How to Turn On or Off (disable) Google Play Protect on Android devices

Open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon, tap Play Protect, tap Settings, and switch Scan apps with Play Protect on or off.

This guide covers that switch on Samsung, Pixel and other Android phones, how to install one trusted APK without turning protection off, and what to do when Play Protect is missing or blocks an app.

Table of Contents

The fastest way to turn Google Play Protect on or off

Play Protect lives inside the Google Play Store app, so this route is the same on every Android phone that has Google Play.

Open the Google Play Store app.
Tap your profile icon at the top right.
Tap Play Protect.
Tap the Settings gear on the Play Protect screen.
Switch Scan apps with Play Protect on to protect the phone, or off to stop the scanning.

Play Protect is on by default, and Google recommends keeping it on. Turn it back on with the same switch as soon as the job that needed it off is done.

What Google Play Protect does on Android

Protection	What it does	When it runs
Pre-install check for Play apps	Runs a safety check on apps before you download them from Google Play	Every Play Store install
Device scan	Checks every app on the phone for harmful behaviour, wherever the app came from	Once a day, plus on-demand scans you start
Real-time check for other sources	Compares an APK against known harmful apps and on-device machine learning, and warns or blocks	When you install from a browser, file manager or messaging app
Code-level scan	Offers to send an app it has never seen to Google for a deeper check	Install time, for unknown apps
Harmful app removal	Notifies you, disables the app, or removes the most harmful ones automatically	After a detection
Financial fraud blocking	Blocks sideloaded apps that request SMS, notification or accessibility access	Install time, in select markets
Privacy alerts	Warns you when an app removed from Google Play can access your personal information	After Google removes the app from Play
Permission reset	Removes permissions from apps unused for 3 months	Android 6.0 to Android 10

Offline scanning also blocks well-known harmful apps while the phone has no connection, and a full scan runs once it reconnects.

Should you turn Google Play Protect off?

Almost every reason people give for turning Play Protect off has a narrower fix that leaves the scanner running.

Your situation	Do this instead	Why
You want to install one APK from a trusted developer	Allow Install unknown apps for that one source	Play Protect keeps scanning everything else
You do not want unknown apps uploaded to Google	Turn off Improve harmful app detection only	Scanning continues without automatic uploads
Play Store says Device is not certified	Fix the certification status	Turning Play Protect off does not fix certification
An app is blocked for sensitive permissions	Check the developer and get the app from Google Play	This block targets apps used in financial fraud
You are testing your own app as a developer	File a Play Protect appeal if your app is flagged in error	Google corrects the classification when the flag was an error
A work or school admin manages the phone	Ask the admin	Admins can force Play Protect on

If none of these rows fits, turning Play Protect off briefly and back on afterwards is the remaining option.

Before you start: what you need

Requirement	Why it matters
The Google Play Store app	Play Protect settings are inside it; phones without Google Play have no Play Protect switch
A Play Protect certified phone	Only certified devices are licensed to include Google apps such as the Play Store
An up-to-date Play Store	Menu labels follow the current Play Store version
A personally owned phone	On a work-managed phone, the admin policy force-enables app verification by default
Android 8.0 or later for per-app install permission	Earlier versions use a single Unknown sources switch instead

How to check whether Google Play Protect is on

Open the Google Play Store app and tap your profile icon.
Tap Play Protect and read the status, which shows when apps were last scanned.
Tap the Settings gear and confirm Scan apps with Play Protect is switched on.
Check Improve harmful app detection on the same screen if you also want unknown apps sent to Google automatically.
Go back to your profile icon, tap Settings, tap About, and read Play Protect certification to confirm the phone is certified.

On a Pixel, Settings > Security also shows an overall status such as No problems found at the top of the screen.

How to turn on Google Play Protect

Open the Google Play Store app.
Tap your profile icon at the top right.
Tap Play Protect, then tap the Settings gear.
Switch Scan apps with Play Protect on.
Switch Improve harmful app detection on to let Play Protect send unknown apps to Google automatically.
Go back to the Play Protect screen and start a scan so the phone is checked straight away.

