Google’s next-gen reCAPTCHA system could spell trouble for de-Googled phones

CAPTCHA tests are annoying, but at the same time, they can help protect websites from bots. While these tests are already the bane of our internet existence, they are going to get worse for some Android users. A requirement for Google’s next-generation reCAPTCHA system will make it a lot harder for de-Googled phones to browse the web.

A Reddit user has highlighted a seemingly innocuous support page for Google’s reCAPTCHA system. The page in question relates to troubleshooting reCAPTCHA verification on mobile. In the document, it says that you’ll need to use a compatible mobile device to complete verification. If you have an Android phone, then that means you’ll need to be running Google Play Services version 25.41.30 or higher.

This requirement will kick in the moment the system suspects suspicious activity. At that point, reCAPTCHA will forgo the old image puzzles and require you to scan a QR code with your smartphone to prove you’re human. Although this will stop an autonomous bot in its tracks, it also adds another step to verification. But the problem runs a little deeper than the annoyance of a single additional step.

This isn’t necessarily a new change. According to PiunikaWeb, the tech giant had been laying the groundwork for this verification system since last year in October. It’s more that we all simply overlooked this change until now.

This requirement won’t be an issue for the average Android user who has Google Play Services installed on their phone. However, it will be a big problem for those who like Android, but not Google. If you have something like GrapheneOS installed, which does not have Google Play Services pre-installed, then your phone will fail the reCAPTCHA test by default if it escalates to the QR code stage. That means if Google’s verification system gets widely adopted, browsing the web could become a headache.