Flutter 16KB Page Size Requirement: What Every Developer Must Know Before November 2025

Google is rolling out a major change that every Flutter developer must pay attention to. Starting November 1, 2025, all new apps and app updates submitted to Google Play must support 16KB memory page sizes on 64-bit ARM devices running Android 15 (API level 35) or newer.

If your app isn’t ready, it risks Play Store rejection, runtime crashes, or even delisting. Here’s everything you need to know — and how to make sure your Flutter app is fully compliant.

What Is the Flutter 16KB Page Size Requirement?

On modern 64-bit ARM CPUs, memory is managed in pages.

• Historically → Android apps used 4KB pages.
• With Android 15 → Google is mandating 16KB page sizes for better performance and efficiency.

For Flutter apps:
The Flutter engine (libflutter.so) already supports 16KB.
But plugins and native libraries (.so files) must also be updated to ensure proper alignment.
Non-compliant apps will fail Google Play review.

This makes the 16KB page size not just a performance upgrade — but a mandatory Google Play compliance rule.

Benefits of 16KB Page Sizes in Flutter Apps

• Faster app launches → Improves user experience and first impressions.
• Lower CPU usage → More efficient on 64-bit ARM devices.
• Reduced power consumption → Extends battery life during app startup.
• Optimized memory management → Smoother navigation and better stability.

Risks If You Don’t Update Before November 1, 2025

• Google Play rejections → New submissions and updates blocked.
• Delisting of existing apps → Published apps must also comply.
• Runtime crashes → Non-compliant .so libraries may fail to load on Android 15.
• User backlash → Bad reviews and higher uninstall rates due to instability.

Why Is Google Making the Switch?

• Better performance → App launches up to 30% faster in some cases.
• Less memory fragmentation → Ideal for large and complex apps.
• Battery benefits → Reduced overhead = improved efficiency.

In short: Users get faster, smoother, and more efficient apps — but only if developers adopt the new standard.

Is Your Flutter App Affected?

Most likely, yes. You’re affected if you:

• Use plugins with native code (ads, ML, camera, analytics, etc.).
• Write your own C/C++ native code.
• Depend on older Flutter, AGP, or NDK versions.

Even if your app is pure Dart, you should still update to ensure long-term compatibility.

How to Check If Your Flutter App Supports 16KB

1. Google Play Console → Use App Bundle Explorer → Look for 16KB alignment warnings.
2. On a device/emulator → Run: adb shell getconf PAGE_SIZE If it shows 16384, you’re on a 16KB system.

How to Fix 16KB Page Size Issues in Flutter

Here’s a step-by-step compliance checklist:

1. Update Your Toolchain

• Android Gradle Plugin (AGP): 8.5.1+
• NDK: r28+
• Flutter SDK: latest stable release
• Dependencies: flutter upgrade flutter pub upgrade --major-versions

Example build.gradle updates:

// android/build.gradle
dependencies {
    classpath "com.android.tools.build:gradle:8.5.1"
}

// android/app/build.gradle
android {
    ndkVersion "28.0.1234567"
}

2. Rebuild Native Libraries

Even if you don’t write C/C++, plugins do. Updating AGP, NDK, and Flutter SDK ensures they’re rebuilt with 16KB alignment.

3. Test Thoroughly

• Use an Android 15 emulator with 16KB enabled.
• On Pixel 8/8 Pro → enable Developer Options → 16KB memory pages.
• Verify page size again: adb shell getconf PAGE_SIZE

4. Analyze App Size (Optional but Useful)

Run:

flutter build appbundle --analyze-size

Open the JSON in Flutter DevTools → App Size Tool to identify large native libraries.

5. Audit Existing Apps

Don’t forget apps already in the Play Store. They must be patched for 16KB compliance or risk removal.

📅 Developer Timeline

• Now – Oct 2025:
  • Audit Flutter projects
  • Update dependencies & test plugins
  • Verify .so libraries
• By Nov 1, 2025:
  • Submit only 16KB-compliant apps to Google Play
• Post-Nov 2025:
  • Regularly update plugins & SDKs
  • Ensure all future builds remain compliant

Conclusion

The Flutter 16KB page size requirement is not optional — it’s a mandatory Google Play policy starting November 1, 2025.

• For pure-Dart apps → mostly handled by Flutter.
• For apps using native plugins/libraries → extra work is required.

To stay safe:
✅ Update Flutter, AGP, and NDK.
✅ Recompile native libraries.
✅ Test on 16KB devices/emulators.
✅ Patch existing apps before the deadline.

Think of this change as more than compliance. It’s an opportunity to future-proof your Flutter apps for faster launches, smoother performance, and better battery efficiency.