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Google Turns On Automatic Verification
According to Google’s official help page, Android phone number verification is now on by default. When a user sets up a device, Google verifies one or more phone numbers on it. It then adds those numbers to every Google account signed in on the device.
Later changes follow the same rule. Any account or number added afterward links automatically.
What Google Says the Feature Is For
Google says automatic verification supports sign-in and account recovery, emergency location, and finding or remotely locking a device. It also supports RCS rich messaging, video calls, and quick sharing.
To confirm that a number still belongs to the user, Google and carriers may re-verify it from time to time. Numbers added to the device may also serve for verification.
Shared Numbers and Default Sharing Features
Personal, work, and spare Google accounts on one device may all store the same number. In addition, turning on verification also switches on the improved sharing experience by default. That feature covers video calls and messaging, and it notifies users about photos and other items that others send to the number.
The Feature May Be Older Than It Looks
The change drew attention only recently. Yet earlier versions of Google’s help documents suggest that the default setting, along with linking the number to all accounts on the device, appeared in autumn 2025. The rollout may therefore have started last year.
Attention grew after Google emailed many users about number verification. Those users shared the emails on social media, and the thread spread on Reddit. The reason is clear: the practice raises potential privacy concerns.
How to Disable Phone Number Verification
Google notes that users who do not want automatic verification can switch it off. This step works only on the device, not on the Google Account website.
Turn Off Verification on the Device
- Open Settings on the Android device.
- Go to Google, then All services.
- Choose Privacy and security, then Phone number verification.
- Turn off the option to verify phone numbers.
Remove Numbers Already Linked
Turning the setting off only stops new numbers from linking automatically. Numbers already linked stay until the user removes them by hand.
To remove them, open the relevant Google Account and go to Personal info, then Phone. Delete any number you do not want to keep. Ideally, keep only one main number, and remove the numbers tied to secondary Google accounts.
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