Why Google is linking your phone number to all your signed-in accounts

Look Up Versus Trending Now Safety Net Say More Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Creator Playbook Mashable Selects Getting Technical with Mashable Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List In My Bag Mashable @Home All Series You should be aware of this opt-out Google setting that might compromise your privacy. Android users, listen up: Google is quietly verifying and attaching your phone number across all your signed-in Google accounts, according to reporting from . The policy change happened between August and October of 2025, under the Verify phone numbers automatically setting, which must now be opted out of rather than opted into. What does this mean in practice? All Google accounts used on your phone are going to be associated with your phone number, whether you want them to be or not, including accounts you add in the future. Furthermore, because Google periodically attempts to re-verify phone numbers, you could incur carrier charges associated with that verification process.