Google has enabled Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) by default on Android 17, making it the first major mobile operating system to adopt the privacy standard. ECH encrypts the domain names of websites you visit, preventing internet service providers from seeing which sites or services you access even when using HTTPS. Instead, ISPs only see the content delivery network handling the traffic, such as Cloudflare, and the volume of data transferred.
The move addresses a long-standing privacy gap where ISPs could track browsing activity for targeted ads or phishing schemes. Google’s incubator Jigsaw calls the change a step toward a safer internet. ECH does not replace encrypted DNS or VPNs, which remain necessary to hide DNS lookups or IP addresses.
Android 17 also introduces a zero-click feature for carriers to disable 2G by default, blocking SMS-based exploits that rely on the outdated network to bypass modern spam filters.
