Which API level should a new app target?

Google Play requires new apps and updates to target a recent API level, currently 36 for Android 16. Targeting an older level hides your app from users on newer devices.

Why is there no entry for API level 15 or 20?

Neither has a version number of its own. API 15 is a revision of Android 4.0, and API 20 is used only by Android 4.4W on wearables.

Does a version still receiving no patches mean it is unsafe?

Not automatically unsafe, but it means known vulnerabilities are no longer being fixed by the manufacturer. For anything handling credentials or payments, that distinction matters.

Where does this data come from?

The version and API level pairs come from the Android Open Source Project build numbers reference. The security patch status carries a date because that boundary moves each year.

Android API Level Timeline

Look up the API level, release date, and security patch status of any Android version.

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Android API Level Timeline on Loonix helps you look up the API level, release year, and security patch status of any Android version, from Cupcake through the current release.

How to use

Search by version number, codename, API level, or release year.
Confirm the API level you need to set as minSdk or targetSdk.
Check the patch status before choosing a minimum supported version.

Features and limitations

Maps every Android version to its API level, from Android 1.0 to the current release.
Marks which versions still receive security patches, and when that status was last checked.
Shows the current Google Play target requirement so a release decision can be checked against a deadline.
Separates versions with no entry of their own, like API 15 and API 20, so a lookup explains itself.

Limitation: Security patch status is a snapshot with a date on it, not a live feed. Manufacturer support can also outlive Google patch status on a given device, or stop earlier.

Use cases

Set minSdk or targetSdk without guessing the API level of a version.
Check whether a device version is still receiving security patches before supporting it.
Confirm the current Google Play target requirement before a release.

Frequently asked questions

Usage, result, and limitation information for this tool.

Which API level should a new app target?: Google Play requires new apps and updates to target a recent API level, currently 36 for Android 16. Targeting an older level hides your app from users on newer devices.
Why is there no entry for API level 15 or 20?: Neither has a version number of its own. API 15 is a revision of Android 4.0, and API 20 is used only by Android 4.4W on wearables.
Does a version still receiving no patches mean it is unsafe?: Not automatically unsafe, but it means known vulnerabilities are no longer being fixed by the manufacturer. For anything handling credentials or payments, that distinction matters.
Where does this data come from?: The version and API level pairs come from the Android Open Source Project build numbers reference. The security patch status carries a date because that boundary moves each year.