Google is rolling out a new “advanced flow” setting that lets Android users sideload apps from outside the Play Store while keeping core anti-scam protections in place.
The announcement follows Google‘s settlement earlier this month of a long-running legal dispute with Epic Games over anticompetitive practices on the Play Store. As part of that settlement, the company agreed to cut its Play Store commission to 20% on in-app purchases, with an additional 5% if developers opt into Google‘s billing system.
Last year, Google announced it would require all Android apps to be registered by verified developers before they could be installed on certified devices — a measure aimed at blocking malware distribution, financial fraud, and personal data theft through apps distributed outside its store. The new flow gives users a path around that requirement without eliminating the friction that protects against social engineering.
How the process works
The multi-step process starts with enabling developer mode inside Android‘s system settings. That step alone blocks the kind of single-tap bypass that scammers frequently engineer under pressure. According to the announcement, scammers typically manufacture urgency — threats of financial loss, legal action, or harm to a family member — and stay on the phone with victims while walking them through disabling device protections.
After developer mode is enabled, the device prompts a check to confirm no one is coaching the user through the process. The phone then restarts and requires reauthentication, cutting off any active calls or remote access a scammer might be using to observe the screen.
A one-time, one-day waiting period follows. Google says this window exists specifically because scammers depend on urgency, and a 24-hour pause gives users time to reconsider. Once the period ends, users confirm the change using biometric authentication — fingerprint or face unlock — or their device PIN.
After completing the flow, users can install apps from unverified developers. They choose between a seven-day window or an indefinite setting. A warning that the app comes from an unverified developer still appears, but users can dismiss it with a single tap.
Free accounts for students and hobbyists
Google is also offering free, limited distribution accounts for students and hobbyists who want to share apps with groups of up to 20 users, without requiring a government ID or a registration fee.
According to the report, 57% of adults globally experienced a scam in 2025, a figure drawn from the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and cited by Google to explain why the new flow was designed with as many deliberate friction points as it was.
Photo by Tim Witzdam on Unsplash
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