Google has confirmed that it plans to shut down Instant Apps for Android at the end of this year, explaining its decision by the “low level of usage” of this feature.
Instant Apps were introduced in 2017 and allow developers to create mini-versions of Android apps that download instantly. Users can try out apps and demo games by simply tapping on a link, without having to install them completely. This simplifies navigation for users and gives developers more opportunities to find a new audience.
It first became known that Google was abandoning this feature after developer Leon Omelan noticed a warning about the changes in Android Studio:
“Support for Instant Apps will be removed from Google Play in December 2025. Publishing and all Google Play Instant APIs will no longer work. Support for the tools will be removed in the Android Studio Otter Feature Drop.”
Google spokeswoman Nia Carter confirmed the decision to The Verge, explaining that Instant Apps simply weren’t popular enough to continue supporting them.
“Instant Apps usage and engagement have been low, and developers are using other tools to find apps, such as AI-powered app highlighting and app installs,” Carter said. “This change allows us to invest more in tools that work well for developers and helps guide users to full app downloads to drive deeper engagement.”
