Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about Google's Android developer verification program and the app lockdown. We will keep expanding this page as the situation develops.

Why did the lockdown date change from September 2026 to January 2027?

The lockdown was initially stated to start in September 2026 in four initial countries. It has since been updated to limit the initial rollout to a specific list of Android app stores, which does not include F-Droid. This means that the activation in September will NOT affect F-Droid itself or any apps installed through F-Droid. The date at which the lockdown will start impacting F-Droid users is not yet published. We will keep this page updated with any new timeline details that we are given. For more details, see Google's developer verification FAQ.