SECURE YOUR TELEGRAM ACCOUNT

Protect your chats, devices and account access.

Telegram can stay signed in across multiple devices, so protecting the account means protecting your authentication methods, active sessions, phone number and the devices where Telegram is installed.

Start with account access.

Telegram recommends Two-Step Verification and a strong Passcode Lock. You should also regularly review the devices connected to your account.

Some Telegram settings can appear in slightly different locations depending on your device and app version. Look for the same security feature if the wording differs.

What should I never share?

Never give anyone your Telegram login code, two-step verification password, recovery email password or device authentication approval. Legitimate support should not require these secrets.

Are all Telegram chats equally private?

No. Telegram's ordinary cloud chats and Secret Chats have different security properties. For particularly sensitive conversations, Telegram recommends using Secret Chats in its official guidance.

TELEGRAM ACCOUNT SECURITY

Protect access, devices and conversations.

Work through these checks one at a time. After each important change, use the VERIFY section to confirm that the protection is actually active.

Turn on two-step verification

Add an additional password so a login code alone is not enough to access your Telegram account.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Open Telegram.
Go to Settings.
Open Privacy and Security.
Select Two-Step Verification.
Choose the option to set an additional password.
Create a strong password that you do not reuse on another important account.
Add a recovery email if Telegram offers or recommends the option during setup.
Complete the setup and store the password securely.

VERIFY: Return to Privacy and Security and confirm that Two-Step Verification is enabled.

Set a strong Telegram passcode

A Telegram app passcode helps protect your conversations when someone has physical access to your unlocked device.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Open Telegram.
Go to Settings.
Open Privacy and Security.
Find Passcode Lock.
Choose Enable Passcode.
Create a strong passcode that another person cannot easily guess.
Set an appropriate automatic lock period if Telegram provides the option.
Use the app's lock control whenever you leave your device unattended.

VERIFY: Lock Telegram and confirm that the app requires your configured passcode or supported device authentication before showing your chats.

Review your active sessions

Telegram can remain signed in on multiple devices, so regularly review the devices that have access to your account.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Open Telegram.
Go to Settings.
Open Devices.
Review the devices and sessions currently connected to your account.
Check the device names, locations and activity information shown.
If you recognize a device and still use it, no action may be necessary.
If you do not recognize a session, select it and choose Terminate Session.
If you are unsure about several sessions, use Telegram's available option to terminate other sessions after securing the account.

VERIFY: Return to Devices and confirm that the remaining sessions are devices you recognize and control.

Set up a passkey when available

A Telegram passkey can provide another way to sign in using your device's PIN, fingerprint or face authentication.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Open Telegram.
Go to Settings.
Open Privacy and Security.
Find Passkeys.
If the feature is available, choose the option to create or add a passkey.
Follow your device's PIN or biometric authenticationinstructions.
Review the passkey information Telegram displays, including the device associated with it.

VERIFY: Confirm that the passkey appears in Telegram's Passkeys section and that you recognize the device associated with it.

Protect your Telegram recovery email

A recovery email can help you regain access to your two-step verification password, so the email account itself must be protected.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Open Telegram.
Go to Settings and then Privacy and Security.
Open Two-Step Verification.
Review the recovery email associated with the protection.
Confirm that the email address belongs to you.
Confirm that you can currently access the email account.
Protect that email account with a strong password and two-factor authentication where available.
Never give your recovery email password or verification code to someone claiming to help with Telegram.

VERIFY: Confirm that the recovery email belongs to you, is accessible and is itself protected against unauthorized access.

Review who can see your phone number

Your phone number is closely connected to your Telegram identity, so control how widely it is visible.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Open Telegram.
Go to Settings.
Open Privacy and Security.
Select Phone Number.
Review who can see your phone number.
Choose the privacy option that matches the level of exposure you are comfortable with.
Review the related setting for who can find you by your phone number.
Save or confirm the changes if Telegram asks you to do so.

