Google is preparing a major Play Store update that will alert users when an app quietly drains more power than it should. Beginning March 1, 2026, Android apps that overuse background resources will face reduced visibility and public warnings on their listings.
The change builds on a new performance standard called excessive partial wake locks, introduced by Google in collaboration with Samsung. A wake lock allows an app to keep a device awake while it runs background tasks. Although this mechanism supports features such as music playback or data transfers, poor implementation can prevent a phone from resting, causing noticeable battery drain.
Under the new rule, a session will be labeled excessive if an app holds more than two cumulative hours of non-exempt wake locks in a single day. Wake locks tied to clear user actions, like playing audio or sending files, are exempt. If more than five percent of an app’s sessions exceed this threshold within 28 days, the app will fall into Google’s “bad behavior” category.
Apps that fail to meet the standard risk losing visibility across prominent Play Store sections, including recommendations. They may also carry a red label warning that the app could use more battery than expected due to high background activity. Google says these alerts will help users make more informed choices while encouraging developers to build energy-efficient apps.
The metric has been tested in beta since April 2025. During this phase, developers provided usage data and feedback that helped refine the algorithm for real-world accuracy. With the feature now fully integrated into Android vitals, it joins other technical quality indicators such as crash rates, unresponsiveness, and excessive battery use on wearables.
To assist developers, Android vitals now includes detailed diagnostic tools that display wake lock tags and durations, helping them identify background processes that keep devices awake longer than necessary. The system flags the 90th and 99th percentile durations to pinpoint problematic code sections for optimization.
A similar standard already applies to Wear OS devices, where an app is flagged if it drains more than 4.44 percent of the battery per hour during active sessions. Extending the same principle to phones aligns Google’s quality metrics across its ecosystem.
The policy is part of a broader effort to raise technical standards across Android. By linking app visibility to power efficiency, Google aims to discourage background misuse that shortens battery life and frustrates users. Developers now have several months to review their apps and address any excessive wake locks before enforcement begins in March 2026.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
Read next: Websites Will Lose Facebook’s Like and Comment Plugins Next Year as Meta Ends Support
The change builds on a new performance standard called excessive partial wake locks, introduced by Google in collaboration with Samsung. A wake lock allows an app to keep a device awake while it runs background tasks. Although this mechanism supports features such as music playback or data transfers, poor implementation can prevent a phone from resting, causing noticeable battery drain.
Under the new rule, a session will be labeled excessive if an app holds more than two cumulative hours of non-exempt wake locks in a single day. Wake locks tied to clear user actions, like playing audio or sending files, are exempt. If more than five percent of an app’s sessions exceed this threshold within 28 days, the app will fall into Google’s “bad behavior” category.
Apps that fail to meet the standard risk losing visibility across prominent Play Store sections, including recommendations. They may also carry a red label warning that the app could use more battery than expected due to high background activity. Google says these alerts will help users make more informed choices while encouraging developers to build energy-efficient apps.
The metric has been tested in beta since April 2025. During this phase, developers provided usage data and feedback that helped refine the algorithm for real-world accuracy. With the feature now fully integrated into Android vitals, it joins other technical quality indicators such as crash rates, unresponsiveness, and excessive battery use on wearables.
To assist developers, Android vitals now includes detailed diagnostic tools that display wake lock tags and durations, helping them identify background processes that keep devices awake longer than necessary. The system flags the 90th and 99th percentile durations to pinpoint problematic code sections for optimization.
A similar standard already applies to Wear OS devices, where an app is flagged if it drains more than 4.44 percent of the battery per hour during active sessions. Extending the same principle to phones aligns Google’s quality metrics across its ecosystem.
The policy is part of a broader effort to raise technical standards across Android. By linking app visibility to power efficiency, Google aims to discourage background misuse that shortens battery life and frustrates users. Developers now have several months to review their apps and address any excessive wake locks before enforcement begins in March 2026.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
Read next: Websites Will Lose Facebook’s Like and Comment Plugins Next Year as Meta Ends Support
