Android’s New Advanced Flow: How To Sideload Apps After Google’s 2026 Security Update

Android’s most diehard fans were less than pleased when Google announced plans to limit the sideloading of apps, in an effort to create a more secure platform. The backlash from power users was immediate, with the developers behind the popular third-party app store F-Droid penning a scathing letter denouncing the coming clampdown. Today, fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the company has laid out how it plans to move forward with security best practices while also maintaining Android’s openness.

Matthew Forsythe, Director of Product Management and Android App Safety, says that Google has taken user and community feedback to heart. Leading to new policies and measures that will “ensure these protections are robust yet respectful of platform freedom.” Adding that it means users won’t “have to choose between an open ecosystem and a secure one.”

The solution the company settled on is called Advanced Flow, which will allow power users to continue sideloading apps from unverified developers. Enabling this is a one-time process that involves navigating to a device’s settings, toggling on the developer mode and passing through a check meant to protect less advanced users from being tricked into enabling this by scammers.


Once those steps are complete, users will need to restart their device and reauthenticate with their password. Moreover, there is a protective waiting period that lasts a day alongside another authentication request before a apps can be installed. These measures have been designed to slow down a potential scam, as bad actors often rely on creating a sense of urgency in victims.

After that, users will be able to install apps from unverified developers and opt to allow this for 7 days or indefinitely. However, users will continue to see warning messages informing them when an app comes from an unverified developer, which will require tapping on “Install Anyway” for confirmation when the message appears.

Some power users will likely be annoyed by having to jump through the extra hoops, but it’s a reasonable way to balance security with openness. Google says that Advanced Flow will begin to roll out in August.