One Telegram app can hold several accounts at once, and you switch between them without logging out. Each account needs its own phone number, though: Telegram treats every number as a separate account. A second Telegram account without a number does not exist, so the real question is which number to use.
Several accounts in one Telegram app
Telegram's FAQ says you can log in to one app with several different accounts at once. Chats, contacts and notifications stay separate per account, and you switch between them without signing out.
Telegram at a glance
- Virtual numbers
- Depends on the number range
- Code sent by
- SMS · inside the app · phone call
- Code length
- 5 digits
- Asks for the number again later
- Yes
- One number per account
- Yes
Adding the second account
- Open the account switcher Find Add Account next to your name in the menu or in Settings, depending on your app.
- Enter the second number Use the number this new account will belong to, with its country code.
- Type the five-digit code A brand-new number gets it by SMS. A number that already has Telegram may get it inside Telegram on another device instead.
- Name it so you can tell them apart A different profile photo and name stop you from writing to a client from your private account.
The number for the second account
| Fits when | Watch out for | |
|---|---|---|
| A second SIM or eSIM | The account should last for years | Keep the line active, or you risk losing the account |
| A work phone number | You want work and private chats apart | If you leave the job, change the number in Telegram first |
| A temporary number | You want a separate profile without handing out another number | It serves the sign-up code only; never log out of every device |
Telegram's own warning: always keep an account connected to a phone number you control, or you risk losing it forever.
Keeping the accounts apart
- Hide each number under Settings → Privacy and Security → Phone Number. By default only your contacts see it.
- Set a password for two-step verification on both accounts.
- Check which account is active before you post in a group or reply to a client.
- Change a number later under Settings → your phone number → Change Number, and you keep your chats.
Telegram numbers are offered in many countries. The country pages show where:
Common questions
Can I have a second Telegram account without a phone number?
No. Every Telegram account belongs to a phone number, so the second account needs a second number.
Can two Telegram accounts use the same number?
No. Each phone number is one Telegram account.
Do I have to log out to switch accounts?
No. Once both are added, you switch between them in the app without logging out.
What happens if I lose the second number?
As long as you stay logged in somewhere, you can keep using the account and move it to a new number in Settings. If you log out everywhere without the number, the account is lost.
Does a Premium subscription cover both accounts?
No. Telegram's Premium FAQ says each account needs its own subscription; Premium features then work on all devices of that one account.
Can I use the second account on my computer as well?
Yes. Telegram runs on many devices at the same time; sign in on the desktop app with the second account's number, and the login code usually arrives inside Telegram on your phone.