Google Play is implementing a crucial change for all Android app submissions, requiring support for a 16 KB page size and targeting SDK 35 (API 35 / Android 15) or above. The deadline for this compliance is November 1, 2025. This guide outlines the essential steps Flutter developers must take to ensure their applications meet these new standards, preventing potential submission issues.

Understanding the Requirement
Starting November 1, 2025, all new app submissions and updates to existing apps on Google Play must comply with the 16 KB page size requirement and target Android 15 (API level 35) or higher. This initiative aims to optimize app performance and efficiency across a wider range of Android devices.

Key Updates for Flutter Developers
To prepare your Flutter application, several core components need to be updated. Based on recent successful migrations, the following steps are critical:

1. Upgrade Flutter SDK:
   Ensure your Flutter SDK version is 3.32.X or higher. This version range provides foundational support for the new page size requirements.

2. Update Gradle and Kotlin Versions:

   • android/build.gradle:
     Locate this file and update the Kotlin version to 2.2.10 and the Android Gradle plugin to 8.12.2.
     buildscript {
ext.kotlin_version = '2.2.10'
repositories {
google()
mavenCentral()
}
dependencies {
classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:8.12.2'
// ... rest of your code
}
}
   • android/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties:
     Modify the distributionUrl to fetch Gradle version 8.13-all.zip.
     distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.13-all.zip
   • android/settings.gradle:
     Confirm that the com.android.application plugin version is 8.12.2 and org.jetbrains.kotlin.android plugin version is 2.2.10.
     plugins {
id "dev.flutter.flutter-plugin-loader" version "1.0.0"
id "com.android.application" version "8.12.2" apply false
id "org.jetbrains.kotlin.android" version "2.2.10" apply false
}
include ":app"
3. Set Target SDK Version:
   In your android/app/build.gradle file, update the targetSdkVersion to 35.

   android {
       namespace "your.application.id_name"
       compileSdk flutter.compileSdkVersion
       ndkVersion flutter.ndkVersion
   
       compileOptions {
           sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
           targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
       }
   
       defaultConfig {
           applicationId "your.application.id_name"
           minSdkVersion 23
           targetSdkVersion 35
           versionCode flutterVersionCode.toInteger()
           versionName flutterVersionName
       }
   }
   

Building and Verification
Once all configurations are updated, you can proceed to build your application and verify its compliance.

1. Build Your APK:
   Execute the standard Flutter command to build your release APK:

   flutter build apk --release
   

2. Verify 16 KB Page Size Alignment:
   To confirm your app supports the 16 KB page size, a verification script is necessary.
   • Create a file named check_elf_alignment.sh in your Flutter project’s root directory.
   • Copy the script content from this Gist: https://gist.github.com/NitinPraksash9911/76f1793785a232b2aa2bc2e409873955
   • Make the script executable:
     chmod +x check_elf_alignment.sh
   • Run the script against your newly built APK:
     ./check_elf_alignment.sh build/app/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk
     A successful verification will display green checkmarks, indicating alignment with the 16 KB page size requirement.

Final Steps for Submission
After successful verification, you are ready to generate your App Bundle (.aab) and submit your updated application to the Google Play Console.

Summary of Essential Versions:
* Kotlin Version: 2.2.10 and above
* Gradle Wrapper: 8.13 and above
* Flutter SDK: 3.32 and above
* Target Android SDK / API Level: 35 and above

By following these steps, Flutter developers can effectively update their applications to meet Google Play’s upcoming requirements, ensuring continued smooth operation and submission to the store.