Google is preparing to crack down on Android apps that consume too much battery power in the background.
The company announced that apps showing unusually high background activity will be flagged on Google Play, which may reduce their visibility and limit how often they appear in recommendations.
Developers have until March 1, 2026, to meet a new Android Vitals requirement called excessive partial wake locks. This rule targets apps that keep a device awake for too long when the screen is off. The algorithm behind this system has been in testing since April 14 and was developed together with Samsung. Google says this is the first step in offering deeper insights into how apps use system resources.
Google will measure how long an app holds partial wake locks across all user sessions within 28 days. Only wake locks that are not system-related or linked to audio playback or user-initiated data transfer will be counted. An app will be considered problematic if a single user session records more than two hours of non-exempt wake locks within a 24-hour window. Google will take action if five percent of the app’s total sessions cross this threshold.
Apps that violate these rules may show a warning on their Google Play listing and could be removed from discovery features such as personalized recommendations. Developers will also receive alerts in their Android Vitals dashboard so they can fix the issue.
Google says the goal is to improve battery life and overall device performance. Although apps like spyware, adware and malware often abuse wake locks, Google clarified that this feature is not designed specifically to detect or block malicious behavior. The company says the main purpose is to prevent apps from misusing system resources and affecting the user experience.
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