Gmail: Google plans to end SMS verification in favor of QR codes

[harlan4096]

For some time now, Google has been asking for a mobile phone number and verification when new customers create Gmail accounts. SMS verification is also used as part of the login process, to verify that a returning customer is indeed that customer.

Google did introduce an option to enable 2-step verification for accounts without phone number in 2024 already.

A report by Forbes suggest that this is going to change in the coming months. Google plans to end SMS verification in favor of another system.

Google told Forbes that it wants to move away from using SMS messages for authentication. Other services, including X, formerly Twitter, have abandoned SMS in the past as well.

Currently, Google uses SMS verification in two situations:

1. When accounts get created, in order to limit the mass-creation of accounts by malware gangs and malicious groups.
   
2. To verify the identity of a returning user.
   

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