Short answer: The AndroGel 1.62% label starts at 40.5 mg of testosterone (2 pump actuations or one 40.5 mg packet) once daily in the morning on the shoulders and upper arms. The dose ranges from 20.25 mg to 81 mg. It is adjusted by 20.25 mg using a pre-dose morning testosterone test at about 14 and 28 days after starting or after a change.
This is what the FDA label says. Follow your prescriber. Your prescriber may use a different dose or pace than the label's standard schedule.
What AndroGel is approved for: AndroGel 1.62% is approved as testosterone replacement in adult males with low or absent natural testosterone due to primary hypogonadism (testicular failure) or hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (a pituitary or hypothalamus cause). The label says safety and efficacy have not been established in men with "age-related" (late-onset) hypogonadism or in males under 18 (section 1).
Source
ANDROGEL (testosterone gel) 1.62% for topical use, prescribing information and Medication Guide. ASCEND Therapeutics US. DailyMed, version published November 17, 2025. DailyMed setid f4e8d29b-8707-4d47-e053-2a95a90aecee
AndroGel 1.62% is applied once daily in the morning to clean, dry, intact skin of the upper arms and shoulders, in the area a short-sleeve t-shirt covers. It is not applied to the abdomen, genitals, chest, armpits or knees (sections 2.1, 2.2).
Each pump actuation delivers 20.25 mg of testosterone. Packets come in 20.25 mg and 40.5 mg. The pump is primed with 3 actuations, discarded, before the first dose only (sections 2.2, 3).
After applying, hands are washed with soap and water and the dry site is covered with clothing. Swimming, showering or washing the site is avoided for at least 2 hours (section 2.2).
The table below is the label's schedule, from the Dosage and Administration section. Numbers are copied exactly; the section is in brackets.
| Pre-Dose Morning Total Serum Testosterone Concentration | Dose Titration |
|---|---|
| Greater than 750 ng/dL | Decrease daily dose by 20.25 mg (1 pump actuation or the equivalent of one 20.25 mg packet) |
| Equal to or greater than 350 and equal to or less than 750 ng/dL | No change: continue on current dose |
| Less than 350 ng/dL | Increase daily dose by 20.25 mg (1 pump actuation or the equivalent of one 20.25 mg packet) |
| Total Dose of Testosterone | Total Pump Actuations | Upper Arm and Shoulder #1 | Upper Arm and Shoulder #2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20.25 mg | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 40.5 mg | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 60.75 mg | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 81 mg | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Total Dose of Testosterone | Total packets | Upper Arm and Shoulder #1 | Upper Arm and Shoulder #2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20.25 mg | One 20.25 mg packet | One 20.25 mg packet | 0 |
| 40.5 mg | One 40.5 mg packet | Half of contents of One 40.5 mg packet | Half of contents of One 40.5 mg packet |
| 60.75 mg | One 20.25 mg packet AND One 40.5 mg packet | One 40.5 mg packet | One 20.25 mg packet |
| 81 mg | Two 40.5 mg packets | One 40.5 mg packet | One 40.5 mg packet |
Before starting, hypogonadism is confirmed by morning serum testosterone measured on at least two separate days, with both results below the normal range.
The starting dose is 40.5 mg of testosterone (2 pump actuations or one 40.5 mg packet) once daily in the morning.
The dose can be adjusted between a minimum of 20.25 mg (1 pump actuation or one 20.25 mg packet) and a maximum of 81 mg (4 pump actuations or two 40.5 mg packets).
The dose is titrated using the pre-dose morning serum testosterone from a single blood draw at about 14 days and 28 days after starting or after a dose change, and testosterone is checked periodically after that.
The application site and dose of AndroGel 1.62% are not substitutable with other topical testosterone products.
Hematocrit is checked before starting, 3 to 6 months after starting, and then once a year. If it is high, therapy is stopped until it falls.
Blood pressure is checked periodically, especially in men with high blood pressure.
The lipid profile is checked periodically, particularly after starting testosterone.
The AndroGel 1.62% label gives no missed-dose instruction. Ask your prescriber what to do if a morning dose is missed.
Dosing for AndroGel 1.62% differs from AndroGel 1%, which has its own prescribing information and a different dose (its label starts at 50 mg).
Topical testosterone products may have different doses, strengths or application instructions that can give different exposure, and AndroGel 1.62% is not substitutable with them (sections 1, 2.1).
In Dose Track you set up AndroGel as a protocol with the dose and schedule your prescriber gave you. A protocol can hold dose steps, each with its own dose and length in days or weeks, so a step-up plan like the one on the label can be entered once and the app moves to the next step on its own. Reminders follow the schedule, and every dose is logged with the date and time, so you can see which step you are on and when your last dose was. The app follows what you enter; it does not choose or change a dose.
This page is what the FDA label says, in plain words. It is not medical advice. Follow your prescriber, and ask them or your pharmacist about anything here.