With Improve harmful app detection off, Play Protect may still ask you to send a specific unknown app to Google before you install it.

How to turn off Google Play Protect

Two switches control Play Protect. Turning off only the second one keeps malware scanning running.

Open the Google Play Store app and tap your profile icon.
Tap Play Protect, then tap the Settings gear.
Switch Improve harmful app detection off if you only want to stop automatic uploads of unknown apps to Google.
Switch Scan apps with Play Protect off to stop scanning entirely.
Read any warning the Play Store shows and confirm only if you still want scanning off.
Finish the task that needed it off, then switch Scan apps with Play Protect back on.

Turning scanning off does not remove apps Play Protect already disabled. Open those apps' notifications or their app info page to decide what to keep.

How to manually scan your Android apps

Play Protect scans the phone once a day on its own. A manual scan contacts Google for the latest information and checks every installed app.

Open the Google Play Store app.
Tap your profile icon at the top right.
Tap Play Protect.
Tap the scan button on the Play Protect screen.
Wait for the result, which lists any harmful apps found.
Tap Uninstall on any app it flags.

The same screen shows when the phone was last scanned and which apps were checked.

How to allow APK installs without turning off Play Protect

Android blocks apps from outside Google Play until you allow a specific source. On Android 8.0 and later, that permission is set per app, such as one browser or one file manager.

Download the APK only from the developer's own website.
Open the file from the browser or file manager you downloaded it with.
Open the Install unknown apps setting for that browser or file manager when Android asks, and allow it.
Return and install the app. Let Play Protect scan it if it shows Play Protect hasn't seen this app before.
Go back to Install unknown apps and turn the permission off again for that source.
On Android 7.1.1 and earlier, use Settings > Security > Unknown sources instead, and switch it off afterwards.

If the installed app then asks for accessibility or notification access and Android refuses, that is a restricted setting. On Android 13 and later, open Settings > Apps, tap the app, tap More and tap Allow restricted settings, but only for a developer you trust.

Some mobile carriers do not allow installs from unknown sources at all.

How to turn Play Protect on or off on Samsung Galaxy phones

Galaxy phones use the same Play Store switch as every other certified Android phone.

Open the Play Store app from the Apps screen, not the Galaxy Store.
Tap your profile icon at the top right.
Tap Play Protect, then tap the Settings gear.
Switch Scan apps with Play Protect on or off.
Check the result on the Play Protect screen, which shows the scan status.

Apps from the Galaxy Store are also a non-Play source, and Play Protect checks them like any other sideloaded app.

How to turn Play Protect on or off on Google Pixel phones

Open the Settings app.
Tap Security and read the status at the top of the screen.
Tap App security to open Play Protect.
Tap the Settings gear and switch Scan apps with Play Protect on or off.
Use the Play Store route instead if your Pixel shows different labels: profile icon, Play Protect, Settings.

Google notes that some of these Settings labels vary by device and Android version.

How to turn Play Protect on or off on Xiaomi, Redmi, Poco, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Motorola phones

These brands ship their own security apps, but Play Protect is still Google's switch inside the Play Store.

Brand	Where the Play Protect switch is	What to watch for
Xiaomi, Redmi, Poco	Play Store > profile icon > Play Protect > Settings	GetApps is a separate install source that Play Protect still checks
Oppo, OnePlus	Play Store > profile icon > Play Protect > Settings	The OPPO App Market is a separate install source
Vivo	Play Store > profile icon > Play Protect > Settings	V-Appstore is a separate install source
Motorola	Play Store > profile icon > Play Protect > Settings	Same Play Store menu as other certified phones
Any model sold without Google Play	No Play Protect switch exists	Play Protect needs a certified phone with the Play Store

Xiaomi's GetApps, Oppo's App Market and vivo's V-Appstore are among the stores in Google's developer verification rollout that starts in September 2026.

