Google Class Action Lawsuit 2026, Three Major Settlements Total $833M—$630M Play Store, $68M Voice Assistant, $135M Android Data—Here’s Who Qualifies, Settlement Websites, And Claim Deadlines

Google is paying out $833 million across three separate class action settlements in 2026—and millions of Americans qualify for payments ranging from $2 to $100 per person. The largest settlement, $630 million from all 50 state attorneys general, compensates consumers who made Google Play Store purchases between August 2016 and September 2023 for antitrust violations, with final approval scheduled for April 30, 2026.

 A separate $68 million settlement filed January 23, 2026, addresses Google Assistant devices that allegedly recorded private conversations through “false accepts,” while a third $135 million preliminary settlement targets Android users whose cellular data was harvested without consent since November 2017. If you used Google Play, owned a Google Assistant device, or had an Android phone purchased through a carrier, you’re likely entitled to automatic or claimable payments—here’s everything you need to know about settlement websites, deadlines, and how to get your money.

The $630 Million Google Play Store Antitrust Settlement

State attorneys general from all 50 states sued Google in 2021, alleging the tech giant unlawfully monopolized app distribution and in-app payment processing markets by forcing developers to use Google Play Billing and charging supracompetitive fees—harming both consumers and app developers.

If You Made Payments through the Google Play Store or Google Play Billing Between Aug. 16, 2016, and Sept. 20, 2023, You Could Get Money from a Settlement. The lawsuit claimed Google’s anticompetitive conduct caused consumers to pay artificially inflated prices for apps and in-app purchases.

On November 20, 2025, the court granted preliminary approval to the $630 million settlement. As part of the settlement agreement, Google will pay approximately $630 million in restitution to consumers and pay the states an additional $70 million in penalties, including more than $1.4 million to Massachusetts.

Who Qualifies And How Much You’ll Get

Consumers who made a qualifying purchase through the Google Play Store or Google Play Billing between Aug. 16, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2023, while living in any U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands are automatically eligible.

The settlement guarantees every eligible class member receives at least $2. However, payments may be significantly higher depending on the total amount you spent on apps and in-app purchases during the class period.

Settlement Website And Payment Process

Official Settlement Website: www.GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com

Most affected consumers do not need to take further action to receive a payment from the settlement fund. The settlement fund will make the majority of payments automatically, and no claim form is necessary in most cases.

Once the settlement has been approved by the Court, consumers will receive an email from PayPal or a text from Venmo notifying them of their incoming payment at the email address or mobile phone number associated with their Google Play account. If your email or phone matches a PayPal or Venmo account, payment goes directly there.

Critical Deadlines For Play Store Settlement

Exclusion/Objection Deadline: February 19, 2026
Final Approval Hearing: April 30, 2026
Expected Payment Date: Summer 2026 (June-July estimated)

Consumers who do not want to receive payment from the settlement fund and want to bring their own case against Google must submit a request to be excluded online or in writing by February 19, 2026.

There will be a supplemental claims process after automatic payments for consumers who don’t have PayPal/Venmo accounts, no longer have access to their registered email/phone, or didn’t receive expected payments. Visit the settlement website to sign up for email notifications when this process opens.

The $68 Million Google Assistant Privacy Settlement

Filed January 23, 2026, in federal court in San Jose, California, this $68 million proposed settlement resolves claims that Google Assistant-enabled devices illegally recorded users’ private conversations without consent.

Some claimants alleged the Google devices recorded private conversations about financial issues, personal decisions and employment. The lawsuit alleged that while Google marketed its voice assistant as only activating when users said “Hey Google” or similar wake words, the devices frequently recorded through “false accepts”—meaning the Assistant began listening and recording even when no wake word was spoken.

Eligibility For Voice Assistant Claims

Consumers who purchased a Google device or had their communications recorded by Google Assistant between May 16, 2016 and the date of preliminary approval may be eligible to submit a claim for a cash payment from a proposed class action settlement.

To qualify as a class member, you generally must have had a Gmail account linked to Google Assistant and used at least one eligible Google device during the period beginning May 18, 2016, and continuing through late 2022. Eligible devices include:

• Google Home speakers and displays
• Nest smart displays and hubs
• Android phones with Google Assistant enabled
• Pixelbooks and Chromebooks with Assistant
• Chromecast devices with voice capabilities
• Pixel Buds and other Assistant-enabled earphones

Household devices like thermostats, vacuums, or humidifiers without microphones or Assistant capabilities don’t qualify.

