |
| DEX code optimization | Not formally required for publishing | Mandatory minimum of 25% for obfuscation, optimization and shrinking, for apps with DEX above 10 MB and games above 50 MB |
| Sign-In Restoration on device migration | Not regulated | From April 2027, Zero-Tap Sign-In Restoration through the Restore Credentials API (games temporarily excluded) |
| Architecture and memory page size | 64-bit support and 16 KB page size support already mandatory for apps with native code | Unchanged, required for Wear OS from 15 September 2026, and for TV from 1 August 2026 |
Google is clear that failing to meet the new thresholds does not on its own lead to removal from the store. But developers can face reduced visibility in Google Play search and recommendations, as well as restrictions on publishing new versions. Meeting all memory thresholds is also becoming a condition for eligibility in the Apps Experience Program and Level Up Programs.
During the transition period ahead of February 2027, Google plans to expand diagnostic tooling in Play Console: a filter for memory-related crashes and ANRs, DEX optimization insights for uploaded app bundles, and more visibility into the Android Memory Limiter, the OS-level mechanism that caps memory use by an individual app.
The requirements are becoming measurable and tied to specific technical metrics (28-day P90) rather than general guidance. That changes the compliance model itself: developers now need to back up compliance with data from Android vitals and the Google Play Developer Reporting API, not just declare it.
Thresholds differ by device RAM tier, so apps need to be tested separately on lower-end configurations (4-6 GB), not only on the developer’s reference devices.
The DEX code requirement affects not just new releases but also the evaluation of app bundles already published, which means the build pipeline needs to be reviewed and R8 or a similar tool is likely to need to be integrated.
Check current app performance under the Memory section of Android vitals and see whether the P90 for dynamic memory usage and bitmap memory usage already falls within the upcoming thresholds for the relevant RAM tier.
Check the DEX code size in the app bundle. Where it exceeds 10 MB for apps or 50 MB for games, implement or reconfigure R8 or another code shrinking tool to reach a minimum of 25% across all three metrics.
Plan the Restore Credentials API integration for sign-in functionality ahead of time to ensure seamless session restoration on device migration before the April 2027 deadline, and check whether the project qualifies for any exceptions (for example, Block Store integrations completed before 30 September 2026).
Factor the new requirements into drafting and reviewing agreements with app and game developers or publishers, in particular around technical quality warranties, remediation timelines for identified non-compliance, and how the risk of reduced visibility on Google Play is allocated between the parties.
The Arbitration & IT Disputes practice at REVERA Law Group is ready to help with technical compliance audits of mobile apps and games against the new Google Play requirements, drafting and reviewing agreements with developers and publishers, and advising on disputes related to reduced visibility or publishing restrictions on Google Play.
