Starting in August 2021, new apps are required to publish with the Android App Bundle on Google Play. New apps larger than 200 MB can use either Play Asset Delivery or Play Feature Delivery.
As of 30 June 2023, Google Play no longer supports TV app updates using APKs. All TV app updates must be published with Android App Bundles (AAB).
To know more, read ‘the future of Android App Bundles is here’, on the Android Developers Blog.
APK files have a maximum file size, based on the Android version that your APK supports:
- 100 MB – APKs that target Android 2.3 and higher (API level 9–10 and 14+)
- Users must run Play Store version 5.2 or higher to install 100 MB APKs.
Expansion files are hosted at no additional cost. When possible, Google Play downloads expansion files when apps are installed or updated. In some cases, your app will need to download its expansion files.
If the compressed size of your APK at the time of download (including expansion files) is larger than 200 MB, users will see a warning dialogue suggesting that they use Wi-Fi to download your app.
Tip: By publishing your app using the Android App Bundle, you can build and deliver smaller, more efficient apps for users to install.
Expansion file types
When you use expansion files, one file is the main file and the other is an optional patch file. Optional patch files are usually used for small updates to the main file.
Expansion files can be any type of file and are saved to a device’s shared storage location (for example, SD card or USB-mountable partition) where your app can access them. Every expansion file URL issued is unique to every download.
Manage expansion files
Add or change expansion filesYou can upload new or add existing expansion files to APKs in a draft release.
- Open Play Console.
- Select your app.
- On the left menu, go to Release > Production.
- In the Production page, you will see a drop-down with Standard, Instant apps only and Manage release types.
- Choose Manage release type.
- You'll see a list of APKs that are associated with your release. Next to the relevant version code, select the add icon
.
- Choose whether you want to upload a new file or attach an existing expansion file.
- If the APK hasn't been published yet, you can change or remove an expansion file by selecting another file or No expansion file. You can't remove expansion files from an existing release.
- Select Save.
.You can't remove expansion files from an existing release. If you no longer want to include an expansion file with your APK, create a release with a new APK that doesn't have the expansion file.
For APKs that haven't been published yet, you can change the attached expansion files at any time.
- Open Play Console.
- Select your app.
- On the left menu, go to Release > App releases.
- Next to the release type that you want to update, go to Manage.
- You'll see a list of APKs that are associated with your release. Next to the relevant version code, select the add icon
- Select the down arrow
.
- Select No expansion file > Save.
.Before publishing your app, make sure that you test your expansion file implementation.
APK expansion files can't be tested with draft apps. To test APK expansion files, your APK must be published to an available track.