diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index 9208b7bd12..809c813112 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -147,6 +147,14 @@ android {
         buildConfig = true
     }
 
+    packaging {
+        jniLibs {
+            // Enables legacy JNI packaging to reduce APK size (similar to builds before minSdk 23).
+            // Note: This may increase app startup time slightly.
+            useLegacyPackaging = true
+        }
+    }
+
     namespace = "com.lagradost.cloudstream3"
 }
 
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index f022cb48c6..430faaff11 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ workRuntime = "2.10.5"
 workRuntimeKtx = "2.10.5"
 
 jvmTarget = "1.8"
-minSdk = "21"
+minSdk = "23"
 compileSdk = "36"
 targetSdk = "36"