Health Connect SDK_UNAVAILABLE and SDK_UNAVAILABLE_PROVIDER_UPDATE_REQUIRED: What Each Status Means

HealthConnectClient.getSdkStatus(context) came back with something other than SDK_AVAILABLE, or your log shows a bare 1 or 2 where you expected a client. Those numbers are the status constants. Android's Jetpack HealthConnectClient reference (fetched October 3, 2026) defines exactly three, and each one asks for a different response.

The three statuses, in Google's words#

All three are marked "Added in 1.1.0" in the reference. If you log the raw integer, 2 means "install or update Health Connect", not "unsupported".

Why the device is unavailable#

Google's availability page sets the floor: "Health Connect requires a mobile device running Android 9 (API 28) or higher with Google Play services installed." On Android 14 and higher, Health Connect is part of the system and is accessible in Settings. On Android 13 and lower, it is a publicly available app on the Google Play Store, and that is where "not installed or needs to be updated" comes from.

Two further rules from Google that produce an unavailable device:

• Android 8. Google's get-started guide notes that "the Health Connect SDK supports Android 8 (API level 26) or higher, while the Health Connect app is only compatible with Android 9 (API level 28) or higher." Your app can install on Android 8. Health Connect cannot run there.
• Work profiles. Google says "Health Connect is not supported on devices with work profiles. While users might be able to grant permissions in the work profile, the Health Connect APIs won't be usable, and no data will be written."

Why getOrCreate crashes when you skip the check#

The reference lists what getOrCreate throws if you call it on a device that is not ready: UnsupportedOperationException "if service not available due to SDK version too low or running in a profile", and IllegalStateException "if the SDK is not available". Calling getSdkStatus first turns a crash into a branch.

The fix, per status#

Google's get-started guide also asks you to declare the Health Connect package in your manifest before you get a client, so check this first:

<queries>
    <package android:name="com.google.android.apps.healthdata" />
</queries>

Then branch on the status. The update-required branch below follows the sample in Google's reference, which sends the user to the Play Store's Health Connect listing with an onboarding hand-off:

val providerPackageName = "com.google.android.apps.healthdata"

when (HealthConnectClient.getSdkStatus(context, providerPackageName)) {
    HealthConnectClient.SDK_AVAILABLE -> {
        val client = HealthConnectClient.getOrCreate(context)
        // proceed: check permissions, then read
    }
    HealthConnectClient.SDK_UNAVAILABLE_PROVIDER_UPDATE_REQUIRED -> {
        val uriString =
            "market://details?id=$providerPackageName&url=healthconnect%3A%2F%2Fonboarding"
        context.startActivity(
            Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW).apply {
                setPackage("com.android.vending")
                data = Uri.parse(uriString)
                putExtra("overlay", true)
                putExtra("callerId", context.packageName)
            }
        )
    }
    else -> {
        // SDK_UNAVAILABLE: hide every Health Connect entry point
    }
}

One inconsistency to know about: the user-facing text in Google's get-started sample for SDK_UNAVAILABLE asks the user to "ensure it is installed and updated", while the reference says to hide integration points for that status. We follow the reference. An install prompt belongs to the update-required status, and on an unavailable device it only sends the user looking for an app their phone cannot run.

SDK_AVAILABLE is not the same as every feature available#

A device can report SDK_AVAILABLE and still lack newer capabilities. Google's feature availability guide says "When new features are added to Health Connect, users may not always update their version of Health Connect," and gives getFeatureStatus on healthConnectClient.features, which returns FEATURE_STATUS_AVAILABLE or FEATURE_STATUS_UNAVAILABLE. Check it for features such as FEATURE_READ_HEALTH_DATA_IN_BACKGROUND and FEATURE_READ_HEALTH_DATA_HISTORY before requesting their permissions.

Treat status as something that changes#

Our recommendation: call getSdkStatus each time the user reaches a Health Connect feature, not once at install. On Android 13 and lower, Health Connect is a separate Play Store app, so its state can change after your app checked it. On Android 14 Google says it is part of the system and cannot be uninstalled. A user who updates Health Connect from the Play Store should find your feature working the next time they open it, without reinstalling your app.

Where to go next#

Once the status is SDK_AVAILABLE and reads are still empty, work through Health Connect returns no data. If calls throw after the client exists, see Health Connect SecurityException. The end-to-end setup is in the Google Health Connect integration guide.