this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2025
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Breaking: Google is easing up on Android's new sideloading restrictions! (www.androidauthority.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago by popcar2@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world
267 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Google: "Based on this feedback and our ongoing conversations with the community, we are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified. We are designing this flow specifically to resist coercion, ensuring that users aren't tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. It will also include clear warnings to ensure users fully understand the risks involved, but ultimately, it puts the choice in their hands."

Thank god. I would've ditched Android for good if this went through, and while it sounds like it would be annoying for casual users to enable unverified apps, at least we can still install them.

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[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 53 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

$100 says they're just going to make it require adb.

[–] popcar2@programming.dev 48 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm guessing they're going to hide it in developer tools with a bunch of warnings and no explanation on how to get there so regular users don't turn it on by accident.

[–] kokesh@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago

Which would actually make sense.

[–] pipe01@programming.dev 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Did you read the article?

The company is building a new ‘advanced flow’ that allows these users to accept the risks of installing unverified apps. Previously, the only permitted method for experienced users to install apps from unverified developers was to use ADB.

[–] kilgore_trout@feddit.it 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Google never actually mentioned ADB, so the article and you are misinformed.

[–] dev_null@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It is you who is misinformed, because they did specifically say you will be able to bypass it with ADB (which now is going to be made easier, presumably).

One place they said so is here: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/09/lets-talk-security-answering-your-top.html

[–] guy_threepwood@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If you need to use adb to set a flag once that’s not too bad I suppose…

[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Oh no nothing so user-friendly. They're gonna require them to be loaded via adb every time. And they'll say that's the only way they could do it for security or some shit.

[–] otter@lemmy.zip 19 points 2 weeks ago

That was already the case with the plan they had. This is supposedly something different.

[–] balsoft@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

That was the plan before this latest announcement. Presumably this will be something different, hopefully allowing F-Droid and friends to keep working on-device somehow.

[–] iturnedintoanewt@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

They'll make it requiring registration to enter a developer program or something to let you install crap.

[–] gian@lemmy.grys.it 2 points 2 weeks ago

Which would not be that much of a problem if not for the first 2 weeks, until someone put out a GUI to do it, with integration with app stores to download automatically the app...

oh wait...

[–] InfiniteStruggle@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

I really hope you're wrong

[–] tinned_tomatoes@feddit.uk 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

What? Can you please make an effort to learn something, anything, about what you're discussing before commenting on it?

Adb was always going to remain a viable method of installing "unsigned" apks. Google confirmed that pretty early on.

You now owe me $100.