Google will let approved third-party app stores install apps with one tap on Android, starting December 1, 2026. These Registered App Stores can also update apps in the background, the way Google Play does. The feature needs Android 17 QPR2 or later and only works in countries on Google’s list. Store operators can apply now.
That list includes India, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia. Mexico, Malaysia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey are on it too. A catch-all Rest of the World entry rounds it out. Google’s list doesn’t name the US, the UK or any EU country. Mainland China isn’t on it either.
When we covered Google Play opening to rival stores in the US, Google had no confirmed timeline for other countries. It now has one.
How Android Registered App Stores work
Google’s FAQ describes the program as OS-level capabilities for verified stores, led by one-tap installs. Taking part is optional. Stores that don’t enroll can keep working on Android as they do today.
- Country rules: availability follows your home account country. Short trips abroad won’t break one-tap installs or auto-updates, but a permanent move can.
- Uninstalling a store: its apps stay on your phone but stop updating automatically. Reinstalling the store brings updates back.
- Work phones: IT admins can block Registered App Stores on managed devices.
A Google spokesperson described the timing like this, according to Ars Technica:
Eligible app stores outside the US can now apply to register their stores ahead of the new simplified installation experience rolling out to users later this year.
What store operators pay
Registration costs $10,000 a year. Google’s enrollment page says the fee must be paid before its eligibility review begins. Ars reports there may be extra review fees if Google detects malware problems. Stores must also meet rules on IP protection, illegal content removal and privacy policies. Per Ars, they have to upload copies of all their apps too.
Why the US works differently
Google announced the program in March 2026 as part of its Epic settlement, which was later withdrawn for the US. In the US, rival stores are instead distributed inside Google Play under a court order. Google’s FAQ calls that path Third-Party App Store on Play. Aptoide Games became the first rival store listed there.
The catch for buyers
This gives Android users outside the US a smoother way to use stores other than Play. Still, Google sets the rules and collects the fee, so it decides which rival stores get the easy path. Stores that skip the $10,000 fee keep the clunkier install flow.
Timing is the other limit. Ars expects QPR2 to reach Pixel phones within weeks. It also notes that many phones in supported countries update slowly or may never get a compatible build. For now, QPR2 is still in beta, with Beta 7 reaching Pixels on October 10.
Source: Android Developers FAQ, Android Developers enrollment page, Ars Technica
