This page explains the deprecation and shutdown policy, and schedule for
reCAPTCHA Mobile SDK versions.
With the release of a new SDK, earlier versions will be deprecated and given a
shutdown date. When an SDK version is shut down, calls to
projects.assessments.create will start to receive an error message indicating
that this version is no longer usable. Additionally, submissions to the
Google Play Store can be blocked if they contain a shutdown SDK version. The iOS
App Store does not have such a mechanism.
The latest SDKs offer the best protection and highest performance, and they address bugs that might exist in previous versions. Although Google makes every effort to enhance the detection offered by previous SDK versions, some capabilities and enhancements require a new SDK. For information about the enhancements and fixes, see the release notes.
Definitions
Supported: These SDK versions will continue to function in production for deployed applications. Due to possible changes in the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, and other mobile distribution platforms, supported versions might not be submittable in new versions of an app. This includes changes to required compilers and privacy or disclosure rules.
Deprecated: These SDKs will continue to function, but they will be shut down in the future. We recommend upgrading to a new version of the SDK as soon as possible.
Shut down: When an SDK is shut down, it might return errors in calls to
projects.assessments.create,getClient(),execute(), and other SDK methods. You should upgrade immediately to a supported version.
Schedule
The following table lists the shutdown dates for each version. We recommend that you migrate to the newest version as soon as possible after its release.
| Version | Status | First release | Last release | Deprecation | Shut down |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.5.x | Supported | February 29, 2024 | Current | Q2 2025 | Q2 2027 |
| 18.4.x | Supported | November 13, 2023 | February 21, 2024 | Q1 2025 | Q1 2027 |
| 18.3.x | Deprecated | August 6, 2023 | August 6, 2023 | Q1 2024 | Q3 2026 |
| 18.2.x | Deprecated | May 1, 2023 | July 5, 2023 | Q1 2024 | Q3 2026 |
| 18.1.x | Deprecated | February 1, 2023 | April 6, 2023 | Q1 2024 | Q2 2026 |
| 18.0.x | Deprecated | October 31, 2022 | November 30, 2022 | Q1 2024 | Q4 2025 |
| 16.x.x, 17.x.x (Preview) | Supported | March 30, 2020 | May 18, 2022 | Q1 2025 | TBD, No sooner than Q1 2026 |
| SafetyNet reCAPTCHA | Deprecated | January 5, 2022 | Q3 2024 | Q3 2025 |
Visual challenges
reCAPTCHA SDK versions 16 and higher don't have visual challenges (reCAPTCHA v2) such as those found in reCAPTCHA SafetyNet. We no longer recommend the use of visual challenges in mobile applications, but for customers that still want to enable them we provide sample code to use visual challenges in a WebView.
Pricing
Upgrading from v16, v17, or v18 does not affect the pricing. reCAPTCHA SafetyNet was subjected to the quota limit of reCAPTCHA, and there was no option to go beyond that limit. When moving to reCAPTCHA you now have the option to enable billing to go beyond the quota limit.