How Much Money You’ll Get

Class members can claim up to three Google-made devices. Each eligible device is worth four points for a maximum of 12 points. The settlement administrator will determine the final payment amount by the total number of claims filed.

Additionally, privacy class members submitting a privacy claim (proving their conversations were recorded) receive one point. Based on the $68 million fund and estimated claims, payments could range from $15 to $56 per eligible device.

Google Assistant Settlement Website And Claim Process

Official Settlement Website: www.GoogleAssistantPrivacyLitigation.com
Settlement Administrator Address: Google Assistant Privacy Settlement, c/o A.B. Data Ltd., P.O. Box 170500, Milwaukee, WI 53217

Final Approval Hearing: March 19, 2026

The settlement website is still to go live, but you can sign up for our free newsletter to stay informed of the latest updates. Once the website launches, you’ll need to file a claim form confirming:

• Your Gmail account email address
• Google device model name and serial number
• For purchaser class: Proof of purchase (receipts, order confirmations)
• For privacy class: Evidence of false accepts or unwanted recordings

The settlement administrator will issue payments to approved claimants approximately 90 days after the court grants resolves any appeals and grants final approval of the settlement.

The $135 Million Android Data Collection Settlement

Google has agreed to a preliminary $135 million settlement in a class action lawsuit brought by Android users who accused it of harvesting their data without consent. The suit alleged that since November 12, 2017, Google illegally collected cellular data from phones purchased through carriers, even when apps were closed or location features were disabled.

Each user involved in the lawsuit would be entitled to up to $100 from Google, making this potentially the largest settlement of its kind in history according to plaintiffs’ attorneys.

What Google Allegedly Did

According to the lawsuit filed as Taylor et al. v. Google LLC (Case No. 5:20-cv-07956-VKD) in the Northern District of California, Android devices transmitted information from system services to Google servers using cellular networks purchased by users from mobile carriers.

The filing states that these communications occurred in the background, including when users were not actively interacting with their devices and when screens were locked. Plaintiffs alleged that the transfers consumed cellular data without meaningful consent.

Reuters reported that the affected users believed Google using their data for marketing and product development meant it was guilty of “conversion”—a legal term meaning one party takes another’s property with intent to deprive them of it or exert property rights over it.

Android Settlement Eligibility And Requirements

You likely qualify if you purchased an Android phone through a U.S. carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, or others) since November 12, 2017, and Google collected cellular data from your device.

The settlement covers Android mobile device users in the United States from November 12, 2017, through the date of final judgment. Individual payments are capped at $100 per class member, with actual amounts determined by the total number of valid claims filed.

Settlement Status And Timeline

Important: As of February 2, 2026, no official settlement website or claim form has been announced yet. The preliminary settlement was filed January 27, 2026, and awaits court approval.

Trial Date: August 5, 2026
Claim Form Availability: To be announced after preliminary approval

As of February 2, 2026, this settlement is not final, and a public “official settlement website” with a claim form has not been announced in the sources below. Until a settlement administrator site is launched, the most “official” public place to track the case is the federal court docket / official court document repository.

The case can be tracked through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) at pacer.gov under Case No. 5:20-cv-07956-VKD.

Settlement Terms Beyond Money

Google would be required to update Google Play Terms of Service, help pages, and Android device setup screens to describe background data communications and cellular data use. New Android users would be required to provide express consent during device setup.

Google must also disable a background data toggle that plaintiffs claimed did not actually stop the transfers described in the case, and provide clearer controls allowing users to manage data transfers.

What You Must Know About Google’s Legal Exposure

These three settlements represent only a fraction of Google’s legal challenges in 2026. The tech giant faces multiple additional lawsuits involving privacy violations, antitrust claims, and consumer protection allegations.

Additional Google Litigation In 2026

Google also faces a separate federal antitrust trial brought by Epic Games that resulted in a jury verdict finding Google illegally monopolized Android app distribution. That case requires injunctive remedies forcing Google to open its platform to competitors. For comprehensive coverage of this related antitrust battle, see Epic Games Lawsuit, Apple Held In CONTEMPT, Google LOSES Appeal—Game-Changing Antitrust Rulings Reshape App Stores.

