Google automatically links phone numbers to Android accounts

Google has implemented an automatic feature within Google Play Services that links a device's phone number to all Google accounts signed into an Android device. This process occurs without explicit user consent for each individual account, potentially merging private contact information with professional or secondary accounts.

The feature, known as “Phone number verification,” uses the SIM card's number to verify identity and assist with account security and recovery. However, users have reported that this can compromise the separation between personal and work identities. While some users receive notification emails regarding these changes, others have discovered the setting through manual inspection.

To prevent future automatic linking, users can navigate to Android Settings, select Google, go to “All services,” and disable “Automatically verify phone numbers.” Note that disabling this setting does not remove phone numbers that have already been associated with accounts; those must be removed manually through the personal information section of each specific Google Account.