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Since 2017, Google Play Protect has been keeping Android app users safe from tons of mobile malware. It’s true that several bad apps slip through, but the company has stopped an immense and growing number of bad apps from affecting users. According to Mishaal Rahman (via Android Police), Google Play Protect will start scanning sideloaded apps right when they’re installed.
When you sideload an Android app, you’re getting an app that’s not from the Google Play Store. The Play Store has an ocean of apps, but sideloading apps gives you the chance to download apps that are not available on the Play Store anymore. These could be apps that were taken down or older versions of apps that you enjoyed more.
However, since these apps aren’t on the Play Store, they’re not protected under Play Protect. They could have any sort of malware that could negatively affect your system. This is why, if you really must sideload, you do so from trusted sources.
Play Protect could scan sideloaded apps once you install them
Google Play Protect covers the apps that are on the Play Store. Before you tap on the Install button, you know that the app has been scanned for malware. However, that coverage doesn’t really extend to sideloaded apps. you’re able to manually trigger a scan of your sideloaded app, but it’s just not an automatic process.
However, Rahman discovered that Play Protect will have some new options. One option will have Play Protect automatically scan side-loaded apps as soon as they’re installed. This is a useful feature to have, as you never know if the app you sideloaded is trustworthy.
There’s another feature coming. When you sideload an app, Google will ask you to submit that app for testing. It will allow the company to gather more data to help it better detect malicious apps. This, and the other feature are both optional.
You should be able to find them by going to your settings, and going to Security & privacy then going to App security. You’ll see a gear icon on the top right of the screen. This is where you’ll see the options. However, this is not visible just yet.