[Fixed] App must target Android 15 (API level 35) or higher

If you’re developing an Android app, you might have encountered a warning from the Google Play Console stating that your app must target Android 15 (API level 35) or higher.

This is a standard requirement from Google to ensure that apps take advantage of the latest security and performance improvements in the Android operating system. This requirement affects all Android apps, regardless of the framework you use.

The Solution: Updating Your Configuration

The fix for this issue is straightforward: you need to update your app’s build configuration to target the correct Android API level. The specific file and syntax will vary depending on your development environment.

Solutions for Different Frameworks

For Native Android Apps:

In your app-level build.gradle file, update the compileSdkVersion and targetSdkVersion to 35.

android {
    compileSdkVersion 35
    defaultConfig {
        targetSdkVersion 35
    }
}

For Kivy Apps (using Buildozer):

You need to modify your buildozer.spec file. Change both android.api and android.sdk to 35.

# (int) Target Android API, should be as high as possible.
android.api = 35
# (int) Android SDK version to use
android.sdk = 35

For React Native Expo Apps:

The recommended approach is to upgrade to a newer Expo SDK that supports Android API 35, like SDK 53. However, for a quicker fix without a full upgrade, you can use expo-build-properties in your app.json or app.config.js.

// app.json
{
  "expo": {
    ...
    "plugins": [
      [
        "expo-build-properties",
        {
          "android": {
            "compileSdkVersion": 35,
            "targetSdkVersion": 35,
            "buildToolsVersion": "35.0.0"
          }
        }
      ]
    ]
  }
}

Some developers have found success by setting the compileSdkVersion to 34 while changing the targetSdkVersion to 35. This may work in some Expo versions if you encounter build issues with SDK 35.

A Crucial Final Step

After you’ve updated your app’s configuration and uploaded a new bundle to the Google Play Console, you might still see the warning. This can happen if you have older app bundles in other release tracks, such as open or closed testing. Ensure that you update the app bundle in all tracks, including internal testing, to make the warning disappear.