At the Android Show on Tuesday—just before Google I/O—Google unveiled a suite of new security and privacy enhancements for Android. These updates bolster protections around calls, screen sharing, messaging, device access, and system-level permissions to help users avoid scams, safeguard data if their device is lost or compromised, and strengthen defenses against a variety of attacks.
Stronger safeguards during calls
Because scammers often coax victims into clicking unsafe links or installing unverified apps, Android 16 will block or warn users when they attempt risky actions while on a call with someone not in their contacts. Specifically, first-time sideloading from a browser, messaging app, or any non-Google-verified source will be blocked, as will granting accessibility access that could let a scammer seize control of the device. Additionally, anyone using Android 6 or later won’t be able to disable Google Play Protect—which continuously scans for harmful apps—while on a call.
Screen-sharing alerts
To reduce fraud during remote sessions, Android will prompt users to stop sharing their screen once a call ends. Google is also piloting a fraud-prevention warning in partnership with select U.K. banks: on Android 11 or newer, opening a participating bank’s app while sharing your screen with an unknown number will trigger a full-screen alert and a quick “End Screen Share” button.
Enhanced phishing protection in Messages
Building on March’s rollout of AI-powered scam warnings in Google Messages, Android will now detect a broader range of schemes—crypto scams, gift-card fraud, bogus toll-charge notices, financial impersonation, and fake tech-support messages. Plus, Google Contacts will support “verification keys”: users can confirm each other’s identities by scanning a QR code or comparing on-screen numbers. Verified contacts unlock end-to-end encryption for that conversation; if a SIM-swap attack occurs, the contact’s status flips to “unverified.” This will arrive in Google Messages for Android 10+ devices later this summer.
New theft-protection tools
Following the early 2025 launch of Identity Check (which uses biometrics to guard critical settings outside trusted locations) on Pixel and Samsung One UI 7 devices, Google is extending it to all Android 16 phones. Later this year, a factory-reset protection will block any reset attempts without the original PIN/pattern or Google account credentials, effectively bricking a stolen device. A new security challenge question will prevent unauthorized remote lockouts, and on Android 16, one-time passwords will be hidden if the phone isn’t on Wi-Fi or hasn’t been recently unlocked.
Additional defenses
Google Play Protect’s live-detection program will soon spot apps that hide or alter their icons, initially on Pixel 6+ devices, using new on-device rules to catch more malicious apps. Advanced Protection Mode—which offers extra security for high-risk users—will gain further on-device safeguards, and a “Find My Hub” feature will debut for tracking personal items, friends, and family.
