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Preparing Flutter Apps for Google Play’s 16KB Page Size Requirement

by Simarpreet Singh

Overview

Starting November 1, 2025, any Flutter app submitted to Google Play targeting Android 15 or later must support 16KB memory pages on 64-bit devices. While this seems minor, it is a crucial update for apps using native code.

Why 16KB Page Size Matters

Android previously used 4KB memory pages. Moving to 16KB pages provides faster app launch times, reduces memory fragmentation, and improves battery efficiency. Apps or plugins assuming a fixed 4KB page size may crash on Android 15+ devices if not updated.

Identifying Affected Flutter Apps

Flutter apps with plugins relying on native code, or those using custom C/C++ libraries, are likely affected. Older versions of the Flutter SDK, Android Gradle Plugin, or NDK may not fully support 16KB pages.

Checking Compatibility

The Google Play Console allows developers to check 16KB alignment in App Bundle Explorer. Look for warnings about native libraries not aligned to 16KB.

Updating Your Flutter Environment

Ensure your project uses the latest versions: Flutter SDK, Android Gradle Plugin 8.5.1+ (mandatory), and NDK r28+ (recommended). Update all project dependencies in pubspec.yaml to versions that support 16KB alignment.

Handling Lower NDK Versions

If your tooling isn’t fully updated, you can still compile for 16KB page size using linker options:

NDK r27:
ANDROID_SUPPORT_FLEXIBLE_PAGE_SIZES=ON

NDK r26 and lower:
-Wl,-z,max-page-size=16384

NDK r22 and lower:
-Wl,-z,common-page-size=16384
-Wl,-z,max-page-size=16384

Default BUILD.gn setting for future-proofing:
"-Wl,-z,max-page-size=65536"

Rebuilding Native Libraries

Even if your app has no custom native code, dependencies and plugins include native libraries that need rebuilding. Updating the toolchain usually handles this automatically.

Testing on 16KB Devices

Testing is essential. Use Android 15 beta emulators with 16KB memory pages enabled or physical devices with Developer Options > 'Use 16KB memory pages'. Verify the page size via:

adb shell getconf PAGE_SIZE

Analyzing App Size

Use Flutter DevTools to examine your app’s build size and contents:

flutter build appbundle --analyze-size

Conclusion

Google Play’s 16KB page size requirement is a key step toward better app performance. By updating Flutter SDK, AGP, NDK, dependencies, and testing thoroughly, your app will comply with Android 15+ standards and deliver a smoother user experience.

FAQs

  • What happens if my app isn’t 16KB compatible?

    It may crash, perform poorly, or fail submission.

  • How to test 16KB support?

    Use Android 15 emulators or devices with 16KB pages enabled.

  • How to ensure compliance?

    Update Flutter SDK, AGP, NDK, dependencies, rebuild the app, and test thoroughly.