The Google Play Store will soon drop support for Android Instant apps, which let Android users discover apps without having to install them first. A message in the latest Canary build of Android Studio spotted by developer Leon Omelan (via Android Authority) reveals that Instant Apps support on the Google Play Store will end in December 2025.
“Instant Apps support will be removed by Google Play in December 2025. Publishing and all Google Play Instant APIs will no longer work. Tooling support will be removed in Android Studio Otter Feature Drop,” the message reads.
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Google introduced Android Instant apps back in 2017 to help app developers increase engagement with their apps. The company added new tools to its Android Studio IDE, allowing developers to modularize their Android apps so that only a part of them can be downloaded and run without a complete installation.
Back in January 2017, Google wrote on the Android Developers blog that there was “a tremendous amount of interest in Instant Apps from thousands of developers,” but that’s apparently no longer the case. Speaking with The Verge, Google spokesperson Nia Carter explained that consumer interest in Android Instant apps isn’t where it needs to be.
“Usage and engagement of Instant Apps have been low, and developers are leveraging other tools for app discovery such as AI-powered app highlights and simultaneous app installs,” the spokesperson said. “This change allows us to invest more in the tools that are working well for developers, and help direct users to full app downloads to foster deeper engagement.”
