In today’s digital world, messaging apps have become an essential part of our daily lives, and Telegram stands out for its speed, ease of use, and advanced security features. However, despite its high level of protection, some default settings might leave your privacy vulnerable. To maximize your security and protect your personal data, it’s crucial to configure Telegram on Android.
Below, we provide a detailed step-by-step guide on how to enhance your account security and privacy settings to minimize potential threats.
1. Protecting Your Account from Unauthorized Access
1.1 Enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
💡 Why it matters: Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security, preventing unauthorized access to your account even if someone steals your SMS verification code.
How to set it up:
- Open Telegram and tap ☰ (Menu) in the top-left corner.
- Select Settings → Privacy and Security.
- Find Two-Step Verification and tap Set Password.
- Create a strong password (use a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters).
- Add a password hint (but avoid making it too obvious).
- Provide a recovery email (this helps if you forget the password).
- Confirm your email by entering the verification code sent to you.
Extra Tip: Use a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or Google Password Manager to store your credentials securely.
1.2 Checking Active Sessions
💡 Why it matters: Telegram allows multiple devices to stay logged in simultaneously. If someone gains access to your account, they may remain logged in without you noticing.
How to check and remove unknown sessions:
- Open Settings → Devices.
- Review the list of all active sessions.
- If you see an unfamiliar device, tap it and select Terminate Session.
- To log out from all devices except your current one, tap Terminate All Other Sessions.
Extra Tip: Enable New Login Notifications (found in the same section) to get alerts when someone logs into your account from a new device.
1.3 Setting Up an App Lock (Passcode or Fingerprint Lock)
💡 Why it matters: If someone physically accesses your phone, they can open Telegram and read your messages unless you have a lock enabled.
How to enable the passcode lock:
- Go to Settings → Privacy and Security → Passcode Lock.
- Tap Enable Passcode and create a 4-6 digit PIN.
- Turn on Auto-Lock (e.g., after 1 minute of inactivity).
- If you prefer, enable Unlock with Fingerprint for convenience.
❗ Important: If you forget your passcode, you’ll have to reinstall Telegram, and all Secret Chats will be lost.
2. Protecting Your Privacy and Personal Data
2.1 Hiding Your Phone Number
💡 Why it matters: By default, your phone number is visible to everyone who has saved your contact. This can expose you to spam, unwanted messages, or privacy risks.
How to hide your phone number:
- Go to Settings → Privacy and Security → Phone Number.
- Under Who can see my phone number?, select Nobody (or My Contacts if you want only friends to see it).
- Under Who can find me by my number?, choose My Contacts or Nobody for additional privacy.
2.2 Hiding Your Last Seen & Online Status
💡 Why it matters: Telegram allows users to see when you were last online, which could let others track your activity.
How to hide it:
- Go to Settings → Privacy and Security → Last Seen & Online.
- Select Nobody (or My Contacts if you want only friends to see it).
- Add exceptions (e.g., specific people who should or shouldn’t see your status).
2.3 Limiting Message Forwarding & Screenshot Capturing
💡 Why it matters: Your messages could be forwarded without your permission, exposing your conversations.
How to prevent message forwarding:
- Go to Settings → Privacy and Security → Forwarded Messages.
- Choose Nobody or My Contacts.
How to prevent screenshots:
- If you’re using Secret Chats, Telegram automatically blocks screenshots.
- In regular chats, self-destructing messages (enabled per chat) help reduce screenshot risks.
3. Additional Security Tips
✅ Use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi to prevent data interception.
✅ Avoid clicking on suspicious links and don’t download unknown files to prevent phishing attacks.
✅ Enable “Auto-Delete Account” (Settings → Privacy and Security → If Inactive for…) to delete your account if you stop using Telegram for a set period.
Final Thoughts
While Telegram offers strong security by default, customizing your settings will significantly improve your privacy and protection. Spending just a few minutes configuring these options ensures that your data stays safe and that your conversations remain private.
