Which Android version first supported 64-bit processors?

Android 5.0 Lollipop was the first Android version to support 64-bit processors.

Google introduced 64-bit Android support with Android 5.0 Lollipop, released in 2014. The operating system added 64-bit versions of Android’s platform components alongside the established 32-bit versions, allowing manufacturers to build devices around newer 64-bit ARM processors while maintaining compatibility with existing apps.

The change was important because 64-bit processors can address larger memory spaces and provide a longer-term foundation for mobile performance. Lollipop also introduced the Android Runtime (ART) as the default runtime, replacing Dalvik, and brought the Material Design visual language, redesigned notifications, and improved battery-management features through Project Volta.

Android 4.4 KitKat came before Lollipop and was primarily associated with 32-bit processor support, so it is a frequent wrong answer. Android 6.0 Marshmallow and Android 7.0 Nougat expanded and refined the 64-bit ecosystem, but neither introduced it. A phone still needed compatible hardware; installing Lollipop alone did not turn a 32-bit processor into a 64-bit one.