Chrome for Android adds new protection against malicious apps

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published February 19, 2025

Deepanker Verma / Pexels, Deepanker Verma

When users download new apps on Android devices, Play Protect automatically scans them for malware. An additional layer of protection is being introduced for sideloaded apps.

According to MSPowerUser, Chrome for Android will soon include a feature that scans APK files for malware. When this new tool is activated, Chrome automatically scans newly downloaded APK files to ensure their safety.

Recommended Videos

This new tool is currently being tested in Chrome Canary for Android. However, it’s not yet operational.

Chrome for Android APK Scan. — MSPowerUser

Google’s Play Protect aims to detect and prevent potentially harmful apps from accessing your device. It conducts regular scans to identify apps that may compromise your data or device functionality. If a suspicious app is detected, Play Protect notifies the user, turns it off, or removes it if necessary. It also monitors app permissions and informs users about any apps accessing personal information inappropriately. Additionally, it can reset permissions for apps that haven’t been used in a while, limiting their access to data. With Play Protect operating in the background, users can feel more secure knowing that a system is designed to protect their devices.

Anyone who uses sideloaded apps will benefit from the new protection for APK files. This feature will undoubtedly include malware scanning and integrity verification of APKs, reducing the risk of harmful installations. Doing so will provide peace of mind for those customizing their devices with third-party apps. Hopefully, we’ll see this feature added to Chrome for Android soon.

We’ll let you know when the new feature goes live, so stay tuned.

Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

Topics

Phones

I picked four wireless chargers so you can stop making your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch fight over one dorm outlet

The best back-to-school wireless chargers for dorm desks, study spaces, and travel

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

A dorm-room desk can disappear surprisingly quickly beneath a laptop charger, phone cable, Apple Watch puck, and the growing collection of adapters required to power them all. Add textbooks and other academic materials, and finding enough room to study becomes the first assignment of the semester.

A wireless charging stand can consolidate several of those cables into one station. It also gives your phone a dedicated place to sit, which helps when you are checking the time or watching a lecture. Every charger here still needs one connection to the wall. So finding a peripheral that works with all of your gadgets isn't just convenient, it's smart. I picked four models ranging from an inexpensive two-device stand to a fast 25W wireless charger capable of powering an entire Apple setup.

Phones

Your backpack needs one of these power banks before classes start

I picked 4 power banks that can survive your longest day on campus

Anker Nano 3-in-1 10,000mAh portable power bank for iPhone.

Finding an empty outlet on campus can require more patience than registering for a popular class. Common spaces like libraries or lecture halls rarely have sockets in the right places. So a good power bank gives you far more freedom. It gives you the option to choose the quiet corner of the library, work outside between classes, or even finish an assignment without worrying about your laptop's battery.

The right model depends on what you carry, since a phone needs far less power than a MacBook or gaming laptop. I picked four Anker power banks that cover everything from everyday phone charging to running several demanding devices at once.

Phones

The Minimal Phone 2 looks dramatically better than the original, and I’m genuinely here for it

Plastic is out, metal is in, and Minimal Phone 2's renders suggest the digital detox phone concept finally has the hardware to match its ambition.

Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

I've been following the Minimal Phone since its initial crowdfunding days. The first iteration had the right idea trapped inside the wrong body, I’d say. Plastic build, no 5G, an underwhelming camera, and e-paper ghosting that frustrated early adopters; all these issues kept the phone from reaching a wider audience.

Now, founder Armen Youssefian has posted what appears to be a 360-degree render of the Minimal Phone 2 on X, and from what I can see, the team has done its homework.