Google Play Health Apps Update: New January 2026 Requirements
Jan 9, 2026
Izabela Pawlik
The rollout of Google Play’s new Health Content and Services policy is reaching its final phase. While the August 2025 Health policy update established the mandatory Health Apps Declaration, the January 2026 enforcement introduces deeper technical requirements and a new level of transparency for users.
Starting January 2026, Google is moving beyond simple declarations. Developers must now navigate a new "Medical Device" labeling system, stricter Health Connect data justifications, and a platform-wide ban on using age-restricted signals for health profiling.
Health & Medical Apps: January 2026 Summary
Policy Section | August 2025 Requirement | January 2026 Update |
Medical Device Labeling | Self-declare medical status in the Play Console. | New "Medical Device" Label: EU-certified apps will receive an official badge on their store listing. |
Health Connect Access | General justification for data types. | Clinical Data Lockdown: Access to lab results, oxygen levels, and medications requires "high-bar" clinical justification. |
Age Signals API | No specific restrictions. | Global Purpose Limitation: Data from Age Signals API cannot be used for health-based advertising or user profiling. |
Accountability | Individual accounts permitted. | Organization Verification: High-risk health apps are encouraged (and in some regions required) to be under a verified Organization account. |
Medical Disclaimers | Required for non-certified apps. | Visual Prominence: Disclaimers must now be "easily understandable" and not buried at the bottom of a description. |
The Big Shift: Why Your "Health Category" Isn't Enough
The August update asked what your app does. The January update asks why it needs the data. Google is specifically targeting "Data Overreach" in wellness apps.
Justification for Health Records: If your app requests
READ_HEALTH_DATA_IN_RECORDS(like blood pressure or vaccinations), you must now prove that this specific data is essential to the app’s primary function.The "Incidental" Rule: If you are a fitness game that uses heart rate to unlock levels, you are now strictly limited to that heart rate data. You cannot "piggyback" on other health data stored in the user's Health Connect vault.
Mandatory Organizational Verification
In a major move to increase accountability, Google is no longer allowing "Individual" developer accounts to host apps in the Medical or Health categories.
The Deadline: Existing health apps have until January 28, 2026, to migrate their app to a verified Organization Account.
Why? This ensures that if a health app leaks sensitive data, there is a legal entity (not just an individual) held responsible.
The "Medical Device" Badge
Google is finally helping users distinguish between a "Step Tracker" and a "Diagnostic Tool."
Apps that have provided proof of regulatory clearance (like FDA or CE mark) will receive a verified label on their store listing.
Apps without this clearance must include the standard disclaimer: "This app is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any condition." Failure to include this in the first paragraph of your description will result in update rejections.
Checklist for January 2026 Compliance
To stay live, ensure you have completed these steps before the final January 28 deadline:
Verify as an Organization: Ensure your Play Console account type is "Organization." You will need a D-U-N-S number to complete this.
Audit Health Connect Permissions: Remove any data types you aren't actively using for a core feature.
Update "Significant Changes": If you add a new clinical feature (e.g., adding a blood glucose log), you must re-submit your Health Declaration form before the update is approved.
Privacy Link Consistency: Your privacy policy URL must be identical in the Play Console, inside the app, and on your website. It must be a public web page, not a PDF.
