Android Developer Verification
Google has rolled out Android Developer Verification to all developers. The program requires developers to verify their identity and register the package names of the Android apps they distribute, even apps that are not distributed on Google Play.
If you distribute Android apps with Aptoide Connect, this requirement applies to you.
Aptoide cannot complete Google's developer verification or package-name registration on your behalf. These steps must be completed by you, directly with Google.
What is Android Developer Verification?
Android Developer Verification links a real-world entity (an individual or an organization) to the Android apps they distribute. All apps must be registered by a verified developer to be installed on certified Android devices, regardless of where the app is downloaded from.
The program has two parts:
- Identity verification — you confirm who you are (or who your organization is) with Google, using official documentation.
- Package-name registration — you create a verifiable link between your app's unique package name (e.g.
com.example.app) and your app signing key (the certificate used to sign your APK), proving that you own the app.
Google introduced this to remove the cover of anonymity from bad actors and make it harder to spread malware.
Does this apply to your Aptoide apps?
Because Android Developer Verification covers apps distributed outside Google Play, it applies to the apps you distribute through Aptoide — and to the partner stores in Aptoide Connect's distribution network that your app reaches. Pay particular attention if, for one or more of your apps:
- The package name used with Aptoide is different from the package name used for your Google Play app; or
- The app is not on Google Play at all.
In these cases, the package name you distribute through Aptoide may not yet be registered under a verified developer account with Google. Register every package name you distribute so your apps stay installable on certified Android devices once verification is enforced for the stores and channels you use — see the rollout below.
Review every package name you distribute through Aptoide and make sure each one is registered with Google by the deadline below.
Enforcement timeline
Google is rolling verification out gradually, and enforcement is switched on per app store, not for every channel at once. It first applies to installs from a set of large app stores, then expands to all other third-party stores and channels:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| September 30, 2026 | Enforcement begins in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, initially for installs from a first set of stores (Google Play, HONOR, OPPO, Samsung, Transsion, vivo, and Xiaomi). On certified devices in these regions, apps installed from those stores must be registered by a verified developer. |
| 2027 and beyond | The rollout widens to more regions and is planned to expand to all third-party Android app stores — including Aptoide — so verification will eventually apply to the apps you distribute through us. |
This affects more than the Aptoide store itself — and, for some channels, sooner. Aptoide Connect distributes your app across a network of partner stores, and several of those partners are in Google's first enforcement wave — including Xiaomi GetApps and OPPO App Market. So even though the Aptoide store itself falls under the later (2027 and beyond) rollout, an app you distribute through Aptoide Connect can already be enforced on those partner stores as early as September 30, 2026 in the regions above — don't assume you have until 2027. Because a single identity verification and package-name registration covers your app across every store and channel — and identity verification can take time to review — complete it as soon as possible rather than waiting for any one store's deadline.
How to verify and register your package names
There are two paths, depending on whether you already use Google Play.
Path A — You already use Google Play Console
If you distribute on Google Play (even if some apps or package names are only on Aptoide), use your existing Google Play Console account to register any package names you distribute outside Google Play.
Google automatically registers most package names that already use Play App Signing, so many of your apps may already be covered. Open the Android developer verification page in Play Console to see which are registered, and use the manual steps below for any that aren't — for example, a package name you distribute only through Aptoide.
- In Google Play Console, open the Android developer verification page.
- Go to the Package names tab and select Register package name.
- Enter the package name to register, along with a friendly name to help you identify it in the console.
- Provide your app's SHA-256 public certificate fingerprint (your app signing key). If your key appears on the list of eligible keys, select it.
- Prove ownership of the signing key:
- Create a file named
adi-registration.propertiesin your APK'sassetsfolder. - Paste the unique snippet provided by Play Console into that file.
- Build and sign a release APK with your private key.
- Upload the signed APK to Play Console.
- Create a file named
- Google verifies the signature. Once confirmed, you receive an email and the package status updates to Registered.
For full details, see Google's guide: Registering Android package names (Play Console Help).
Path B — You do not distribute on Google Play
If your apps are only distributed outside Google Play (for example, only through Aptoide), use the new Android Developer Console to verify your identity and register your package names.
1. Create an Android Developer Console account
Sign up with your Google Account at android.google.com/developerconsole/developers. You can create a Personal account (for an individual developer) or an Organization account (for a business, non-profit, or other entity). A one-time US$25 registration fee applies (comparable to the Google Play Console registration fee) and covers all the package names you register.
2. Verify your identity
You must complete identity verification before you can register any package names — registration is blocked until verification is finished.
- For individuals, you'll provide your legal name and address, contact details (a private email and a phone number verified via one-time password), a government-issued photo ID, and a proof-of-address document.
- For organizations, you'll additionally need a D-U-N-S number (a free 9-digit identifier from Dun & Bradstreet), a verified website (verified through Google Search Console), and official organization documents (such as incorporation or tax documents).
3. Register your package names
Once verified, open the Packages page and, for each app:
- Enter the package name you want to register.
- Add your app's SHA-256 certificate fingerprint (your signing key).
- Prove ownership for existing package names: sign an APK with your private key, add the snippet provided by the Android Developer Console to the APK's
assetsfolder, and upload the APK to complete the challenge.
When the challenge succeeds, you'll receive an email confirmation and the package status updates to Registered.
For the full walkthrough, see Google's guide: Register on Android Developer Console.
Make sure you register each package name with the same signing key that signs the APKs you distribute through Aptoide. If your Aptoide app is signed by Google Play App Signing, see Sign your APK via Google Play Developer Console to confirm which certificate is applied to your published builds.
A note on duplicate package names
If more than one developer has distributed the same package name, Google decides who is eligible to register it based on install share, generally the signing key responsible for the majority (or a sizeable share) of installs has priority. If you are not eligible to register a package name you legitimately own, Google provides an appeal/sharing process where you can submit proof of ownership and a reason for use. See Google's Android Developer Console guide for the eligibility rules.
FAQ
Can Aptoide verify my identity or register my package names for me?
No. Identity verification and package-name registration can only be completed by you, through Google Play Console or the Android Developer Console.
Which of my apps do I need to register?
Every package name you distribute through Aptoide that isn't already registered under a verified developer account with Google, in particular any whose package name differs from your Google Play app, or that isn't on Google Play.
What happens if I don't complete it?
Once verification is enforced for a given store, region, and channel, apps that are not registered by a verified developer can be blocked from being installed and updated on certified Android devices there. Some of the partner stores Aptoide Connect distributes to — such as Xiaomi GetApps and OPPO App Market — are in Google's first enforcement wave (September 30, 2026 in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand), so unregistered apps can be affected from that date; enforcement then expands to more stores and regions over time.
I already verified for my Google Play apps. Am I done?
Not necessarily. You still need to make sure every package name you distribute through Aptoide — including any that only exist on Aptoide — is registered with Google.
Where can I get more help?
Start with Google's official resources below. If you need support reviewing the package names you distribute through Aptoide, email us at [email protected] — we're here to help.