Google has agreed to pay $135 million to resolve a class action accusing the company of using Android phones to transfer information in the background over cellular networks without users’ permission.
The settlement is now open for claims, and it could affect Android users across the country who have used a mobile device running the Android operating system to access the internet through cellular data since Nov. 12, 2017. The case is Taylor, et al. v. Google LLC, filed in federal court in San Jose, California, and the settlement is still awaiting final court approval.
The lawsuit alleges that Android devices transmitted a range of data to Google even when phones were idle, apps were closed, location sharing was disabled or the device was locked. Plaintiffs argued that Google could have limited those transfers to Wi-Fi connections but instead used paid cellular data, effectively shifting costs to consumers.
Google has denied wrongdoing, but agreed to settle rather than continue the litigation. Reuters reported in January that the deal would also require Google to change how it discloses and explains the transfers on Android devices.
According to the settlement notice, roughly 100 million people may fall within the class definition, though the final number of eligible claimants will depend on exclusions and other claim decisions. Each approved claimant is expected to receive the same amount from the settlement fund, but the exact payout has not yet been determined.
The administrator says the money will be distributed after claims are processed, and any leftover funds will be redistributed to previously paid class members if practical. If redistribution is not economical, remaining funds will go to a court-approved organization rather than back to Google.
The monetary relief is only part of the settlement. Google also agreed to make non-cash changes, including updates to its Google Play Terms of Service, a page in its Help Center and the setup screens shown to Android users during device setup.
Those updates are intended to disclose the conduct at issue and ask users to consent to it. Google also will disable a related Android setting. Reuters reported that the company must obtain user consent before transfers during phone setup and make it easier for users to stop the transfers.
The process for getting paid is relatively simple, but there is a catch: eligible users do not need to file a traditional claim form, yet they may need to select a payment method on the official settlement website.
Top Class Actions says class members who do not exclude themselves will automatically receive benefits, but those who want direct deposit or another distribution option should make sure they follow the instructions posted on the settlement site. The settlement website notes that some users should have received a notice ID and confirmation code by mail or email, which may be needed to complete payment selection.
There are two key deadlines to watch. The deadline to exclude yourself from the settlement or object to it is May 29, 2026. The final approval hearing is scheduled for June 23, 2026. Separately, the claim deadline listed by Top Class Actions is May 9, 2026. That means Android users who believe they qualify should review the settlement notice carefully and act early rather than waiting until the last minute.
The settlement arrives after a long legal fight over whether Android devices were sending user information in ways that amounted to an unauthorized use of consumers’ cellular data. The claims have moved through years of litigation, including earlier court rulings in the case, before this agreement was reached.
For consumers, the practical question now is not whether the dispute made headlines, but whether they are eligible for a payment and have the right notices in hand to claim it. For Google, the deal closes one chapter while forcing the company to change how it presents Android data practices going forward.
