Android Freedom Is Over? Google to Block Sideloading Without Developer Verification

Google to Block Unverified Apps on Android and Google TV Starting 2026

Google is set to begin blocking the installation of apps on Android devices, including Google TV, unless the app developers have undergone pre-verification. At present, users can download applications for Google TV or Android phones from Google’s own platform, Google Play, as well as from various alternative stores and websites. This latter method is known as sideloading (the manual installation of APK files), and it is this method that Google intends to regulate more rigorously. While this option will not be completely eliminated, developers will now need to be pre-verified by Google before their applications can be installed on Google-certified devices such as Chromecast and Google TV from manufacturers like TCL, Sony, Philips, and others.

Google to Block Android App Downloads from Unverified Developers

“In order to enhance user protection against attackers distributing malware and fraudulent applications, we are implementing an additional security measure – developer verification,” stated Suzanne Frey, vice president of product, trust, and development for Android.

This verification method was first introduced in the Google Play Store in 2023, and the company reports that it has already produced favorable outcomes. Beginning in 2026, this verification requirement will extend to sideloading, starting in select countries and eventually rolling out worldwide. This marks a significant shift for Android, which may lead to some frustration among certain users.

Google to Block Android App Downloads from Unverified Developers

Beginning next year, Android will mandate that all applications be registered with verified developers prior to installation on certified Android devices. This measure introduces essential accountability and significantly complicates the process for attackers aiming to swiftly distribute a new malicious application after the previous one has been removed,” Frey elaborates.

“Consider an airport identity verification: it confirms the traveler’s identity without inspecting their luggage. Similarly, we will authenticate the developer’s identity, but we will not examine the app’s content or its origin. The implementation of these changes will commence in several countries that are particularly vulnerable to scams, which frequently originate from the same sources.

Devices constructed on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), where Google does not play a role, will continue to allow sideloading without any limitations.

Google to Block Android App Downloads from Unverified Developers

The company states that this initiative is designed to achieve a balance between transparency and security.
“As new threats have arisen, we have consistently adapted our defenses. In light of recent attacks, particularly those targeting the theft of financial information from mobile devices, we have heightened developer accountability to deter misuse. We have observed that attackers often operate under the veil of anonymity, endangering users by impersonating reputable developers and leveraging their brands to produce convincing counterfeit applications,” explains Susanne Frey.

“The magnitude of this threat is considerable: our latest analysis revealed that online sideloading is responsible for 50 times more malware than applications available on Google Play.”

Marcus Carlsen
Author: Marcus Carlsen