The short answer
- 1Carriers reuse numbers, and a Telegram account stays on its number until moved or deleted.
- 2Logging in with a recycled number opens the old account, or its password screen.
- 3Delete or reset that account to start your own; the reset takes a week if it is protected.
In this article
Why a new number can come with an old account
Carriers reuse phone numbers. When someone stops paying for a line, the number goes back into the pool and, after a while, is given to a new customer. If the previous owner had a Telegram account on that number and never moved it, the account is still attached to it.
A Telegram account belongs to whoever can receive the codes for its number. So when you type your new number into Telegram, you are not signing up; you are logging in to the account that is already there. What happens next depends on how the previous owner set it up:
| What you see after the code | What it means |
|---|---|
| Chats, contacts and a name that are not yours | The old account had no Two-Step Verification, and you are now logged in to it |
| A password screen you cannot answer | The old account has Two-Step Verification on |
| "Check your Telegram messages" | The old account is logged in on someone's device, and the code went there |
| "This phone number is banned." | The previous owner was blocked for spam; see a banned phone number |
You landed in someone else's chats
Stop there. Those are a stranger's private messages, and reading them is no more acceptable because the app let you in.
- Do not reply to anyone, and do not open chats. People who message that account think they are talking to the previous owner.
- You cannot create your own account on this number while that one exists. Each number has one account.
- To start fresh, the old account has to be deleted. Telegram's FAQ points to its deactivation page at telegram.org/deactivate. It asks for the number and sends a confirmation code to the Telegram app where that account is logged in, which is now yours. Deleting removes that account's messages and contacts permanently. Then sign up again with the number.
If you would rather not delete anything yourself, the account will also delete itself if nobody uses it: Telegram's FAQ says accounts that do not come online for a set period, 18 months by default, are removed. Since you have just logged in, though, that clock has restarted.
A password you do not know
If the old account has Two-Step Verification, you will see a password screen. Do not guess. Tap Forgot password?. Without access to the recovery email, the remaining option the app offers is to reset the account. A reset deletes it, and you lose nothing of yours, because there is nothing of yours in it yet.
For a protected, active account the reset is not immediate. The app explains: "Since the account … is active and protected by a password, it will be deleted in 1 week. This delay is required for security purposes. You can cancel this process anytime." It then shows a countdown, "You'll be able to reset your account in:". When it ends, you can reset and sign up.
On the other side: giving up a number
If you are the one changing numbers, protect yourself before you let the old one go. Telegram's FAQ says that if you will no longer use the old number, you should change the number on your account to the new one in Settings, and warns that you must keep access to your connected number or risk losing the account.
- Change the account to your new number while you still have the old one.
- Turn on Two-Step Verification with a recovery email. Then a code alone, received by whoever gets your old number, is never enough.
- Add a login email, so codes do not depend on the number at all. See adding a login email.
Next step: can't log in to Telegram: a full checklist.
FAQ
Why does my new number open someone else's Telegram?
Carriers recycle numbers. The previous owner's account was never moved, so the code logs you in to it.
How do I reset a Telegram account on a recycled number?
On the password screen, tap Forgot password? and reset. If the account is active and protected, Telegram deletes it after 1 week.
Can I create a new Telegram account on a number that already has one?
No. Each number has one account; the old one must be deleted first.
Sources
At a glance
- 1Someone's chats
Do not read or reply; delete the old account, then sign up.
- 2Unknown password
Forgot password? > reset; a protected account waits a week.
- 3Giving up a number
Change your account's number first and turn on Two-Step Verification.
Updated
