The chances of accidentally downloading a malicious app to your Android smartphone are even lower in the Play Store, as Google has stepped up its crackdown on malicious apps and abusive developer accounts. In fact, search giant Google blocked more than 2 million Android apps from being published on its store last year alone.

As reported by BleepingComputer, Google also blocked 333,000 Google Play developer accounts found to be uploading malware and rogue apps or repeatedly violating policies. This number is almost double the number in 2022, when it suspended 173,000 developer accounts for doing the same thing. Similarly, the number of malicious apps blocked by Google increased from 1.5 million in 2022 to about 2.28 million in 2023.

If you're using one of the best Android phones, here's everything you need to know about what Google is doing to keep the Play Store safe from malicious apps and some steps to avoid them altogether.

The main way Google is strengthening Play Store security for both Android users and developers, according to the blog post, is through "SAFE through the 'SAFE' principle."

At the same time, the search giant introduced a more rigorous developer registration and identity verification process for developers. Similarly, independent security reviews were conducted and the best Android VPN apps were given badges.

Google also implemented real-time scanning to block malware from launching in the first place and made SoC-level flaws harder to exploit through firmware hardening. To make it easier and safer for developers, the company has expanded its SDK index, which now covers as many as 6 million apps and helps developers choose a secure software development kit for their projects.

Because dangerous permissions are often used by malicious apps, Google currently rejects or repairs about 200,000 app submissions. This way, malicious apps will not be able to exploit sensitive permissions such as background location and SMS access.

While Google is working on various initiatives to make the Play Store and the apps contained therein more secure, there are still a few things that can be done to prevent Android smartphones from being infected with malware.

First, avoid sideloading apps, as they do not undergo the same rigorous security checks as apps downloaded from official stores. sideloading APK files to your Android phone may seem convenient, but in most cases the risk not worth the risk.

When sideloading apps or downloading apps from unofficial app stores, you should make sure that Google Play protection is enabled. It may also be worth investing in one of the best Android antivirus apps for added protection, and you may also be able to get some extras like a bundled VPN or password manager.

Finally, it is highly recommended that you limit the number of apps you generally have installed on your phone. The fewer apps you have, the less likely they are to be malicious. If you limit yourself to known and trusted apps from reputable brands, rather than downloading new apps haphazardly, you and your Android phone should be safe.