Google to Allow One-Tap Android App Installs From Approved Third-Party Stores Outside U.S.
Oct 28, 2026
Mobile Security / App Security
Third-party Android app stores can now apply to Google for permission to install apps with one tap, without Android's usual confirmation screens, and to update them in the background. To qualify, a store must pass identity checks and send Google its full catalog , along with every new app and update, for ongoing malware scanning. Approved stores get the features from December 1, but only on devices running Android 17 QPR2 or later in supported countries , which do not include the US. Today, a user installing apps from a third-party store must first enable the store to install apps, then confirm each install and each update. From December 1, a store in Google's Registered App Stores program gets that permission automatically once it is approved, and its updates run in the background under the user's own update settings. Google announced the program in March , alongside changes it said resolved its disputes with Epic Games. Joining is optional, and sto...
