Today, August 21st, we have released a new version of the BuddyBoss App to address bringing the target API level for Android up to date.
This update has been released as a hotfix to give you the maximum amount of time possible to update and publish your app, before their deadline of August 31st, 2025 (10 days from now)
It’s important that you perform this update as soon as possible because it’s unclear what Googles actions will be if you don’t. Out of an abundance of caution we are recommending that you perform this update immediately. If you don’t think you will be able to perform this update within the next 10 days there are some simple instructions below that will allow you to get an extension until November 1st.
If you intend to update and publish your latest build immediately then there is nothing else for you to do and you can ignore the rest of this article.
If you want to know more about this update, or you know that you wont be able to perform this update by August 31st, then read on.
Understanding this update
From August 31st 2025, apps in the Google Play store are required to meet a target for Android that is no older than 1 year from the current stable version. This is to ensure that older versions of android don’t become targets for security vulnerabilities, and is normal practice.
BuddyBoss maintains a target level that is appropriate for the needs of your app and balances the recency of the version with the stability and security of the app codebase and the development effort required to update, test, bugfix, quality control and deliver a stable experience for all users.
We have been working on updating the target level used in the BuddyBoss App for some time now, but we ran into several challenges along the way that meant we needed to address related issues before we could release this update. Because of this, the update has taken a little longer to release than we had hoped. Because of this, we have taken the decision to release the update as a hotfix and to promote the update with a little more urgency than we usual would.
What will happen if I miss the deadline?
Google’s communication around this issue has been complicated and confusing, even for us! Some users have reported receiving warnings suggesting that, if they don’t update before the deadline, they might permanently lose the ability to update their apps. This might in effect force you to publish a brand new app in the Google Play store losing your previous listing and all your previous users.
Out of an abundance of caution we are recommending that you immediately update your BuddyBoss App to the latest version and publish your update to the Play Store before the deadline of August 31st (10 days from now)
How do I apply for an extension to the deadline?
If for some reason you think you might not be able to generate a new build and publish it before August 31st, then you can apply for an extension to the deadline.
Fortunately, applying for an extension to the deadline is simple and easy and you can do it in just a few clicks from your Play Console.
Inside your Play Console, navigate to Your App > Monitor and Improve > Policy & Programs > Policy Status
Find the issue titled “App must target Android 15 (API level 35) or higher”
Inside that issue, scroll to the bottom where you will see: Need more time? with a button labelled “Request additional time” click that button.
In the form that pops up, select the following two reasons:
- It requires me to make extensive changes to my app
- I am waiting on a new SDK version from an SDK provider
The click “Request”
You should be granted an automatic extension with a new deadline date of at least November 1st. That will provide you plenty of time to request a new build and update your app.
If you have any trouble performing this update, reach out to support who will be happy to help you.
