Google is introducing a new safety feature that will require developers to verify their identity before their apps can be sideloaded onto Android devices. The company said this change is a direct response to a recent analysis that found 50 times more malware from sideloaded apps than from those on the Google Play Store. The goal is to better protect users from “bad actors spreading malware and scams.”
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To implement this, Google is creating a new Android Developer Console specifically for developers who distribute apps outside of the Google Play Store. Developers will use this console to authenticate their identity and register their app’s package name. Once verified, their apps will be installable on certified Android devices, which includes nearly all Android phones sold in the U.S. and Europe that come with Google Play.
Google described the new process as similar to an “ID check at the airport,” emphasizing that it will only confirm the developer’s identity. The company clarified that this new requirement will not involve reviewing the app’s content and will not restrict developers from distributing their apps on other platforms.
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The new developer verification will begin rolling out in late 2026 in Brazil, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, with a global rollout to follow.
