Google Play Services

Google to Offer Granular Controls for Advanced Protection Mode in Android 16

Google is preparing more flexible settings for its Advanced Protection security mode that first appeared in Android 16. The changes were discovered by Android Authority researchers while examining Google Play Services version 26.36.30. A new Expert features section will let users enable individual protections such as USB Protection, intrusion detection logging, and restrictions on unsafe Wi-Fi networks without activating the entire strict mode. USB Protection blocks new USB connections while the screen is locked to prevent physical attacks, though it can interfere with fast charging on Pixel 6 and newer devices. Users will also be able to opt out of automatic connections to open or risky Wi-Fi networks if they regularly use public hotspots. Intrusion Logging remains optional and stores encrypted security logs in the cloud. The update aims to preserve core security benefits while removing the all-or-nothing requirement of the current Advanced Protection implementation.

Google Enables Document Backup to Drive in Stable Play Services 26.26 Release

Google has rolled out automatic document backup from Android devices to Google Drive in the stable version of Google Play Services 26.26. The feature, which the company prepared for nearly a year, adds a new Documents option in Settings on Pixel phones under Accounts and backup. It remains disabled by default to avoid uploading the Downloads folder without user consent. Once enabled, supported files including PDF, DOC, PPT, XLS, ZIP and even APK files are copied to a new Android backups folder on Drive, with separate subfolders created for each device. The backup consumes storage quota and offers no automatic two-way sync, requiring manual cleanup when disabled. Traces of the capability first appeared in August 2025, followed by an official mention in February 2026 and beta testing before the current stable deployment.

Google Enhances Android Backup Controls in Play Services Update, Adds Document Sync to Google Drive Amid Storage Limit Cut

Google is updating its Android backup system through Google Play Services version 26.25, introducing separate toggles for messaging backups and the ability to automatically save documents to the cloud. Users can now disable SMS, MMS, and RCS backups independently, though RCS remains nested under the MMS category for less visibility. The new document backup feature supports formats including DOC, PPT, XLS, and PDF, storing copies in a device-named folder on Google Drive without automatic synchronization to the original files. These changes coincide with Google's reduction of free storage from 15 GB to 5 GB, where Android backups now count against the quota, potentially turning small 40 MB backups into much larger archives. The update provides more granular control over what gets backed up, including call history and system settings, accessible via Settings > Accounts and backup > Google Backup > Other device data. While the feature can help preserve important files, it risks quickly exhausting limited free storage if documents are included.