Android sideloading remains, but Google introduces stricter "advanced flow" process

A hot potato: A year after announcing the most significant change to Android in a long time, Google is now introducing a new process aimed at making the mobile platform "open" again. Mountain View says the move is intended to balance openness with safety, but some users are expressing strong frustration nonetheless.

Google has confirmed that Android will not retire app sideloading, but the company is implementing measures that make the process cumbersome – something only "power users" are likely to attempt. According to Matthew Forsythe, the newly introduced advanced flow is designed to protect users from potential coercion, scams, or malicious software.

In 2025, Mountain View announced that app developers would be required to register with Google using a standard, government-issued ID. Some third-party developers and alternative app stores, such as F-Droid, opposed the change, prompting Google to retract its original plan. The advanced flow was ultimately introduced to address ...