Google has started the first enforcement phase of Android developer verification in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, introducing a more restrictive installation path for apps from unverified developers. On certified Android 7-and-newer phones and tablets, users who choose that path may have to wait 24 hours before installing the app.
The advanced flow requires users to enable Developer Mode, confirm they are not being instructed by another person to disable protections, restart the device and sign in again. After the 24-hour delay, they must reconfirm their decision with a fingerprint, face authentication or PIN.
- Enable Developer Mode.
- Confirm that another person is not directing them to disable security protections.
- Restart the device and sign in again.
- Wait 24 hours.
- Authenticate again with a fingerprint, face recognition or PIN to confirm the change.
Once completed, the user can allow installations from unverified developers for seven days or indefinitely. Google says the waiting period is designed to disrupt phone-based fraud, in which scammers guide victims through security-setting changes and push them to install malicious APKs.
Initial enforcement is limited
The September 30, 2026 phase does not yet apply to every sideloaded APK in the four test markets. Mandatory verification currently covers installations through participating app stores, while apps distributed through other stores or installed directly through sideloading are not yet subject to the new requirements in this phase. Android Debug Bridge installations are also unchanged and do not face the 24-hour delay.
The participating stores are:
- Google Play
- Samsung Galaxy Store
- HONOR App Market
- OPPO App Market
- Xiaomi GetApps
- vivo V-Appstore
- Transsion Palm Store
The program verifies the developer identity and an app’s package name rather than requiring every APK to be published on Google Play. Developers can still distribute software through their own websites, alternative stores and other channels, but registration with Google is needed for the standard installation experience on certified Android devices.
Google says more than 99% of Play Store apps are already registered automatically. The company cites its analysis finding more than 90 times as much malware in sideloading sources as in Google Play. It also offers limited-distribution accounts for students and hobby developers, allowing an app to be shared with up to 20 devices without government ID or the standard registration fee.
Google’s timeline calls for a global rollout on certified Android devices beginning in 2027. That would affect mainstream devices that ship with Google services, while preserving sideloading in a more controlled form for apps whose developers have not been verified.
