As you may have heard from the news, Google now attaches your phone number to all accounts signed in on your Android device without notifying you beforehand. This isn’t a new feature — it has been enabled by default since the September 2025 Google Play services update, but it’s only now that users are taking notice.
A quick word on what’s really happening: when you add a phone number to a Google account, Google automatically adds that number to other accounts on the same device. Google’s purpose is probably to improve account recovery and enhance accounts’ anti-abuse measures. However, a surge in discussion around this feature has prompted me to examine the privacy and security threats that may come with it, before offering steps to double-check your Google Account security.
