Samsung is rolling out a new Autoblocker for Galaxy phones, which has many functions, one of which is blocking users from sideloading apps.
Autoblock has been a part of the Samsung Galaxy phone line since the One UI 6.0 update based on Android 14. This feature is designed to protect the device from malware or attacks, via USB. Recently, the Autoblocker has been updated, with the ability to limit sideloading on Galaxy devices running One UI 6.1.1.
Therefore, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 are Samsung's first products with the ability to limit sideload. During the initial product setup, a page appears to inform the user about Autoblock and allow the feature to be turned off.
That's right! Autoblock is enabled by default. So, if you do not disable this feature, your Galaxy device will not be able to sideload apps. If you miss that page during the initial setup process, you'll get an error message when you try to download an app from a third party. Luckily, you can turn this feature off very easily by going to Settings โ Security and privacy โ Autoblock. You can then continue to download and install applications from third parties.
The new version of Autoblocker will soon reach other Galaxy devices via the One UI 6.1.1 update.