The short answer
- 1No Telegram app shows a 'you have been logged out' pop-up.
- 2A real log-out just returns the app to the welcome screen.
- 3A message with a link to 'log in again' is phishing.
In this article
Telegram does not send that message
People search for "You have been logged out on another device" because they saw something like it. But no Telegram app shows a message with those words. When a Telegram session ends, the app does not explain itself in a pop-up; it simply goes back to the start.
So there are two very different situations behind this search:
| What happened | What it looks like | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A device really was logged out | The app opens on the welcome screen with Start Messaging, or asks for your phone number again | Find out why; see below |
| Someone sent you a message saying you were logged out | A chat, SMS or email with a link or a button to "log in again" or "restore access" | Do not tap it. It is phishing |
If the message came to you
- Do not tap the link, scan any QR code in it, or reply with a code.
- Check the real state yourself: open Telegram the normal way. If it opens your chats, you were never logged out.
- Look at Devices for sessions you do not recognise. See checking active sessions.
- Report and block the sender. Spotting a fake login alert shows how the genuine Telegram notices look, and how copies differ.
If a device really was logged out
A device returns to the welcome screen when its session has ended. The usual reasons:
- It was ended from another device, with Terminate Session or Terminate All Other Sessions in Devices. That button "logs out all devices except for this one", so one tap on a phone can sign out a tablet and a computer at once.
- It had been unused for a long time and the "If inactive for" setting ended it.
- The app's data was cleared by a cleaner app, a reinstall or a browser setting.
Each of these is explained in Telegram keeps logging you out. If none fits and you see unfamiliar devices in the list, treat it as a break-in: end those sessions, turn on Two-Step Verification, and change your password if you have one.
Getting back in
Log in on that device again with your number. If another device is still logged in, the code arrives there as a message from Telegram; see codes in the app on another device. Your cloud chats come back. Secret chats that were on the logged-out device do not.
Next step: logged in but the chat list is empty.
FAQ
Does Telegram tell you when you are logged out?
Not with a pop-up. The logged-out device simply opens on the welcome screen or asks for your number.
I got a message saying my Telegram was logged out. Is it real?
Treat it as phishing if it has a link or asks for a code. Open Telegram yourself and check Devices instead.
Why was my Telegram logged out on another device?
Usually someone ended the session from Devices, the device was inactive too long, or its app data was cleared.
Sources
At a glance
- 1Real log-out
Welcome screen or phone number prompt; check why in Devices.
- 2A message about it
Do not tap links or send codes; open Telegram yourself.
- 3Back in
Log in again; cloud chats return, secret chats do not.
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