A $425 million verdict in the Rodriguez v. Google LLC case found Google violated privacy laws by collecting data from third-party apps even after users disabled privacy settings. That case is currently under appeal, with no claim form available yet. For details, see Gmail Class Action Lawsuit, $425M Verdict Under Appeal In Rodriguez V. Google LLC—Plus Separate Gemini AI Privacy Case.

Additionally, Google reached an $8.75 million settlement in Illinois for allegedly collecting biometric data (voice models and face models) from students using Google Workspace for Education without proper consent. That settlement closed in 2025.

Common Mistakes That Cost You Money

Many consumers make these critical errors with class action settlements:

For Play Store Settlement: Assuming you’ll automatically be notified when many email providers filter settlement notices to spam folders. Check your spam/promotions folders regularly, and consider updating your contact information on the settlement website.

For Assistant Settlement: Missing the claim deadline because you’re waiting for automatic enrollment. Unlike the Play Store settlement, the Assistant settlement REQUIRES you to file a claim form—no automatic payments.

For Android Settlement: Believing you don’t qualify because you bought your phone years ago. The November 2017 start date means virtually every Android user who purchased through a carrier in the past 8+ years likely qualifies.

Universal Mistakes: Providing outdated contact information, which means you miss payment notifications; opting out without understanding that exclusion prevents you from receiving any settlement money while also barring future claims against Google for the same conduct; and failing to respond to deficiency notices from settlement administrators within required timeframes, resulting in claim rejection.

What Settlement Payouts Mean For Individuals

Based on the $833 million total across three settlements and estimated claim volumes:

Play Store: Expect $2-50+ per person (depends on your purchase history and total claims)
Assistant: Expect $15-56 per eligible device (up to 3 devices claimable)
Android: Expect $20-100 per person (capped at $100 maximum)

If you qualify for all three settlements and owned multiple Assistant devices, you could receive $50-200+ total. California residents and heavy Google Play spenders may receive significantly more from the Play Store settlement due to enhanced protections and pro rata distribution based on purchase volume.

What To Do Next For Each Settlement

Each of the three Google settlements has different procedures, timelines, and requirements. Here’s your step-by-step action plan for maximizing compensation.

Google Play Store Settlement ($630M) – NO CLAIM FORM NEEDED

Official Website: www.GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com

Payments are automatic if you made qualifying purchases between August 2016 and September 2023. However, you should still visit the settlement website to:

1. Update your contact information if your email/phone changed since you used Google Play
2. Sign up for email notifications about the supplemental claims process
3. Verify you weren’t accidentally excluded

Critical Action Deadline: If you want to exclude yourself to preserve your right to sue Google independently, you must submit a written exclusion request postmarked by February 19, 2026. Mail to the settlement administrator address listed on the website. Remember: excluding yourself means you receive nothing from the $630 million fund.

Expected Timeline:

• Final approval hearing: April 30, 2026
• Payments begin: Summer 2026 (June-July estimated)
• Payment method: Automatic via PayPal or Venmo to your Google Play account email/phone

Google Assistant Settlement ($68M) – CLAIM FORM REQUIRED

Official Website: www.GoogleAssistantPrivacyLitigation.com
Mail Address: Google Assistant Privacy Settlement, c/o A.B. Data Ltd., P.O. Box 170500, Milwaukee, WI 53217

The settlement website will launch after preliminary approval. Sign up for legal news alerts to know when claim forms become available.

When Claims Open, Gather This Documentation:

1. Your Gmail account email address associated with Assistant devices
2. Google device model names and serial numbers (find these in device settings or original packaging)
3. For purchaser class claims: Proof of purchase (receipts, order confirmations, credit card statements showing device purchases)
4. For privacy class claims: Any evidence of false accepts or unwanted recordings (if you have emails to Google about the issue, screenshots, or other documentation)

Critical Dates:

• Final approval hearing: March 19, 2026
• Claim deadline: To be announced (typically 90-120 days after preliminary approval)
• Payment distribution: Approximately 90 days after final approval and resolution of appeals

Pro Tip: You can claim up to 3 eligible devices. If you owned multiple Google Home speakers, Nest displays, or Assistant-enabled phones during the class period, make sure to include all of them in your claim for maximum payout.

