Google quietly adds selfie video sign-in for account recovery

Open Google's homepage right now, and you might notice something new sitting above the search bar: a banner asking you to record a selfie video. It's not a bug or a stray test. Google is actively pushing users toward a sign-in method it quietly launched back in July.

First noticed on Search Engine Watch, the desktop banner was later corroborated by Android Authority, which discovered an identical "Add a selfie" option that guides you through the entire process of taking the video and shows you what Google does with your facial data.

How does Google say it will use your face?

According to Google, the video gets reviewed by a model that checks "whether you're a real person who is old enough." The company says the resulting facial data stays securely stored, and you're given the option, not a requirement, to let Google use it to improve its facial recognition systems more broadly.

Gemini's avatar tool requires recording your selfie video directly on a phone, likely to capture higher-quality footage. Google's sign-in version skips that restriction entirely, letting you set it up through a laptop or desktop webcam instead.

Even with such a prominent design, Google sees this as more of a backup rather than an everyday activity. The application of this feature is supposed to be used in recovering one’s account when there is no way of getting into the account using regular means.

After registration, Google may request that you upload a new selfie after every few months to update the reference picture with the actual picture of you.