diff --git a/android/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/android/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index d7ecedb5d..3a9e0b556 100644
--- a/android/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/android/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 	<application
 		android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
 		android:label="${appName}"
-		android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Black.NoTitleBar"
+		android:theme="@style/Theme"
 		android:appCategory="game"
 		android:isGame="true"
 		android:resizeableActivity="true"
diff --git a/android/src/main/res/values/style.xml b/android/src/main/res/values/style.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59e8ec20e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/android/src/main/res/values/style.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<resources>
+    <style name="Theme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Black.NoTitleBar">
+        <item name="android:windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement">true</item>
+    </style>
+</resources>
+
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index a89b3bf13..da89f97cf 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ allprojects {
 
         appAndroidCompileSDK = 35   //Android 15
         appAndroidMinSDK = 21       //Android 5.0
-        //significant layout management changes required for API 35+ as edge-to-edge is forced on
-        //will do this at the same time as dropping support for Android 4.4- (later in 2025)
-        appAndroidTargetSDK = 34    //Android 14
+        // TODO currently we've opted-out of edge-to-edge but it will be required for Android 16
+        //  Need to figure out how the game will handle drawing into notches (and unify with iOS)
+        //  See: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/15/behavior-changes-15#ux
+        appAndroidTargetSDK = 35    //Android 15
 
         gdxVersion = '1.13.6-SNAPSHOT' //using snapshot as 1.13.5 has issues with Android R8
         gdxControllersVersion = '2.2.4'