Learn how Google Play services can use your Phone permission

Google Play services enables important features of your device and helps make your device more secure and reliable. Google Play services is different from the Google Play Store. Learn more about Google Play services.

How Google Play services can use your Phone permission

Google Play services may periodically access your phone’s information to perform core services on your device. Some examples are:

To verify your phone number

If you opt-in to phone number verification, Google Play services may access your phone information in the background to discover and verify the phone number associated with your Google Account.

Tip: To manage your phone number verification settings, on your Android device, open Settings  Google  Manage your Google Account  Personal Info  Phone. You can also visit https://myaccount.google.com/phone.

To detect your mobile network type

To optimize your device connectivity, Google Play services may periodically detect your device’s mobile network type (for example, 4G or LTE) in the background to ensure that you can receive timely notifications and content updates from apps on your device.

To keep your device up to date

Google Play services may periodically collect your phone information, such as device identifiers, in the background to make sure your device remains up-to-date and is working as well as possible. Learn more about the Android Device Configuration Service. 

To help find a lost device

Google Play services allows you to specify a phone number, through Find My Device, so that someone can call you if you lose your device.

Tip: To manage your Find My Device settings, on your Android device, open Settings  Google  Find My Device. 

To improve security

Google Play services may periodically collect your phone information in the background, to improve the security and reliability of digital wallet and payment services.

How Google handles your information

In order to enable some features, Google Play Services may collect and send some information to Google which may include crash logs and diagnostics information for analytics purposes. Any information that Google collects is handled in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy.