Installing apps from outside the Play Store is about to get much easier. With Android 17, Google is overhauling how users can download and set up third-party app stores, introducing a system called “Registered App Stores.” This change is part of Google’s legal settlement with Epic Games and is set to simplify one of Android’s historically complicated features.
A single screen for app store installs
Currently, installing a rival app store on Android involves several manual steps, including granting special permissions and confirming multiple security warnings. Android 17 will eliminate these hurdles with a new single-tap process.
Under the new system, any certified “Registered App Store” will be able to launch a unified installation screen when users tap a download link. This new interface clearly explains that the store is recognized by Google and details the permissions it requires to install other apps. Once the user confirms, the store gains the necessary access automatically—no more digging through system settings or toggling unknown sources manually.
To ensure consistency, Google has also agreed that phone makers cannot add their own warning screens or extra prompts to block or delay this process. This guarantees that all Android 17 devices will offer the same streamlined, frictionless experience.
Epic Games settlement drives the change
This policy shift stems directly from the Epic v. Google legal case, which accused Google of unfairly restricting app distribution outside its Play Store. While the settlement eases app store restrictions across Android, it includes special terms for Epic itself.
Epic will not release a full version of the Epic Games Store on Google Play, but it can choose to list individual apps like Fortnite there. The deal also marks a truce between the two companies, allowing Google to focus on creating a more open Android ecosystem while redirecting Epic’s attention to Apple’s tightly controlled App Store policies.
Rolling out with Android 17 in 2026
Google plans to deliver these changes by the end of 2026, packaged within the initial launch of Android 17. Once implemented, Android users will have a more convenient and transparent way to explore alternative app marketplaces—something that could reshape the mobile software landscape in the years ahead.