Google’s new Android sideloading safeguards are now active in Brazil, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. On phones running Android 7 or later, users must complete several additional steps before installing apps from unregistered developers or app stores.

The changes are part of Google’s broader effort to make app installation more difficult for scammers who pressure people into downloading malicious software. However, the added friction has also raised concerns among Android users who see the process as a move toward a more restricted, iOS-style ecosystem.

How Android’s new sideloading process works

Users in the four markets must first enable a setting in Android’s Developer Options. They then need to authenticate their identity, restart the device and wait 24 hours before they can sideload apps from unregistered sources.

Once enabled, the permission can remain active for seven days or indefinitely, depending on the option selected by the user. This gives people a way to install software outside the approved store system, but it makes the process substantially less immediate than traditional Android sideloading.

The design is intentionally inconvenient. Google’s stated rationale is that a delay and authentication requirement could interrupt scams in which attackers persuade users to install harmful apps during a phone call or online interaction.

Which Android app stores are authorized?

Google’s currently authorized app stores include:

  • Google Play
  • Samsung Galaxy Store
  • Honor App Market
  • Oppo App Market
  • Xiaomi GetApps
  • vivo V-Appstore
  • Transsion Palm Store

Apps distributed through these stores are treated differently from software delivered by unregistered developers or stores. The new process is therefore aimed primarily at installations outside the recognized app-store ecosystem.

Where the restrictions apply

Brazil, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia are the first countries receiving the new sideloading flow. Google has indicated that the changes will expand to additional markets, although the available announcement does not specify which countries will follow or when the rollout will reach them.

For now, the rules do not remove sideloading from Android. Users can still enable the required option and choose whether the authorization lasts for a limited period or indefinitely. The main change is that installing an unregistered app now requires more preparation and a mandatory waiting period in the affected markets.

Why the rollout matters

Android has historically distinguished itself from iOS by allowing users to install apps from outside its main store. Google’s new approach preserves that capability while adding safeguards that may reduce abuse, but it also gives users less instant control over third-party installations.

The rollout will show whether the additional barriers reduce malicious app installations without discouraging legitimate users and developers. As the process reaches more countries, Android users will have to weigh the platform’s traditional openness against Google’s effort to make sideloading safer.