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Google will Introduce New Android App Rules with Mandatory ID Verification

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Business Honor - Android App Rules: ID ChecK

Business Honor
26 August, 2025

All Android app developers must register with Google from 2026, including those outside the Play Store, for security.

Google has made a major change to the way Android devices install apps. Starting in 2026, all developers of Android applications—even those who do not use the Play Store—will be required to confirm their identity with Google before their apps can be installed on approved Android devices. Till now, only developers that distribute apps on the Play Store have been required to go through the verification process since 2024. But this new restriction will apply to all apps, even those installed from sites or acquired through external app stores. Devices running altered ROMs or those without Google services, like some Chinese phones, will not be impacted.

As stated by Google, its goal is to improve user safety. According to the business, the chances of viruses in apps downloaded from sites other than the Play Store are 50 times higher. Google aims to make it harder for attackers to continue distributing apps after they have been banned by implementing verification. In order to allow this approach, a new Android Developer Console will be released in March 2026. Tests will start very soon, and the rules will be adopted worldwide by 2027. It’ll be first introduced in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand by September 2026.

After Google's failure in an antitrust lawsuit against Epic Games, this step was taken. As a result, Google has decided to provide access to all Play Store apps and allow third-party app shops on the Play Store. As the ecosystem for Android expands up, some believe Google has adopted new rules to maintain control. Some developers fear that this change could reduce the freedom that once made Android unique, yet Google claims it is about security and accountability.