Being rejected for malware or malicious behavior on Google Play is one of the most serious warnings a developer can receive. If your app is flagged for unsafe activity — whether it’s accidental or intentional — it will be immediately rejected and possibly suspended.
Fortunately, this type of rejection can be fixed with a clear audit, clean code, and security-focused practices.
Google Play uses advanced review systems and security tools like Google Play Protect to detect apps that pose a threat to user privacy or device safety. If your app exhibits any suspicious behavior, even unintentionally, it could trigger a malware rejection from Google Play.
Google may flag your app for:
Bundled malware, viruses, or spyware
Hidden code that triggers external scripts or downloads
Phishing behavior (e.g., fake login pages or data harvesting)
Apps that collect personal data without consent
Apps that mimic other apps or bypass system permissions
Issue |
What It Looks Like |
Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
Before submitting your app to the Play Store:
Use tools like VirusTotal, Quixxi Security, or Google Play’s App Security Assessment
Scan the codebase, libraries, and dependencies
Look for any flagged SDKs, especially ad libraries or analytics tools
💡 ShopApper Pro Tip: We conduct a full malware audit before launching any app to prevent red flags.
One of the most common reasons apps are marked unsafe is unjustified access to sensitive data.
Make sure your app:
If you’re using external SDKs, especially those for ads, tracking, or analytics:
Check their origin and behavior
Avoid sketchy or unknown providers
Keep them updated to the latest version
🧱 ShopApper helps identify and replace risky SDKs with privacy-compliant alternatives.
Answer a few quick questions and get a custom report on your app potential, missed opportunities, and where to level up.
❌ Don’t hide code that executes external calls or downloads
❌ Don’t use auto-start, auto-install, or auto-update behavior
❌ Don’t use aggressive ad SDKs from non-reputable sources
❌ Don’t bypass security flows or permission dialogs
❌ Don’t forget to scan updated versions of your app before submission to Google Play
ShopApper provides full compliance support, making sure your app is clean, secure, and ready for approval.
We offer:
🔍 Full code security audits before every launch
🛠️ Permission optimization and cleanup
🧠 SDK analysis to remove risk
📄 Policy-compliant privacy documentation
🧑💼 Hands-on resubmission support if you’ve already been rejected
Whether you’re preparing a first-time launch or re-submitting after rejection, we ensure your app is protected and trusted.
If your app was flagged for malware rejection on Google Play, don’t panic — but don’t guess either. Let ShopApper handle the security audit, SDK cleanup, and permission justification so your app gets approved without delays.
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