Since September 2025, Android has automatically verified a phone’s number during setup and linked it to every Google account signed in on the device. This includes work accounts and additional personal accounts. Some users are only now discovering the setting after receiving emails from Google confirming that their number was verified.
The linking also applies when accounts or numbers change. An account added later receives the numbers already on the phone, while replacing a SIM card links the new number to every account. Google and the mobile carrier periodically check the numbers again, which may result in carrier charges.
Google says number verification supports account recovery and RCS, a messaging service. According to Kaspersky, disabling verification means losing RCS chats in Google Messages, so conversations return to SMS. Kaspersky also says the number can no longer be used for quick account recovery.
To disable automatic verification, open the phone’s Settings and select Google, then All services. Under Privacy & security, choose Phone number verification and switch off Verify phone numbers automatically. This setting can only be managed on the phone, and disabling it does not remove existing links. Those numbers must be removed separately in each account’s Google settings under Personal info, then Phone.
