Google to penalize battery-draining apps in new Play Store policy

Google is introducing a new Play Store policy aimed at addressing one of the most persistent frustrations among Android users: apps that secretly drain your phone’s battery. Starting March 1, 2026, the company will begin identifying and penalizing apps that hold “wake locks” for extended periods without a valid reason. Wake locks are a technical function that keeps your device awake even when the screen is off. They are useful when playing music or downloading files but can become a problem when poorly managed by apps that unnecessarily keep the processor active.

Under the new policy, apps found to hold wake locks excessively will risk reduced visibility in Play Store recommendations and may carry a warning label on their listings, informing users that they could cause faster battery drain. This measure expands Google’s existing technical quality metrics, which already track issues like app crashes and unresponsiveness, to include battery efficiency as a key performance factor. The company says it wants to help developers build more power-conscious apps while giving users better information about how those apps impact their devices.

An Android app will be flagged for excessive battery use if it keeps the device awake for more than two hours within a 24-hour period without justification. For wearables, Google already considers an app inefficient if it consumes more than 4.44 percent of the watch’s battery per hour during active sessions. Apps that exceed these thresholds will face visibility penalties and public warnings on their Play Store pages. The company notes that it worked closely with Samsung to refine these new metrics, which form part of a larger effort to improve Android’s overall power management.