Android 11 still accounts for 10.5% of devices in Google's Android version distribution data. In the data, marked as updated on October 1, 2026, the latest release, Android 17, stands at just 0.9%, which means Android 11's share is about 11.7 times larger. The most widely used version is Android 16 at 25.4%, but a considerable number of devices continue to run older versions of the OS.
This distribution is an important input for Android app developers deciding on a minimum supported OS. For example, if the minimum supported version is raised from Android 11 to Android 12, the share of devices meeting the OS requirement falls by 10.5 percentage points in this distribution. However, adjusting and testing an app for the latest OS is a separate decision from dropping support for older ones. Furthermore, Mainline support, which allows parts of the system to be updated, has ended for Android 11 and earlier, so app compatibility and OS update status need to be considered separately.
Android 11 at 10.5%, About 11.7 Times Android 17
The JSON data Google distributes for Android Studio contains the share of each Android version along with its corresponding API level. In the data marked as updated on October 1, 2026, the value for Android 11 is 0.105 and for Android 17 it is 0.009. Converted to percentages, those are 10.5% and 0.9%. Android 16 stands at 25.4%, the largest share among the listed versions.
| Android version | Share of devices |
|---|---|
| Android 11 | 10.5% |
| Android 12 | 9.6% |
| Android 13 | 11.8% |
| Android 14 | 15.3% |
| Android 15 | 14.7% |
| Android 16 | 25.4% |
| Android 17 | 0.9% |
Dividing Android 11's 10.5% by Android 17's 0.9% gives a ratio of about 11.7. Note, however, that this compares the share of devices within the same survey distribution, not the actual number of users. Adding up the three generations from Android 11 to 13 gives 31.9%, which exceeds Android 16's 25.4% on its own. While migration to relatively recent versions is progressing, devices running an OS several generations old still make up a certain portion.
Google publishes the Android version distribution for active devices on Google Play in its developer dashboard. Composables, which compiles Google's data into a list, also shows the same figures along with the October 1, 2026 update date. However, the JSON data does not state the regions surveyed, the sample size, or the specific start and end dates of measurement. October 1 is only the date the data was marked as updated; the actual observation period is unknown.
This data alone cannot explain why older versions of Android continue to be used, nor does it reveal users' intentions to replace their devices. It also includes no past primary data collected under the same conditions, so it is impossible to judge how much Android 11's share has declined or how quickly Android 17 is spreading. The figures should be understood simply as the version distribution published at the time of the update.
Raising the Minimum OS from Android 11 to 12 Cuts Coverage by 10.5 Points
The fact that Android 11 accounts for 10.5% matters to app developers. Android apps have a mechanism for specifying the minimum OS version required for installation, and as a rule the app cannot be installed on devices that do not meet it. Raising the minimum supported OS therefore means removing some previously supported devices from the target range.
On Android, an app's minimum supported API level is specified with "minSdkVersion." "targetSdkVersion," by contrast, specifies the API level the app targets and also affects behaviors such as the compatibility treatment the OS applies to the app. They are separate settings, and raising targetSdkVersion to support the latest Android does not require raising minSdkVersion at the same time. In other words, it is possible to keep an app working on older versions of Android while moving forward with support for the newest OS.
That said, when using APIs added in newer OS versions, developers must consider compatibility with older versions. Unconditionally calling a feature that does not exist on an older Android can cause the app to malfunction. This requires switching behavior depending on the OS version or providing alternatives. Even when the minimum supported OS is kept, testing on older versions remains essential.
Based on Google's data, Composables also lists the cumulative share of devices running each Android version or later. In the data updated October 1, 2026, comparing Android 11 or later with Android 12 or later gives the following.
| Minimum OS requirement | Share of devices that could meet it |
|---|---|
| Android 11 or later | 88.2% |
| Android 12 or later | 77.7% |
| Difference (88.2 − 77.7) | 10.5 points |
If the minimum supported OS is raised from Android 11 to 12, the share of devices meeting the OS requirement in this distribution falls from 88.2% to 77.7%. The 10.5-point gap matches Android 11's standalone share. It is important to note that 10.5 points is the difference between two percentages. It does not mean the number of target devices falls by a relative 10.5%; measured against devices running Android 11 or later, the relative decline is about 11.9%.
This calculation, moreover, only shows the theoretical coverage based on OS version alone. In real apps, supported devices can also be limited by requirements other than the OS, such as hardware performance and required features. In addition, the device mix of an app's own users does not necessarily match the distribution across all of Google Play. The 10.5-point gap therefore cannot be directly translated into a decline in a particular app's user numbers or revenue. Note also that the displayed values for each version in the source data sum to 99.9%, reflecting rounding error.
Mainline Update Support Has Ended for Android 11 and Earlier
An app working on an older version of Android is a separate matter from update support continuing for that OS. According to Google's Android Open Source Project (AOSP) documentation, Mainline support for Android 11 and earlier ended in the fourth quarter of 2025. That means support for the mechanism that updates parts of the system ended before October 2026, when this version distribution was updated.
Mainline was introduced in Android 10 and allows certain system components to be updated individually without updating the entire OS. Updates are delivered through Google Play system updates or through OTA (over-the-air) updates distributed by partners such as device manufacturers. Because system components can be updated through a route separate from regular OS updates, it plays an important role in maintaining Android.
However, the end of Mainline support for Android 11 and earlier should not be taken to mean that all Android-related update services have ended. Google Play system updates and Google Play services are separate mechanisms, and the end of Mainline support alone does not mean that Google Play services as a whole is no longer provided. Nor does it indicate that security patches distributed individually by manufacturers have ended for every device running Android 11.
Which updates are actually available differs by manufacturer and model. The OS version alone, Android 11, therefore cannot determine the security update status of an individual device. Nor is it possible to calculate, from the 10.5% share in this distribution, the number of devices with known vulnerabilities or the proportion that have been attacked. App compatibility and device update status need to be checked using separate sources of information.
Deciding Between Supporting the Latest OS and Maintaining Older Versions
For Android app developers, this version distribution is a useful reference when reviewing the minimum supported OS. But it is not appropriate to decide on ending support based solely on the Google Play-wide share. Developers need to examine which Android versions their own app is actually used on and weigh that usage against maintenance costs. Continuing to support older versions that retain a certain number of users while moving ahead with support for the latest OS is also an option.
Google Play Console's "Reach and devices" lets developers analyze app usage and the composition of supported devices. In addition to installs, revenue, and crash rates, it offers breakdowns by criteria such as Android version, RAM capacity, and SoC. It is also possible to refer to data from peer app groups and past trends, and to use the data in CSV format. With this information, developers can assess more concretely than with the overall distribution how much dropping Android 11 support could affect actual users and revenue.
For users who continue to use Android 11 devices, meanwhile, what matters is not only whether an app can be installed. Even with the same OS version, the availability of security updates differs by device manufacturer and model. Even if an app runs normally, necessary updates are not guaranteed to keep arriving. Users need to check the model-specific support information published by manufacturers and judge together with the app's operating requirements.
That Android 11 still holds 10.5% shows how difficult it is to drop support for older OS versions across the board. At the same time, given the end of Mainline support, the decision to maintain older versions must take into account not only compatibility but also the maintenance status of devices. App developers are expected to understand the actual usage distribution of their own apps and compare the value of continuing to support older OS versions against the development and maintenance burden it entails.