Google is preparing to shut down the Android Instant Apps feature by the end of this year. According to a report, this decision has been taken given the low usage and low popularity of instant apps. After December 2025, these app-like interfaces will not work. Along with this, Google will also remove the API related to instant apps and the tooling support present in Android Studio.

Why was this decision taken?

According to the report, developer Leon Omelan saw a notification in the latest Canary build of Android Studio, which gave this information. This pop-up read, "Instant Apps support will be removed on Google Play from December 2025. Google Play Instant APIs and publishing support will be discontinued. Tooling support will also be removed in Android Studio's Otter Feature Drop. "

Google spokesperson Nia Carter told The Verge that the use of instant apps was decreasing and developers are now using other tools for app discovery. He said, “This change will allow us to invest more in the tools that are working better for developers and direct users to full app downloads to build deeper engagement.”

What were Instant Apps?

Instant Apps was launched by Google in 2017. This feature gave users a light app-like experience without installing the app. For example, clicking on a link opened a small version of the app in which limited tasks like bill payment, and playing game demos could be performed. This feature worked like Apple's App Clips.

Users previously had to enable this feature from Google Play. After this, if they clicked on a link (such as from Google Search), the Play Store would check if there was an instant app to open that link. If yes, that app would open immediately without downloading or installing it.

Chromecast was also discontinued.

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