What happens when Play Protect is off?

Area	With Play Protect on	With scanning off
Daily device scan	Every app is checked once a day	No daily check
Sideloaded APKs	Checked in real time and blocked when known to be harmful	Installed without the Play Protect check
Harmful app removal	Harmful apps are disabled or removed, with a notification	Harmful apps stay installed
Unknown source permission	Still required	Still required, because it is an Android setting
Device certification	Unchanged	Unchanged
Data sent to Google	App and URL information for malware protection	Google may still receive information about apps installed through Google Play

Turning Play Protect off does not unlock anything else. Android still asks for the Install unknown apps permission, and developer verification still applies where it is active.

What to do if Play Protect is missing

There is no Play Protect entry in the Play Store menu

The Play Store app is out of date, or the menu is under your profile icon rather than the side menu.

Tap your profile icon at the top right of the Play Store, not the menu on the left.
Tap Settings > About > Update Play Store.
Tap Got it and wait a few minutes for the update to install.
Reopen the Play Store and check the profile menu again.

The phone has no Google Play Store at all

Only Play Protect certified phones are licensed to include Google apps.

Check the maker's specification for the model and region.
Contact the manufacturer if the phone was sold as including Google apps.
Avoid installing Play Store copies from other sites, since Google apps on non-certified devices are not licensed and are not real Google apps.

The Play Store shows Device is not certified

Certification is separate from Play Protect, and turning Play Protect off or on does not change it.

Open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, and tap Settings > About.
Scroll to Play Protect certification.
Tap Fix device issue.
Follow the on-screen instructions.

What to do if Play Protect keeps turning itself back on

The switch will not stay off on a work or school phone

Android Management policy force-enables app verification by default, and only an admin can allow user choice.

Open Settings and look for a work profile or a note that your organisation manages the device.
Leave the switch on, because the policy will keep restoring it.
Ask the admin to approve the app you need, or to change the policy.
Install personal apps in the personal profile if the admin allows untrusted installs there.

The switch is back on after a Play Store change on a personal phone

Play Protect is on by default, and the setting belongs to the Play Store app.

Open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, and tap Play Protect > Settings.
Confirm which switch is on: Scan apps with Play Protect or Improve harmful app detection.
Use the per-source Install unknown apps permission instead of keeping scanning off.

What to do if Play Protect blocks an app you trust

This app can request access to sensitive data

The app came from a browser, messaging app or file manager and declares SMS, notification listener or accessibility permissions, which fraud apps misuse.

Stop if someone contacted you out of the blue and asked you to install the app.
Contact the organisation through its official website or a verified helpline.
Install the app from Google Play if the developer publishes it there.
Ask the developer to file a Play Protect appeal if the app is legitimate.

Play Protect hasn't seen this app before

The app is unknown to Google, so Play Protect recommends a code-level scan.

Tap the option to scan the app.
Wait for the result, which arrives a short time later.
Install only if the result says the app looks safe.

The app is blocked because the developer is not verified

Developer verification applies to certified devices on Android 8 and later in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand from September 2026.

Contact the developer and ask them to complete verification.
Only if you accept the risk, open Settings > System > Developer options.
Turn on Allow apps from unverified developers and follow the instructions, including a 24-hour security delay.
Choose whether to keep the option for seven days or indefinitely, then tap Install anyway on the warning.

This app was built for an older version of Android

The app targets an Android API level more than two versions below your phone's.

Look for a newer version from the developer.
Ask the developer to target a recent API level if no update exists.

How to update Play Protect and Google Play system components

Play Protect ships inside the Play Store and Google Play services, so it updates with them rather than on its own.

Open the Google Play Store app and tap your profile icon.
Tap Settings > About > Update Play Store, then tap Got it.
Open the Settings app and tap About phone > Android version to see the Google Play system update date.
Tap System > Software updates in Settings to check for new updates.
On a Pixel, tap Security > Google Play system update instead.
Connect to Wi-Fi and charge to at least 75% before a large update, then restart when asked.

