Reduce Unity Android Build Size with Asset and Native-Library Evidence

Measure the intended distribution

Use the Unity size guide and distinguish APK archive size, app-bundle size, device download and installed footprint. A universal APK includes architecture material that one device may not need.

Compare the same scene set, backend, architectures and compression settings before and after a change.

Find the largest justified reduction

Do not delete an asset simply because it is not used in the first level. Test later content and dynamically loaded paths.

Separate initial install from later assets

Play Asset Delivery can change when assets are delivered, but it adds availability, storage and error-handling considerations. Moving content out of the base package does not make its total cost disappear.

An offline game should clearly define which content is available immediately and which requires a prior download.

Test quality and memory trade-offs

A smaller compressed texture can change runtime memory or decode behavior. Measure the relevant device experience instead of assuming disk compression improves every resource metric.

Preserve a comparable report

Keep before/after artifacts, build reports and representative screenshots or play tests. APKLint's Unity and APK Size analyzers can identify packaged contributors, but they do not determine whether a removed asset is needed by a later scene. Report measured savings with the exact build configuration and confirm that supported game content still works.