Google released Android 16 for supported Pixel phones this week, putting pressure on Samsung to rush out One UI 8 to avoid any repeat of One UI 7’s frustrations. While the upgrade brings many new features, one stands out — but it comes with a warning.
Advanced Protection Mode, Google says, protects you from “online attacks, harmful apps, unsafe websites, scam calls and more.” Apple’s similar Lockdown Mode is just for “the very few individuals who, because of who they are or what they do, might be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats.”
Apple says “most people will never be targeted by attacks of this nature.” But Google’s Advanced Protection Mode is different. “Whether you’re an at-risk individual or you just prioritize security,” this “activates its strongest security for mobile devices, providing greater peace of mind that you’re protected against the most sophisticated threats.”
I highly recommend all users enable Advanced Protection after upgrading to Android 16. It enables almost all Android’s existing safeguards and prevents them from being disabled. These include theft protection, safe browsing, new scam defenses and auto-blocking unsafe networks and cables. Plus Play Protect, of course.
Play Protect is Google’s expansive Play Store monitoring and defense tool for known threats installed onto phones via apps, whether or not they come from Play Store. And this is where Advanced Protection Mode takes security to a new level for Android, with that new warning for users enabling the setting.
Advanced Protection Mode blocks sideloading — period. It cannot be disabled. “Only downloads from pre-loaded app stores will be allowed,” Google says. That doesn’t just mean Play Store, of course, Samsung’s store will also be allowed for example. Take Google’s “harmful app” warning seriously and stop any sideloading.
This is long overdue for the vast majority of Android users, who are tempted or lured into direct installs or links to third-party stores, installing dangerous, un-filtered apps onto their phones. Once Google flags a risk, it is added to Play Protect but in that interim period, vast numbers of Android users are put at risk.
You should enable Advanced Protection Mode, but even ahead of upgrading to Android 16 you should stop downloading any apps from outside official stores. It’s not worth the risk. Google has been heightening its sideloading warnings over the last year. This is a natural culmination of all those warnings and cyber reports flagging malicious apps.
This is a controversial step — sideloading is one of the key differentiators to iPhone, and a favored flexibility tool for diehard Android fans. But for all everyday users, it’s too easy an attack vector for bad actors. This latest upgrade is very welcome.
