Telegram Account Hacked? What to Do Right Now

What should I do first if my Telegram was hacked?

Work out which situation you’re in, because the steps are very different. Do this from a device you trust.

How do I kick a hacker out of my Telegram account?

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   Step 1: Open your active sessions

   Go to Settings › Devices (on some apps, Privacy and Security › Active Sessions). Each entry shows the app, device, approximate location and last activity.

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   Step 2: End every session you don’t recognise

   Tap a session and terminate it, or choose Terminate all other sessions if you’re unsure. Telegram may stop a device that signed in only recently from ending older sessions for a while. That protects owners from attackers, so act from your oldest trusted device if you can.

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   Step 3: Set or change two-step verification

   In Settings › Privacy and Security › Two-Step Verification, set a new password the attacker can’t guess and confirm the recovery email is yours. If an unfamiliar email is listed, replace it.

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   Step 4: Check your phone number and username

   Make sure the number on the account is still yours, and that your username, name, bio and photo haven’t been changed to impersonate you or run a scam.

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   Step 5: Review logged-in websites and bots

   Under Privacy and Security, check for websites logged in with your Telegram account and remove ones you don’t use. Look through recent bot chats for anything you didn’t start.

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   Step 6: Look for messages sent in your name

   Attackers often message your contacts asking for money, codes or “votes.” Check recent chats, delete scam messages where you can, and tell affected people directly.

How do I recover a Telegram account I’ve been locked out of?

Telegram is explicit about the limit here. Its FAQ (opens in a new tab) says the phone number is the only way it identifies a user, “so whoever has the number, has the account,” and it can’t help unless you have access to the number or to Telegram on one of your devices. Recovery therefore starts with your carrier.

1. If your SIM has stopped working, contact your mobile carrier, report it, and ask for the number to be restored to a new SIM you hold.
2. Once you can receive SMS again, sign in to Telegram with that number.
3. If Telegram asks for a two-step verification password, enter yours. If an attacker set one, see the next section.
4. Once you’re in, follow the steps above: end sessions, then secure 2-step verification and your recovery email.
5. If login codes never arrive, use Telegram’s login support form (opens in a new tab). Telegram also lists @SmsTelegram (opens in a new tab) on X as its official login-help account and says it has no other support accounts on social media.

What if the hacker set a two-step verification password?

At the password prompt, Telegram offers a forgot-password path. What it offers depends on whether a recovery email is set and whose email it is. If it’s your email, a code there lets you reset the password. If there’s no recovery email, or it belongs to the attacker, the remaining options may involve waiting or resetting the account.

What else should I secure after a Telegram hack?

• Your recovery email. Change its password and turn on its own two-factor authentication. Telegram itself says this matters.
• Your mobile account. Ask your carrier about a port-out PIN or SIM lock so the number is harder to move without you.
• Other services that send codes to Telegram or SMS. Banking, exchanges and email accounts that use the same number deserve a check.
• Your devices. If the hack started from malware or a shared computer, scan or reset that device before signing back in.
• Groups and channels you own. Review the admin list and permissions. An attacker with your account may have promoted someone or changed settings.

What if I can’t get the account back?

Sometimes the number is gone for good, or the account has been reset. Your cloud chats went with the account. What you can still rebuild depends on what you prepared beforehand: an export, a list of usernames, invite links for private groups, or the names of admins who can add you back.

Starting again on a new account is covered in transferring Telegram to a new account. If you still have access today, the backup readiness check takes two minutes and shows what to prepare.