Android 17 introduces registered app stores and streamlined installs

Android 17 is set to deliver one of the biggest simplifications for installing alternative app stores. Following a settlement between Google and Epic Games, the system will introduce a “registered app stores” framework that lets users add competing catalogs through a single, streamlined prompt, without extra warnings or detours.

Google is changing how apps are loaded outside Google Play. From Android 17 onward, certified third-party stores will be able to use a standardized, simplified installation flow. When a user taps the Download button on such a store’s website, Android will pull up a unified install screen with the essentials: the store’s registration status and a clear explanation of the permissions it requires.

Once the user confirms, the new store automatically receives permission to install and update its own apps, with no need to toggle additional security settings by hand. For everyday users, that cuts friction to a minimum.

Google has also imposed a contractual restriction on device makers: OEMs will not be allowed to insert their own blocking alerts or extra steps that complicate installing alternative stores. That should ensure a consistent, straightforward experience across all devices that receive Android 17.

These changes stem from the legal dispute between Epic and Google. Under the terms of the settlement, Epic will retain the ability to publish games like Fortnite on Google Play, but the full Epic Games Store will not be offered there.

With earlier claims resolved, Epic will now focus its efforts on the dispute over the closed nature of Apple’s App Store.

Google plans to roll out support for registered stores by the end of 2026, and it will likely arrive as part of the Android 17 release.