Google Play will prompt Android users to update crashing apps

Google has announced that it is launching the app crush prompt feature, which we first learned about in November 2022, asking users to update an app that is constantly crashing if there is a more stable version available.

The app crush prompt will appear on phones and tablets running Android 7.0 (SDK level 24) and above. 

The feature, which aims to reduce app’s user-perceived crash rate, doesn’t require any integration by Android developers and is enabled automatically when Google Play determines that a newer version of the app has a statistically relevant, lower crash rate.

Google also states that because the prompt is shown by the Play Store and not the apps, an update prompt may be displayed even if the app crashes on startup.

“There are a few thresholds we take into account, which we will tune over time to achieve the best outcome,” Google said. “These include:

1. User activity level of an app version according to Vitals to ensure we have statistical relevance
2. Foreground crash rate of an app version and of its newer version
3. Number of times a prompt can be shown for each version of your app on a device, if the user doesn’t choose to update”

It is worth noting that apps downloaded outside of the Play Store, such as alternative app stores, will not receive these prompts.