How to sideload Android apps on your phone in 2026 - and what's behind the changes
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET's key takeaways
- Google has changed the way sideloading works on Android.
- You must confirm you're not being coerced into doing so.
- There's also a 24-hour waiting period before the setting is available.
Sideloading apps on Android is the process of installing an app from a downloaded APK file. Think of it like installing an app from an .exe or .msi file on Windows. You download the file, tap on it, and wait for it to install.
That process has been around for quite some time. However, Google has, on and off, put the kibosh on it because of security concerns. Those concerns are legitimate. You could download an APK package from some unknown website that contains malware, and the next thing you know, your phone is compromised, your data is stolen, and things go south very quickly.
Also: I...
Copyright of this story solely belongs to zdnet.com. To see the full text click HERE
