Google Keep is one of the most commonly-used apps on the entire Android platform. Until now, it had been a free app that came pre-installed on the majority of Android phones, but it wasn’t a central app and could be uninstalled through normal means.

Now, the latest Android 16 beta shows Google Keep is being upgraded to a system app, which means it’s now core to the operating system — and a promotion like that implies Google Keep might be going on its own episode of Extreme App Makeover.

All joking aside, Google Keep wouldn’t be upgraded to a system app unless it was going to play a more central role in Android 16, including more powerful features. This change isn’t in place yet; for anyone using Android 15 or older, Google Keep can still be uninstalled. Anyone on Android 16 Developer Preview 2, however, will see the app can’t be uninstalled unless you have root access.

Google hasn’t issued a statement about the change, but this means Keep could gain access to core functions and be able to perform more complex tasks.

What are system apps?

When you buy a new phone, there are certain apps that come pre-installed. Some of these are optional apps and can be easily deleted, but others are system apps that are vital to the Android operating system and have deeper levels of access than a normal app would (or probably should) have.

The only way to remove these apps is by rooting the device. Not even a factory reset of your phone will remove system apps; they’ll remain, even if everything else is deleted. A few examples of Android system apps are the Google Play Store app, your Contacts app, and even the Phone app.

Android fans have anticipated the ability to launch note-taking apps straight from the lockscreen for a long time, but the feature keeps getting delayed. Making Google Keep a system app could indicate that feature is on the way. As the majority of people use Keep from their phones, Google could improve the app’s popularity by making it more easily accessible.