Android Data Collection Settlement ($135M) – CLAIM PROCESS PENDING

Case Name: Taylor et al. v. Google LLC, Case No. 5:20-cv-07956-VKD
Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Track the Case: PACER.gov

As of February 2, 2026, no official settlement website has been announced. The preliminary settlement was filed January 27, 2026, and awaits preliminary approval from the court.

What To Do Now:

1. Save any documentation proving you purchased an Android phone through a U.S. carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc.) since November 12, 2017
2. Gather carrier contracts, purchase receipts, billing statements, or phone upgrade records
3. Keep your contact information current with your carrier in case the settlement administrator uses carrier records for notification
4. Monitor legal news sources and bookmark this page for updates

Expected Timeline:

• Trial date: August 5, 2026 (settlement may finalize before trial)
• Claim form availability: To be announced after preliminary approval
• Estimated claim deadline: Late 2026 or early 2027

Scam Warning: Be cautious of fake settlement websites or emails asking for payment to file claims. Legitimate class action settlements NEVER charge filing fees. Always verify the case name and number, and only use official settlement administrator websites.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Google Class Action Lawsuits About?

Three major settlements address different Google practices: the $630 million Play Store settlement resolves antitrust claims about monopolizing app distribution and payment processing (August 2016-September 2023), the $68 million Assistant settlement addresses unauthorized voice recording allegations through false accepts (May 2016-late 2022), and the $135 million Android settlement targets data harvesting from carrier-purchased phones without consent (November 2017-present).

Who Are The Defendants In These Cases?

Google LLC and parent company Alphabet Inc. are defendants in all three cases. The Play Store case was brought by attorneys general from all 50 states plus DC, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. The Assistant and Android cases are consumer class actions filed in California federal courts by affected device owners and users.

How Much Money Will I Receive From Each Settlement?

Play Store settlement guarantees at least $2, with higher amounts for consumers who spent more (estimates suggest $2-50+ per person). Assistant settlement estimates suggest $15-56 per eligible device with up to 3 devices claimable (maximum approximately $168). Android settlement allows up to $100 per person with final amounts depending on total claims filed.

What Are The Settlement Websites And Deadlines?

Play Store: www.GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com (exclusion deadline February 19, 2026; final approval April 30, 2026; no claim form needed). Assistant: www.GoogleAssistantPrivacyLitigation.com (final approval hearing March 19, 2026; claim form required when site launches). Android: No website yet; preliminary settlement filed January 27, 2026; trial scheduled August 5, 2026.

Do I Need To File A Claim For Google Play Store Settlement?

No. No claim form is required to benefit from the settlement. Class members who do not exclude themselves will automatically receive a settlement payment. Google maintains records of all purchases and will use those to identify eligible class members and calculate payments. However, you may need to update your contact information on the settlement website if your email or phone changed.

Can I Participate In All Three Google Settlements?

Yes, if you qualify for each based on their specific eligibility criteria. The settlements address different conduct during different time periods. You can receive Play Store payments (August 2016-September 2023 purchases), Assistant payments (May 2016-late 2022 device ownership), and Android payments (November 2017-forward carrier phone purchases) if you meet all three sets of requirements simultaneously.

What Happened In February 2026 With Google Lawsuits?

February 2026 marks critical deadlines and developments. The Play Store settlement exclusion and objection deadline falls on February 19, 2026—missing this date means you’re automatically included and cannot sue Google independently. The Assistant settlement was filed January 23, 2026, with final approval hearing scheduled March 19, 2026. The Android settlement progresses toward its August 2026 trial with preliminary approval pending.

Last Updated: February 2, 2026

Legal Disclaimer: This article provides information about Google class action settlements but does not constitute legal advice—consult with a qualified attorney for guidance about your specific situation.

Take Action: Bookmark all three settlement websites now, mark February 19, 2026 on your calendar as the critical Play Store exclusion deadline, and sign up for email notifications to ensure you don’t miss claim forms when they launch for the Assistant and Android settlements.

Stay informed, stay protected. — AllAboutLawyer.com

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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