Play Store Crackdown: Google Targets Apps That Kill Your Phone’s Battery

Everyone has faced this problem- your phone battery drains too quickly even when you are not using it much. The reason is often hidden in the apps you install. Many apps keep running in the background, stopping your phone from resting, and quietly consuming power. This makes your battery die faster and leaves you frustrated.  

Google has now announced that it will take strict action against such apps on the Play Store. In a blog post, the company said that a good user experience depends on strong technical performance. Battery drain is one of the biggest complaints from Android users, and Google wants to fix it by working closely with developers.  

To do this, Google has introduced a new measure in Android vitals called “excessive partial wake locks.” Wake locks are a feature that allows apps to keep the phone awake even when the screen is off. While this can be useful for things like playing music or downloading files, some apps misuse it. If an app holds too many wake locks for too long, it drains the battery heavily.  

Google tested this new metric earlier this year with Samsung, using real-world data to make sure it reflects actual user experience. After months of testing, the metric is now official. Starting March 1, 2026, apps that cross the bad behavior threshold will face penalties. If more than 5% of an app’s user sessions show excessive wake locks over a 28-day period, Google may flag the app. This could mean warnings on the Play Store listing or removal from recommendation sections, making it harder for such apps to be discovered by new users.  

Google Play already tracks other technical issues like crash rates and “app not responding” errors. Now, excessive battery usage and wake locks will join these core quality checks. Developers are being asked to keep their apps below these limits if they want their apps to remain visible and trusted on the Play Store.  

For everyday users, this is good news. Apps that secretly drain your battery will be identified and flagged. This means fewer surprises when your phone battery runs out too quickly. For developers, the message is clear: build apps that respect battery life, or risk losing visibility on the world’s largest app marketplace.  

Read More: WhatsApp Will Soon Let Users Message People on Other Apps in Europe