Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting 2026

[Jord van der Elst]

Not sure if this affects BOINC in any way, but throwing this out here anyway as a warning.

As per https://9to5google.com/2025/08/25/android-apps-developer-verification/

"To combat malware and financial scams, Google announced today that only apps from developers that have undergone verification can be installed on certified Android devices starting in 2026.

This requirement applies to “certified Android devices” that have Play Protect and are preloaded with Google apps. The Play Store implemented similar requirements in 2023, but Google is now mandating this for all install methods, including third-party app stores and sideloading where you download an APK file from a third-party source."

And https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/08/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/

"Google says that only apps with verified identities will be installable on certified Android devices, which is virtually every Android-based device—if it has Google services on it, it's a certified device.

Google plans to begin testing this system with early access in October of this year. In March 2026, all developers will have access to the new console to get verified. In September 2026, Google plans to launch this feature in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. The next step is still hazy, but Google is targeting 2027 to expand the verification requirements globally."

-- Jord

[Jord van der Elst]

BOINC has an Android version that's available through Berkeley's download site only (https://boinc.berkeley.edu/download_all.php), which may be what Google means with sideloading. As in not available through the Google Play Store. 

-- Jord

On Thu, Aug 28, 2025 at 6:04 PM Chris Raisin <cra...@aussiebb.com.au> wrote:

I only run BOINC on Windows PCs. Surely Andoid is only mobile phones (?)

⁣Chris



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[Anna]

BOINC is also available on F-Droid:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/edu.berkeley.boinc/

By the way, Google left a form to submit feedback, feel free to write everything they deserve to hear.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfN3UQeNspQsZCO2ITkdzMxv81rJDEGGjO-UIDDY28Rz_GEVA/viewform

(source: https://developer.android.com/developer-verification)

P.S. I tried to reply from my personal e-mail address, but Google rejected it:

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> The response was:
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четверг, 28 августа 2025 г. в 21:27:04 UTC+5, Jord van der Elst: