Battery performance remains one of the most common sources of frustration for smartphone owners. Even on capable devices, poorly optimized apps that run frequently in the background can shorten daily uptime and create a bad user experience. To address this, Google will begin marking apps on the Play Store that show patterns of unusually high background battery usage.
Why Google is adding battery-use labels
This change follows a longer trend of measuring app quality beyond crashes and responsiveness. Battery efficiency now joins the list of performance signals Google uses to surface better apps. The update aims to:
- Give users clearer information about which apps may shorten battery life.
- Encourage developers to reduce unnecessary background activity.
- Improve the overall reliability and predictability of Android devices.
Google will rely on aggregated telemetry that focuses on wake-lock-like activity — periods when an app keeps the processor awake while the screen is off.
Flag criteria (summary):
- An app accumulates more than two hours of active wake-lock-style activity within a 24-hour window.
- That pattern appears in at least 5% of user sessions for the app over the last 28 days.
Important: some apps legitimately require background operation (music players, navigation, health tracking). The system targets cases where background activity looks excessive relative to the app’s purpose.
Google’s approach is not punitive removal. Instead, flagged apps may face:
- A visible warning on their Play Store listing informing users about higher-than-expected battery use.
- Lower ranking in search results and recommendations, which can reduce new installs.
- Market pressure for developers to optimize background work and update problematic libraries.
Benefits for users
Everyday Android users stand to gain the most. The labels make it easier to:
- Spot battery-hungry apps before installing them.
- Understand unexplained overnight or background drains.
- Choose lighter alternatives when available.
Developers should treat this as a call to audit and modernize. Recommended steps include:
- Minimize or eliminate unnecessary wake locks and repeating background tasks.
- Adopt Android’s modern background APIs and job scheduling mechanisms.
- Review third-party libraries and services that may cause hidden activity.
Timeline
The battery-use indicators are scheduled to begin taking effect on March 1, 2026. Developers have time to review usage reports and improve apps before the labels go live.
This initiative represents a practical step toward greater transparency and better-performing apps across Android. Users will gain clearer signals about which apps are likely to affect daily battery life, and developers are incentivized to build more efficient software. Ultimately, the change should lead to a smoother, more reliable mobile experience for everyone.
