Deadline
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Google Play
Who is concerned
Apps with a sign-in on phones and tablets: the requirement applies only to the mobile and tablet form factors.
Out of scope: permanently private apps, enterprise device management apps and, for now, games. Apps under strict regulatory or compliance mandates that affect their sign-in, such as financial services or healthcare, may request an exemption in Play Console before the enforcement date.
What changes
- When a user restores a device, the app must sign the user back in without manual steps.
- Google says manual sign-ins during device setup create onboarding friction and reduce retention, and expose apps to phishing and credential theft.
- The Restore Credentials API is the primary method, from Android 9. Block Store integrations done on or before September 30, 2026 count as compliant.
- Google says more details about the requirement and exceptions will be published in the coming months.
What to do
- Decide whether your app is in scope: it has a sign-in and runs on phones or tablets.
- Integrate the Restore Credentials API, or confirm that your Block Store integration predates September 30, 2026.
- Test the restore path from a device-to-device transfer and from a cloud backup. Google mentions an AI skill for Restore Credentials that helps with integration.
- If regulation limits how your sign-in can work, prepare an exemption request in Play Console before the enforcement date.
What happens after the date
Google lists the requirement as upcoming and has not published the enforcement day in the article.
Frequently asked questions
Is it mandatory for games?
Games are currently out of scope. Google expects dedicated guidance for complex game authentication in 2027 and encourages games with a single user account to use the Restore Credentials API.
Which Android versions are covered?
The Restore Credentials API is available from Android 9 and above.
What if I already use Block Store?
Apps integrating Block Store on or before September 30, 2026 to restore a user’s sign-in state are considered compliant.
Who can ask for an exemption?
Apps subject to strict regulatory or compliance mandates that affect how their sign-in works, such as financial services or healthcare, through a request in Play Console before the enforcement date.
Official sources
Every date and rule on this page comes from the official pages below, read on 2026-11-02. We do not estimate dates or predict enforcement.