Expo API-36 Android Release Rescue Kit (2026) — Edge-to-Edge Fix + Diagnosis Scripts

Ship a working release AAB before Google's November 1, 2026 deadline.

What is targetSdkVersion 36 and why does it matter?Google Play requires target API 36 for all new apps and updates from November 1, 2026 (extension available in Play Console). Apps below API 35 stop being served to new users on newer Android devices — they become invisible, not removed.

What breaks when you bump to targetSdkVersion 36?API 36 removes the edge-to-edge opt-out. A simple version bump turns your clean UI into content drawing behind the status bar and gesture pill. Every screen needs an insets fix — that's the actual work, not the version number.

What's inside the rescue kit:

Who is this for?React Native and Expo teams stuck on a failing Android release build, a Google Play rejection, or an SDK upgrade they under-scoped. Works for native Android too.

Why trust this?I ship a production Expo app on SDK 57 / RN 0.86 with a Play release track. The diagnosis scripts are the ones I actually use. I keep a public reproducible case of an Expo Android release build failing and being fixed with full logs.

What you get: ZIP file with checklist, edge-to-edge guide, diagnose.sh, and final-verify.sh.

Nov 1, 2026 deadline is real. Extension to Dec 1 available in Play Console on request.