This setting has been in place by default since September 2025.

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Android phones have been attaching their SIM's phone number to every signed-in Google account on that device for more than a year. Google's support documentation says that it verifies the number automatically during setup and adds it to every account on the phone, including work and secondary accounts. According to Google, verification enables features like account recovery and RCS messaging, but the company doesn't explain why the number needs to be added to every account.

Android Authority found that the Google documentation in question was amended sometime between August and October 2025 to say that verification is on by default, while a Google Play services changelog dated September 8, 2025 lists number verification as running automatically on setup.…