What Is Google Play Protect?

With virtually every smartphone maker saving for Apple, Google is a leader in the tech industry, using the Android Operating System. When...

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With virtually every smartphone maker saving for Apple, Google is a leader in the tech industry, using the Android Operating System. When they say that our phones need protection, we had better listen well. And this is where Google Play Protect comes in.

Announced during Google’s 2017 I/O event, its annual developer’s conference, Google Play Protect is the company’s comprehensive security suite designed to ensure the safety and security of every Android device out there. With viruses and malware coming out of the woodwork, the program uses proprietary algorithms that can adapt to new threats by constantly updating its parameters.

How Does Google Play Protect Work?

Working within Google’s Unwanted Software Policy guidelines, Play Protect scans and analyzes Play Store apps when you begin downloading them. If the program finds anomalies in the app and decides that it is not safe to download, the user will be prompted about the potential hazard before the installation app process is complete. At this point, you will be able to choose to stop the download and remove all files related to the app in question.

Google Protect doesn’t just check on the apps that aren’t on your phone yet. Since apps regularly have updates, changes to their programming might not follow Google’s Software Policy. If this happens and the app is unchecked after installation, you have a potentially dangerous program on your phone. This is why Google Play Protect continues to check up on your apps even after installation.

If the Play Protect app considers an app to be an immediate threat, it may instantly disable or delete the app and notify you afterward of the action taken by Play Protect. A bonus to this regular check by the program is that Google Play Protect can scan and analyze any other third-party app you have downloaded outside of the Play Store since it checks all apps installed.

Aside from basing its actions on the Unwanted Software policy, Google Play Protect also checks all apps against the company’s Developer Policy. If an app has access to your personal information without your approval, it will prompt you of this issue and recommend that you remove it from your phone. Again, if Google talks about a security threat, we should listen and follow their recommendation.

If you think that Play Protect’s work is done after checking your apps, you are mistaken. This fantastic security suite also monitors your network connections and the websites you visit on your browsers. If you are connected to an unsecured network or attempting to visit an unsafe website, you will be prompted before proceeding at your own risk.

With Google Play Protect covering security for all aspects of your smartphones, they should have just named it Android Security!

How Do You Know Your Phone’s Play Protect Status?

Interested in how Google Play Protect has been working for you? Besides the notification it has sent you, there are more details that you can view. Here’s how:

Launch the Play Store app by tapping the Play Store icon from your home page or app drawer.
Tap your profile picture, usually located on the top right portion of your screen.
When the drop-down menu appears, tap on Play Protect.

You will then be redirected to an information page about Play Protect’s latest actions. You should be able to see if any harmful apps were detected, the recently scanned apps, and how long it has been since the last scan occurred.

Can I Disable Google Play Protect?

Google Play Protect is enabled from the get-go for a reason. It is your first line of defense against apps that can harm your smartphone and programs that steal your personal identity and information, including financial data.

If you still want to disable this suburb security program, the steps will be listed below. Fair warning: we highly advise you against disabling Google Play Protect. But if you need to disable it for some reason, we recommend that you immediately enable it after doing whatever you need to do that does not need protection.

Open Google Play Store app from your home page or app drawer.
Tap on your profile picture on the top right of your screen.
From the drop-down menu, tap on Pay Protect.
When you reach the Play Protect information page, tap on the settings gear and the upper right corner of your screen.
You should now be at the Play Protect settings screen, where you can find options to toggle whether to scan the device or not. Tap the green slider right next to it to turn off app scanning.
A pop-up notification will immediately appear asking you to confirm your decision to turn off your protection. Tap OK to confirm.

Congratulations. You and your smartphone are on your own.

To reactivate Google Play Protect, hopefully immediately after whatever you were doing, repeat these steps and toggle the slider back on. The slider will turn green, indicating you are now back under the protection of Google security. Welcome back.

In this day and age, we are so reliant on our smartphones. From personal and business communication to financial transactions to games and entertainment. What was a roomful worth of devices and equipment is now a single device that fits in our pocket.

With such a significant investment in terms of its monetary value and more importantly, the data we choose to keep in the gadgets safely, smartphones need to be protected. That is why we have to thank Google for developing an exemplary security app that protects our devices from current threats and future-proofing itself by actively adapting and learning to combat whatever danger that comes next.

Not all superheros wear capes; some are awesome security apps that work actively behind the scenes so we can carry on using our tech gadgets with fewer worries. We call it Google Play Protect.