I have tried it myself, the registration is no longer possible with the QR code. Supposedly, using the QR code on the smartphone triggers an SMS sent from your phone to Google in order to verify your phone number.

Supposedly, this is for security. A valid argument, since finish is harder this way, although not impossible. However, this prohibits the use of services like SMSpool, too.

Does anyone have any ideas how to handle account registration in the future?

This only stops your average user. Google accounts are sold on a variety of marketplaces and have been for a long time.

The average user isn’t using SMS verification services to begin with. At best, that’s your average privacy-focused individual. Now, how does the average privacy-minded individual best approach creating a new Google account? Buying an account “second-hand” comes with its own risks, because you never know who the account was associated with previously.

You just wait, someone will come up with a service that sends a sms to google.

Damn it… Google keeps closing more and more. Hope nerds find a work around soon.

I admire your confidence and hope you are right.

I am curious, is QR code verification currently universal to all countries?

Also, suppose I am on holiday in Italy, which is one of the many countries that requires ID registration to buy or use a SIM. I’m in Italy for only a week and buy a SIM there, which is tied to my ID.

While I’m there I use my Italian number to create an “anonymous” Google account. Upon creating my Google account, I immediately enable 2FA via authentication app and YubiKey, and save my recovery codes. I am able to log into my Google account without SMS verification.

I go back to my country, and keep using my Google account without ever being prompted to verify my number. Because I don’t live in Italy, my Italian number quickly gets reassigned.

I keep using my Google accounts for months and years, without every needing to verify my number.

Can Google trace the account back to my real identity from the Italian number I used?

Do phone network companies or governments keep a record of all the people who have owned the same number?

This is something worth investigating in the country that you live in. I would like to believe that if I owned a phone number for just a couple of months before it was assigned to someone else, Google would not be able to identify me.

I know for a fact that Google does keep a record of all the phone numbers you have used with them. However, they will generally not let you verify your account with a number you don’t own anymore. I know lots of people who forget to update their number with Google when they change it.

Sending a SMS that is quite odd given phone spoofing options. I hope they are not stupid enough to use that for MFA.

@james1992

Why are you always so negative? I put you on ignore a while ago so don’t waste time answering. It’s more a question you should probably ask yourself.

According to this article from February 2025, Google planned to use it for all SMS authentication, not just registration.

Although it’s hard to tell how difficult it is to spoof the number/text message. Google doesn’t give you a code to send manually.

I don’t like the idea of potentially revealing more details about your device and location when you scan the QR code.

I also wonder what about people with dumb phones? Is it fair to expect them to buy a smartphone?

Just a couple of years ago, I had a boss who I noticed had a dumb phone. He was relatively young, in his 40s, and deliberately used a dumb phone. I never asked him why, but I don’t think it was because he wasn’t smart enough to use smartphone. If some people still use dumb phones it is unfair to expect them to switch.

In relation to this, I also ask myself the following. Suppose you buy a French sim card in France, but then use that same SIM card in Japan. You use that SIM card to register a Google account from Japan.

Will Google be able to detect you’re in Japan (assuming you’re using a VPN) or will they still assume your location is France?