Google is reportedly working on a new reCAPTCHA system that replaces image-based verification tests with a QR code scan on a mobile phone. Instead of asking users to identify cars, bicycles or fire hydrants in images, websites using reCAPTCHA could ask them to scan a QR code with their phone to prove they are human.

The possible new system emerged through screenshots shared on Reddit by user "gib_me_gold" on a de-Google subreddit. The change has drawn criticism from some users, who say it could make a routine website check more tied to a person’s phone and, by extension, their Google-linked activity.

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Google's new reCAPTCHA system

At first glance, the change may appear to simplify the process for users who are used to repeatedly solving image puzzles before accessing a webpage. But the screenshots and related discussion suggest there may be a trade-off. The QR code is said to work through Google Play Services on Android phones, although Google has not yet clarified how the system will function.

One of the screenshots cited in the discussion shows a Google support page on troubleshooting reCAPTCHA verification on mobile. The page says users need a compatible mobile device to complete verification, and on Android, that requires Google Play Services version 25.41.30 or higher. Google Play Services is the software layer that supports many Google features on Android devices.

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If that mechanism is accurate, scanning the QR code to access a website could connect that website visit to an Android phone using Google Play Services, regardless of which browser a person used or whether they had signed in to a Google account in that browser. It is suggested that because Google Play Services is active on the phone, the verification could still be tied to that device. While there is no indication that details from Google Play Services would be shared with the websites being visited, the discussion has centred on the possibility that Google would receive that information.

For iPhone users, the same webpage reportedly says they can download the reCAPTCHA app to complete the QR-based verification without needing Google Play Services.

It is further suggested that the feature has been in development since October 2025. However, the development has added to questions over how Google’s next-generation reCAPTCHA could work in practice, especially for Android users and those who run without Google’s apps, services, or tracking systems.