Formed in 2009, the Archive Team (not to be confused with the archive.org Archive-It Team) is a rogue archivist collective dedicated to saving copies of rapidly dying or deleted websites for the sake of history and digital heritage. The group is 100% composed of volunteers and interested parties, and has expanded into a large amount of related projects for saving online and digital history.
Elevating Android security to keep it open and safe
By making Android safer, we're protecting the open environment that allows developers and users to confidently create and connect. Android's new developer verification is an extra layer of security that deters bad actors and makes it harder for them to repeatedly spread harm. Starting in September 2026, apps in select regions must be registered by a verified developer to be installed on certified Android devices.
To get verified, you'll need to complete two main steps
Step 1
Verify your identity
- You will need to provide and verify your personal details, like your legal name, address, email address, and phone number.
- If you're registering as an organization, you'll also need to provide a D-U-N-S number and verify your organization's website.
- You may also need to upload official government ID.
Step 2
Register your package names
- Prove ownership of your apps by providing the APK signed with your private key to connect the APK with your developer account.
What type of distribution do I need?
Full distribution
Best for organizations and professional developers with wide distribution. This account offers unlimited apps and installs. If you publish apps only outside of Google Play, create an Android Developer Console account to verify your identity and register package names.
Need a quick refresher? Read our Android Developer Console PDF or web guide.
Need a quick refresher? Read our Android Developer Console PDF or web guide.
Limited distribution
We're committed to keeping Android an open platform for you to learn, experiment, and build for fun. If you are a developer who doesn't distribute apps widely, we recognize that your needs may be different from commercial developers and have provided this free account for you. To maintain ecosystem security, apps can be installed on up to 20 devices that end-users have explicitly authorized.
Learn more and sign up for early access.
Learn more and sign up for early access.
For Google Play developers
If you distribute apps through Google Play, you've likely already completed these steps. Play will use the information you've already shared to automatically register your apps. If you distribute apps outside of Google Play, you can manually register them through the Play Console.
Get ready
We're providing as much guidance as possible to help you prepare.
Guide
Read the Android developer verification guide
to understand the basics of identity verification
Interest form
For students and hobbyists
Sign up for early access to experiment with free, limited distribution accounts.
Advanced flow
For developers who don't want to verify
Preview the advanced flow to see how we'll serve power users who want the ability to download unverified apps.
Timeline
We’re announcing the changes early and proactively getting developer feedback to ensure our solutions are balanced.
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | Announced new developer verification requirements. |
| Nov 2025 | Early access began for both Android Developer Console and Play Console. |
| Mar 2026 | Verification opens for all developers. |
| Jun 2026 | Early access starts for limited distribution accounts. |
| Aug 2026 | Limited distribution account launches globally. Advanced flow for users launches globally. |
| Sep 2026 | The verification requirement goes into effect in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. At this point, any app installed on a certified device in these regions must be registered by a verified developer. |
| 2027 and beyond | We will continue to roll out this requirement globally. |
Latest News
Blog
Rolling out to all developers on Play and Android consoles
Over the next few weeks, we're opening the verification process to everyone through Android Developer Console and the Play Console.
Blog
Balancing openness and choice with safety
Preview our advanced flow to ensure power users can sideload apps from unverified developers.
YouTube
Preview how users can sideload your apps
Watch a quick explainer on how the new advanced flow works.
YouTube
Android developer verification
To protect users from malware and scams, Android has launched Android developer verification, a program that verifies developers identities.