Update schedules for Android itself vary by device, manufacturer and carrier.

Samsung Software update screen with Download and install highlighted — This is the phone's overall System > Software updates screen, separate from the Update Play Store step inside the Play Store app. (Image: samsung.com)

Privacy notes: what data Play Protect may use

Data	When Google may receive it	Can you stop it?
Network connections, harmful URLs, OS and installed apps	For malware protection	Partly, through device settings
Apps installed from outside Google Play	When you install them	Turn off Improve harmful app detection to stop automatic uploads
Log information, app URLs, device ID, Android version, IP address	When you install apps from outside Google Play	Tied to non-Play installs
App code details	When you agree to a code-level scan of an unknown app	Yes, by declining the scan
Information about apps installed through Google Play	Continuously	No, even with some protections disabled

Google processes this information under its Privacy Policy.

Best practices if you disable Play Protect temporarily

Write down why you are turning it off and what you will install.
Download the APK from the developer's own site, never from a link in a text message or email.
Install the one app, then switch Scan apps with Play Protect back on straight away.
Run a manual scan from the Play Protect screen once it is back on.
Refuse any app that asks for accessibility, SMS or notification access without a clear reason.
Turn off the Install unknown apps permission for the source you used.

Quick troubleshooting checklist

Check	Where	Fixes
Play Store is current	Profile icon > Settings > About > Update Play Store	Missing or renamed Play Protect menu
Device is certified	Profile icon > Settings > About > Play Protect certification	Device is not certified
No admin manages the phone	Settings, work profile or managed-device notice	Switch that will not stay off
Source is allowed	Install unknown apps for the browser or file manager	APK that will not install
System update is current	Settings > System > Software updates	Out-of-date Google Play system components

Frequently asked questions

Bing autocomplete for this query returned no Play Protect questions, so these come from the questions the ranking pages answer.

Is Google Play Protect the same as antivirus?

It does the same core job. Play Protect scans every app on an Android phone daily, checks new installs, and disables or removes harmful apps. It is built into the Play Store, so there is nothing extra to install on a certified phone.

Does Play Protect scan apps not installed from the Play Store?

Yes. It checks all apps on the device regardless of where they came from, and it runs a real-time check when you install an APK from a browser, file manager or messaging app.

Is it safe to turn off Google Play Protect?

Not for long. With scanning off, harmful apps are neither blocked nor removed. Google recommends keeping it on, and allowing a single install source is a safer way to install one trusted APK.

Will turning off Play Protect let me install any APK?

No. Android still requires the Install unknown apps permission for the source, some carriers block unknown sources, and developer verification applies separately where it is active. Play Protect is only one of these checks.

Can I disable only the data-sharing part of Play Protect?

Yes. In the Play Store, tap your profile icon, Play Protect, then Settings, and turn off Improve harmful app detection. Scanning keeps running, but unknown apps are no longer sent to Google automatically.

Can Play Protect remove apps automatically?

Yes. The most harmful apps are removed automatically, and you usually get a notification saying so. Less severe ones are disabled instead, keeping their data, and you choose whether to remove or re-enable them.

Why is Play Protect warning about an app from a trusted developer?

Usually because the app is new to Google, asks for sensitive permissions, or targets an old Android version. Let Play Protect scan it, check for a newer version, and ask the developer to file an appeal if the warning is wrong.

Does turning off Play Protect fix Device is not certified?

No. Device certification and Play Protect are separate. Open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, Settings, About, then Play Protect certification, and tap Fix device issue.

Where is Play Protect in the Play Store?

Tap your profile icon at the top right of the Google Play Store app, then tap Play Protect. The Settings gear on that screen holds the Scan apps with Play Protect switch.

Bottom line

Keep Scan apps with Play Protect on, and allow Install unknown apps for one source when you need a sideloaded app. That installs the app you trust while every other app on the phone is still scanned daily, and it avoids forgetting to switch protection back on.