What to know

  • Google just launched “Recovery Contacts” for all personal accounts.
  • You can add up to 10 trusted friends or family members.
  • They help verify it’s really you when other recovery methods fail.
  • The update is rolling out globally over the next few weeks.

Google is rolling out new privacy and recovery tools across its Android ecosystem, making it easier for users to recover accounts, avoid spam, and stay secure.

One of the most notable additions is Recovery Contacts, a feature that lets you add trusted friends or family members to help recover your Google account if you're locked out. Whether you lose your device or forget your password, your recovery contacts can verify your identity and help you regain access without losing any data.

Here's how it works: you can add up to 10 recovery contacts under the Security tab in your Google Account settings. Each contact must approve your request to be added. If you ever get locked out, you select a recovery contact, and they receive a 15-minute verification code to confirm your identity. After adding a contact, you cannot use them as a recovery option again for seven days.

Google is also introducing sign-in with a mobile number as a recovery option. This is particularly useful when a device is lost. The feature automatically identifies accounts linked to a given phone number. Verification can be done using the lock-screen passcode or pattern from your previous device.

On the privacy side, Google continues to strengthen on-device protection and spam detection. Pixel users now benefit from scam and spam message detection. Additionally, Google Messages for all users will warn you if a link in a message is suspicious, preventing accidental visits to malicious websites.

For technically inclined users, Google is adding a key verifier in Google Messages. This feature ensures that the other party's identity is verified and that messages remain end-to-end encrypted and private. Android 10 and later users can even scan a QR code to verify contacts directly.

With these updates, Google is making account recovery smarter, safer, and more social, letting trusted friends assist while keeping spam and malicious activity at bay.