Account Security Features
Posted: Thu May 29, 2025 5:08 am
Telegram provides several user-configurable features to enhance account security:
Two-Step Verification (2FA): This adds an extra layer of security to your account. Beyond the SMS code sent to your phone, you set a password that is required to log in on new devices or make significant account changes. This is highly recommended to prevent unauthorized access even if your SIM card is compromised.
Passcode Lock/Local Passcode: You can set a PIN, password, or use biometric authentication (fingerprint, face recognition) to lock the Telegram app itself. This prevents anyone with physical access to your unlocked phone from reading your chats.
Active Sessions Management: Telegram allows you to view and manage all active telegram data sessions on your account, enabling you to terminate any unfamiliar or unauthorized sessions remotely.
Account Auto-Deletion: Users can configure their account to automatically delete after a specified period of inactivity (e.g., 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year). This helps protect your digital footprint if you stop using the app.
4. Privacy Controls and Policies
Beyond encryption, Telegram offers extensive privacy settings to control who sees your information:
Phone Number Visibility: You can control who can see your phone number (everyone, my contacts, nobody). This is crucial for maintaining privacy, as your phone number is your primary identifier on Telegram.
Last Seen & Online Status: You can hide your "last seen" timestamp and online status from others.
Profile Photo and Forwarded Messages: You can control who can see your profile photo and prevent forwarded messages from linking back to your account.
Minimal Data Collection: Telegram states it adheres to a strict privacy policy, collecting only the data necessary for the service to function. They explicitly state they do not use your data for ad targeting or sell it to third parties.
Decentralized Infrastructure: Telegram's servers are geographically distributed across various countries and legal jurisdictions. This decentralized approach aims to make it more challenging for any single government or entity to exert control or demand access to user data. Telegram asserts they have disclosed "0 bytes of user data to third parties, including governments" to date.
Two-Step Verification (2FA): This adds an extra layer of security to your account. Beyond the SMS code sent to your phone, you set a password that is required to log in on new devices or make significant account changes. This is highly recommended to prevent unauthorized access even if your SIM card is compromised.
Passcode Lock/Local Passcode: You can set a PIN, password, or use biometric authentication (fingerprint, face recognition) to lock the Telegram app itself. This prevents anyone with physical access to your unlocked phone from reading your chats.
Active Sessions Management: Telegram allows you to view and manage all active telegram data sessions on your account, enabling you to terminate any unfamiliar or unauthorized sessions remotely.
Account Auto-Deletion: Users can configure their account to automatically delete after a specified period of inactivity (e.g., 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year). This helps protect your digital footprint if you stop using the app.
4. Privacy Controls and Policies
Beyond encryption, Telegram offers extensive privacy settings to control who sees your information:
Phone Number Visibility: You can control who can see your phone number (everyone, my contacts, nobody). This is crucial for maintaining privacy, as your phone number is your primary identifier on Telegram.
Last Seen & Online Status: You can hide your "last seen" timestamp and online status from others.
Profile Photo and Forwarded Messages: You can control who can see your profile photo and prevent forwarded messages from linking back to your account.
Minimal Data Collection: Telegram states it adheres to a strict privacy policy, collecting only the data necessary for the service to function. They explicitly state they do not use your data for ad targeting or sell it to third parties.
Decentralized Infrastructure: Telegram's servers are geographically distributed across various countries and legal jurisdictions. This decentralized approach aims to make it more challenging for any single government or entity to exert control or demand access to user data. Telegram asserts they have disclosed "0 bytes of user data to third parties, including governments" to date.