VERIFY: Review the Phone Number privacy settings again and confirm that the selected audience matches what you intended.

Control who can add you to groups and channels

Limiting who can add you to groups and channels can reduce unwanted contact and exposure to suspicious content.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Open Telegram.
Go to Settings.
Open Privacy and Security.
Find Groups & Channels.
Review who can add you to groups and channels.
Choose the audience that gives you an appropriate level of control.
Review any available exceptions or additional privacy controls.

VERIFY: Confirm that the Groups & Channels privacy setting matches who you actually want to be able to add you.

Protect sensitive conversations

For information that requires stronger privacy, Telegram provides Secret Chats with additional protections that ordinary cloud chats do not provide.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Identify conversations containing particularly sensitive information.
When appropriate, start a Secret Chat with the intended contact.
Confirm that you are using Telegram's official Secret Chat feature rather than assuming every ordinary chat has the same properties.
Consider using a self-destruct timer for information that should not remain available indefinitely.
Remember that physical access to an unlocked device can still expose information displayed on that device.
Keep your Telegram passcode and device lock enabled.

VERIFY: Before sharing highly sensitive information, confirm that you are using the appropriate Telegram privacy feature and that your device itself is protected.

Be careful with Telegram login codes

Telegram login codes are security credentials. Anyone who obtains a legitimate login code may be able to continue an account-access attempt.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Never share a Telegram login code with another person.
Do not approve a login request that you did not initiate.
Remember that Telegram may deliver your account login code through the verified Telegram chat on another connected device.
Treat unexpected login codes as a reason to investigate rather than as something to forward to another person.
If you believe someone is trying to access your account, review Devices and enable or confirm Two-Step Verification.

VERIFY: If you receive an unexpected login code, confirm that you did not initiate the login and review your active sessions.

Secure Telegram after a stolen phone

If your phone is stolen, protect the Telegram account immediately and prevent the old device from remaining an active session.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

If you still have Telegram access on another device, open Settings → Privacy and Security.
Confirm or enable Two-Step Verification.
Open Devices or Privacy & Security → Active Sessions.
Find the session belonging to the stolen phone.
Choose Terminate Session for the stolen device.
Contact your mobile provider and ask them to block the old SIM and issue a replacement with your number.
Protect the replacement SIM and your phone with appropriate device security.
If you are changing your phone number, update your Telegram number through the legitimate Telegram settings.

VERIFY: Confirm that the stolen device no longer appears as an active Telegram session and that your phone number and account protections are under your control.

Secure your account after suspicious activity

If you discover an unfamiliar device, unexpected login or other unusual activity, treat the account as potentially compromised.

Click to see protection steps

Step-by-step

Stop sending sensitive information while you investigate.
Open Settings → Privacy and Security.
Review Devices or Active Sessions.
Terminate unfamiliar or unauthorized sessions.
Check Two-Step Verification.
Review your recovery email.
Check your Passkeys if you use them.
Change your two-step verification password if you believe it may have been exposed.
Secure your mobile number and SIM if you suspect a phone or SIM compromise.
If you cannot safely regain control, use Telegram's official support and recovery guidance rather than giving your credentials to someone offering to help.

VERIFY: Do not return to normal account use until you have reviewed your sessions and confirmed that your account's authentication and recovery methods are under your control.

Something does not look right?

If you find an unfamiliar login, changed recovery information, unexpected security alerts or another sign that someone may have accessed your account, stop the normal security check and move to the recovery process.

I think my account is compromised →

Still need help?

If you have worked through the relevant settings and something still looks wrong, do not give your security secrets to someone promising to fix the account. Use the service's official support and recovery resources for service-specific account problems.

For broader cybersecurity problems, you can also use the professional assistance pathway on this platform.

Need Professional Help? →

Telegram security is not a one-time task.

Review important account settings periodically, especially after a password change, device change, suspicious message or unexpected login alert.

VERIFY BEFORE YOU TRUST.

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