Google is silently linking your phone number across all signed-in accounts
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Google now auto-verifies and links your phone number across all signed-in accounts on Android.
Android Authority reports Google has quietly enabled automatic phone number verification across all accounts signed in on a device, including secondary and work profiles. The feature links numbers without explicit prompts. Google updated its support documentation between August and October 2025 to reflect this opt-out default. Users can disable future linking in Settings > Google > All Services > Privacy & Security > Phone number verification, but must manually remove previously linked numbers from each account's Personal Info page. Some Reddit users report the toggle re-enables itself.
What commenters are saying
Commenters overwhelmingly condemn Google as the most aggressive anti-privacy big tech company, citing requirements for phone numbers, QR code scans, and VPN restrictions. Some note regulatory pressure to combat fraud and child safety drives these measures. A user reports carrying two phones to compartmentalize, though others note correlation via cell towers or contacts is still possible. One user lost access to an old Gmail account after refusing to provide a phone number. A few point out Facebook is similarly ruthless, and that European banks now require Google accounts for online banking.