Google has revealed impressive numbers about how many apps were rejected, removed or blocked from the Google Play Store during the year 2025 because they did not meet the terms of the platform’s usage and security policies. According to data released by the company, the number of such applications was about 175 million, which shows how extensive the mission is to keep the Android application ecosystem safe and reliable for users around the world.
This number includes apps that were automatically blocked before they even reached the store, as well as those that were subsequently removed after violations were discovered. Google uses a combination of automatic detection systems, manual reviews and user reports to identify apps that pose risks, including those that contain malicious code or malware hidden in features, misrepresent their purpose or misinform, include spam, unwanted content or misleading ads, require inappropriate or risky permissions, or violate privacy and data protection rules.
Google says that this is a significantly higher number of applications than in previous years, partly due to improved algorithms and stricter rules that include both security standards and end-user data protection and privacy. In practice, this means that millions of applications are recognized at an early stage of development or processing, before users can download or install them.
Importantly, Google points out that most of the blocked content is automatically detected rather than manually reviewed, implying that the system uses sophisticated AI and machine learning to detect patterns that indicate abuse or security threats. This frees up capacity to focus on more complex cases that require human judgment.
As part of the ongoing effort, Google has also improved rules for developers, tightened data privacy requirements and previously warned developers how their apps could be rejected if they violate the guidelines. This is an attempt to reduce the number of risky applications before they are publicly available.
For Android users, these figures mean that the company is actively working to reduce potential threats to the security, privacy and quality of apps found in the Play Store, a step that has a direct impact on the protection of devices, personal data and the user experience.
The increasing number of blocked applications also indicates that mobile ecosystems are becoming more complex and more demanding to moderate, but also that technology companies must invest in a combination of automated systems and human expertise in order to maintain trust and security standards, reports PC Mag.