Apps News Android 14 Can Block Users From Sideloading Very Old Apps Engadget

Google will soon give Android power users a safer way to sideload apps from unverified developers

Google is working on a new advanced flow that will let Android power users install apps from unverified developers while ensuring they understand the risks involved. Read More

Google will allow 'experienced users' to sideload unverified Android apps

In August, Google announced that it will implement a new safety feature that would require developers to verify their identities if they want Android users to be able to sideload their apps. Now, the ... Read More

Google will let ‘experienced users’ keep sideloading Android apps

Google says that it’s softening its plan to require every Android developer — even outside of the Play Store — to verify their identity, a move which critics warned could kill sideloading for good. Read More

Google Changes Its Mind Again, Will Allow 'Experienced' Android Users To Sideload Apps

Google now says that 'experienced users' will still be able to sideload Android apps, but it's not entirely clear what the company means yet. Read More

Android's New Sideloading Loophole Lets Power Users Install Unverified Apps

Google is backtracking on its decision to kill off sideloading, as it will develop a new flow for advanced users. Read More

Google Adds Advanced Sideloading Path for Expert Android Users

A striking statistic underlines the stakes: users who sideload apps are 80% more likely to have malware on their devices than those who stick to official app stores. That risk profile is central to ... Read More

Android App Sideloading Block May Have a Workaround Via This Tool

Google‘s new policy for Android has created a stir in the tech community. Recently, the company announced its plans to restrict app sideloading on certified devices starting in late 2026. This shift ... Read More

Android Users Can Continue to Sideload Apps Using This Method

Next year, Google will prohibit sideloading on Android—one of the few prominent things differentiating the Android operating system from Apple's iOS. Per the forthcoming policy, Google will ask all ... Read More

Google's plan to restrict sideloading on Android has a potential escape hatch for users

However, Samat’s statement did little to assuage people’s fears, as it didn’t explain a key part of the equation: the how. We know what Google wants to do (block Android apps from unverified ... Read More

Sideloading on Android? Soon It’ll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps

If you speak to most Android users, chances are they’ll tell you that one of the reasons Android is “better” than iOS is because of sideloading. Sideloading allows users to install apps that might not ... Read More

I've been an Android user for almost 15 years — and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone

Back in August, Google announced it would start implementing new rules for sideloading on Android, a change that would force developers to verify their identity in the name of "security." Needless to ... Read More

Android App Sideloading Block May Have a Workaround Via This Tool

Google plans to restrict app sideloading on Android from unverified developers starting in 2026, raising concerns among users. While the company cites security, many fear Android is becoming a closed ... Read More