Can someone break Telegram 2-Step Verification?

If anyone tells you they can break into Telegram accounts protected with Two-Step Verification, ask them to replace the GIF in this channel:

The account that controls this channel has Two-Step Verification enabled, but whoever can "break" it shouldn't have problems posting a new GIF.

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Two-Step Verification Explained

By default, you can use an SMS code to your phone number to log in to Telegram on a new device to access your cloud chats. This is an industry standard for logging into messaging apps. However, if you have reasons not to trust your mobile carrier or your government, we advise protecting your Telegram login with an additional password.

When you log in on a new device, Telegram will verify that you are the owner of the account in two steps: first it will ask for a code, then for your password. This is why it's called Two-Step Verification.

How to enable 2-Step Verification?

Go to Telegram Settings > Privacy & Security > 2-Step Verification and choose a password which will be required each time you log into Telegram on a new device.

Recovery Email

If you worry about forgetting your password, you can set a recovery email. If you do that, tapping on "Forgot password?" will send a code to your email. Entering that code will reset the password and give you access to your cloud chats.

You can skip this step and set no recovery email at all. If you do that and forget your password, there will be no way of restoring access to your chats. Your only option will be to reset the account and start from scratch.

Advanced security tips

Keeping your Recovery Email secure

For Two-Step Verification to be effective, it is important to keep your recovery email secure. After all, if somebody gains access to your email, they might reset your password and access your chats.

For this reason we recommend using international email services with a good reputation – especially if you live in a country where it is easy for corrupt officials or their friends to get data from local companies.

"Recovering" your Recovery Email

Take a special note of how access to your recovery email can be restored if you forget your email password. Some services allow restoring full access to email via a simple SMS code and no password. While this may seem convenient, it can give an attacker who hijacked your phone number too much power.

Keeping your device secure

Remember that in every scenario, your device is the ultimate guardian of your data. No messaging app can protect you against people who have access to your device.

To protect your device from malware, keep your operating system updated to the latest version and never install apps from suspicious sources. It is also advisable to only use official Telegram apps.