How to Check Whether an Android Device Is 32-Bit or 64-Bit

To check whether an Android device supports 64-bit apps, look at its Supported ABIs list in a device-information app. If the list includes arm64-v8a or x86_64, Android reports 64-bit app support. If it lists only armeabi-v7a or x86, the installed system reports 32-bit app support. This is more reliable than guessing from the phone's age, memory, Android version, or kernel string.

There are two related questions: whether the processor hardware can run 64-bit instructions, and whether the installed Android system supports 64-bit apps. Those answers can differ. Android defines supported ABIs—the application binary interfaces—as the instruction-set options the system can run, and its platform may expose more than one ABI. If you need an app-compatibility answer, check the ABI list. If you need to know what the chip itself can do, verify the processor model separately.

Check ABI support on a phone you own

1. Find the exact model number. Open Settings and look for About phone or About tablet. Record the full model number, including any letters or regional suffix. Menu names vary by manufacturer, and different versions of one phone family can use different processors.

2. Open a device-information app and find Supported ABIs. For example, the Google Play listing for Device Info: System & CPU Info says its CPU and GPU section reports CPU architecture and supported ABIs. Install the app from Google Play, open the CPU or CPU/GPU section, and look for a field named Supported ABIs, Supported architectures, or similar. The exact label and screen layout can vary by app version.

3. Match the ABI names to their bitness. Android's NDK documentation identifies arm64-v8a as 64-bit ARM and armeabi-v7a as 32-bit ARM; x86_64 and x86 are their 64-bit and 32-bit x86 counterparts.

A list that contains both arm64-v8a and armeabi-v7a supports 64-bit and 32-bit ARM apps. A list with only armeabi-v7a means Android is reporting 32-bit ARM app support, even if the underlying processor may be capable of 64-bit operation. Check the exact ABI required by an app if you are troubleshooting a specific installation; a 64-bit ARM ABI does not mean an x86 app will run.

Check the processor before you buy

Ask for the exact model number and chipset, then compare them with the manufacturer's product specifications. Search the chip model on its manufacturer's site if the phone listing does not state the processor's architecture. Do not use RAM capacity as a shortcut: having more than 4 GB of memory does not prove that Android exposes a 64-bit ABI. If the device is sold in several configurations, verify the processor for the precise model code you will receive.

If the manufacturer page names the SoC but does not say whether the phone supports 64-bit apps, an information utility can help once you have the device. CPUID's CPU-Z for Android reports the SoC name and architecture, which helps identify the hardware. For app compatibility, still check the Android ABI list rather than relying only on the chip's architecture.

Common checks that can mislead

• Kernel version: The kernel string is not a dependable substitute for the supported ABI list. The kernel and the Android user-space libraries can have different bitness characteristics.
• RAM amount: Memory capacity does not identify the Android app architecture.
• Android version: A newer Android release does not by itself confirm that a particular device build includes 64-bit app support.
• Settings alone: Many manufacturers show the model and software version in Settings but do not provide one universal 32-bit/64-bit label. Use About phone to identify the model, then check the ABIs or official specifications.

Can you change a 32-bit Android device to 64-bit?

You cannot change the processor's hardware capability with a setting or app. A device with a 64-bit-capable processor may still run a system image that supports only 32-bit apps. Changing that software setup requires a compatible 64-bit system build for the exact device; it is not a routine toggle, and the manufacturer may not provide one. For a dependable 64-bit app environment, choose a model whose supported ABI list includes arm64-v8a or x86_64, or use only a system image officially supported for that model.

For reference, Android documents the SUPPORTED_ABIS field as the ordered list of ABIs supported by a device. The Android ABI guide explains which architecture names are 32-bit and 64-bit.