Some early Galaxy S26 buyers report ‘this device isn’t Play Protect certified’ error

Ben Schoon | Mar 10 2026 - 11:15 am PT

A strange issue is hitting some early Galaxy S26 buyers, with Google Play Protect certification apparently not working out of the box and, in turn, breaking support for some apps.

While the Galaxy S26 series doesn’t technically hit store shelves until tomorrow, March 11, the trio of new phones have started being delivered to those who put in pre-orders, and it’s revealed a strange early software bug. As a number of users on Reddit have found, Google Play Protect certification is broken, with the device kicking back an error saying that “This device isn’t Play Protect certified.”

Google Play Protect is central to the security of most modern Android devices, and it’s very important for many secure apps, such as those used for banking.

It’s unclear why Play Protect certification is broken on some Galaxy S26 series devices out of the box, but it doesn’t appear to be a permanent issue for everyone. Some of those affected report that the issue has gone away after a reboot or simply over time, but it’s a very strange issue nonetheless, as this typically does not happen on mainstream flagship devices – frankly, it’s uncommon even on lower-end devices or smaller brands.

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Samsung is already rolling out the first Galaxy S26 series software update and, hopefully, this would be fixed as a part of it.

The Galaxy S26 series is available for pre-order now, with Samsung’s usual pre-order perks in full swing. You’ll find boosted trade-in values and more available now through March 11, when these phones are available on store shelves.