Google Play Protect Now Rolling Out To Android Devices

Google Play Protect is now rolling out to all eligible Android devices, the Alphabet-owned Internet giant confirmed in a statement provided to Engadget. The latest anti-malware solution is being distributed to smartphones and tablets running Google Mobile Services (GMS) 11 and later versions of the API collection, the company said. The Mountain View, California-based firm is currently focused on rolling out the main Google Play Protect system service that’s integrated into the Settings app on your device, where you’ll find it located under the “Security” section of the “Google” menu. The solution itself is relatively automated in nature and will automatically scan all of the apps installed on your smartphone or tablet to make sure they are free of any malicious code. The service will also notify you of any suspicious findings, but if you’re interested in performing a manual check or revisiting its scanning logs, you can do so in its settings. One limitation of the existing build of the service is that it doesn’t keep extensive records of past searches and will simply present you with the latest ones for individual apps.

Originally announced at this year’s iteration of the Google I/O developer conference in mid-May, Google Play Protect was designed as a comprehensive mobile security feature meant to identify and eliminate potentially malicious apps from Android devices. The solution is heavily integrated into the Google Play Store itself, logging every single download and install and periodically performing checks of your apps and their subsequent updates. Google Play Protect aims to be a versatile and transparent method of dealing with mobile malware and other malicious software threatening to compromise your digital privacy and security, the tech giant previously said.

The latest software release from the company reportedly also includes the Google Play Protect card that appears at the top of the “My Apps” section of the Google Play Store, though that particular functionality may take a while to be distributed to all users and is seemingly part of a server-side switch. The feature will provide you with a straightforward control panel for all Google Play Protect actions, making the process of keeping your device safe from threats relatively straightforward.