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Google Play · Uploads blocked

New Wear OS apps and updates must target Android 15, API level 35

Google Play will not accept a new Wear OS app or an update to one unless it is built to target Android 15 or newer.

In force

since 31 Aug 2026

If you miss it
Uploads blocked
Platforms
Android
Devices
Watches
Built with
Any framework

How to fix it

An outline for each way of building the app. Stayshipped writes the full fix task for your code, ready for your AI coding tool.

Kotlin / native Android
  1. Set targetSdk (and compileSdk) to 35 in the app module's build file, or in the version catalog if the project uses one.
  2. Update the Android Gradle Plugin and Kotlin to versions that support API 35, then sync.
  3. Read the behaviour changes for API 35 and fix anything that affects the app: permissions, foreground services, intents, edge-to-edge.
  4. Update AndroidX and third-party libraries that fail to build or warn against the new SDK.

Check that

  • ./gradlew assembleRelease succeeds
  • The merged manifest shows targetSdkVersion 35
  • The app runs on an API 35 emulator without crashes on the main flows
Flutter
  1. Check android/app/build.gradle. If it uses flutter.targetSdkVersion, upgrade Flutter to a release whose default is 35 or set targetSdk = 35 explicitly.
  2. Run flutter upgrade if needed, then flutter pub upgrade --major-versions for plugins that don't support API 35.
  3. Update the Android Gradle Plugin in android/settings.gradle to a version that supports API 35.

Check that

  • flutter build appbundle succeeds
  • targetSdkVersion in the built bundle is 35
  • The app runs on an API 35 emulator
Expo
  1. Upgrade to an Expo SDK whose default Android target is 35, with npx expo install expo@latest --fix, or set android.targetSdkVersion with the expo-build-properties plugin.
  2. Run npx expo install --check to align native modules.
  3. Rebuild with EAS: eas build -p android.

Check that

  • The EAS build succeeds
  • The built app's targetSdkVersion is 35
React Native
  1. Set targetSdkVersion = 35 and compileSdkVersion = 35 in android/build.gradle ext block.
  2. Upgrade React Native if the current version doesn't support API 35; use the React Native Upgrade Helper for the diff.
  3. Update native libraries that fail to build.

Check that

  • cd android && ./gradlew assembleRelease succeeds
  • The app runs on an API 35 emulator

Official sources

We last checked this rule against its sources on 28 Sept 2026.

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