Telegram Block List: How to Find It and Unblock Someone (2026)
25/10/2026How to Stop People Adding You to Telegram Groups
27/10/2026
Checked 25 October 2026 · 9 min read
How to Get a Virtual Number for Telegram Without Losing the Account Later
Short answer: Telegram lets you sign up with any mobile number that can receive its login code, virtual ones included, unless it has blocked that number. A virtual number is a number with no SIM card of yours behind it. It works for sign-up, but the risk comes later: whoever controls that number in the future can request your login code. So pick a number you can keep, then lock the account with a password, a recovery email and a passkey.
- Works for a second account, privacy, travel
- Often refused: many VoIP and shared numbers
- Must do after: 2-Step Verification
Second SIM or eSIM
+44 7700 900 123
A real mobile line on a plan you pay for.
Your next login code goes to
You, as long as you keep paying the plan.
Do you even need a virtual number?
Many people buy one only to hide their real number. Telegram already lets you do that for free. Pick your reason and follow the cable.
No virtual number needed
Open Settings › Privacy and Security › Phone Number. Set Who can see my phone number to Nobody and Who can find me by my number to My Contacts. Then share a @username instead of your number.
A number you will still own next year
A second SIM, an eSIM or a rented number you keep paying for. The account lives as long as you control the number.
A Fragment +888 number
Telegram’s own anonymous numbers, bought with TON. They need no SIM card, but they only work in Telegram.
A one-time SMS number, with care
Fine for an account you are ready to lose. Set a password in the first minute, because the number goes to someone else after you.
Which kinds of virtual number work with Telegram?
Five kinds of number can receive a Telegram code. The real difference is how long the number stays yours, because that is how long the account stays safe.
Second SIM or eSIM
The safest choice
A real mobile line from a carrier, on a cheap plan or a travel eSIM. Telegram treats it like any phone, and you can always receive a new code.
- Telegram accepts it almost always
- Stays yours while the plan is paid
- Some carriers ask for ID to activate
VoIP app number
Calls-and-texts apps
Numbers from apps such as Google Voice or TextNow. Some users sign up fine, others get “This phone number is banned” straight away.
- Accepted for some numbers, refused for others
- Free numbers can be taken back if inactive
Rented (permanent) number
Yours for months
You pay monthly or yearly and receive every SMS for that period.
- Acceptance depends on the line
- If the rental lapses, it can be given to someone else
One-time SMS number
Rented for one code
You pay to receive a single SMS within a few minutes. The cheapest route, and the one that fails most.
- The number returns to a shared pool
- You cannot get a second code later
Fragment +888
Built by Telegram for this
Collectible numbers on the TON blockchain, sold on Fragment since December 2022. Login codes appear on Fragment, not by SMS.
- Made for Telegram sign-up
- Paid in TON, prices set by the market
- No SMS or calls, Telegram only
Why does Telegram reject a virtual number?
Telegram does not publish which numbers it blocks. These are the messages people actually see, what each one means and what to do. Tap a ticket.
E1Telegram sign-up
“Sorry, this phone number is banned.”
- What it means
- Telegram refuses the number before sending any code. It happens a lot with VoIP and shared numbers that were used for spam before you got them.
- What to do
- Do not retry the same number. Get a different number, ideally a different type or country. Ask your provider for a refund if it sells numbers per code.
Keep this receipt · not a Telegram document
Is a virtual number allowed?
Telegram’s rules do not ban virtual numbers. Its FAQ does warn that the phone number is the only way for us to identify a Telegram user
, so a number you cannot reach again can cost you the account.
Some countries require a registered SIM for any phone number. Using numbers to create many accounts for spam breaks Telegram’s Terms of Service and gets those accounts limited or banned.
How do you sign up to Telegram with a virtual number?
Choose your route. Each key is one step, in order.
- 1GET
Get a number that can receive SMS
Choose the country first. For one-time numbers, pick a seller that refunds when no code arrives.
- 2ADD
Open the sign-up screen
New install: tap Start Messaging. Already on Telegram: Settings, then Add Account. On iPhone you can also long-press the Settings tab.
- 3DIAL
Enter the number in full
Pick the number’s country, not yours, then type the rest exactly as the seller shows it.
- 4WAIT
Read the code where the number lives
In the seller’s dashboard, the VoIP app or your phone. If Telegram says it sent the code to “the Telegram app on your other device”, that number already has an account. Use another number.
- 5CODE
Type the code and your name
Codes expire after a few minutes. If it fails, request a new one once, do not hammer the button.
- 6LOCK
Lock it in the first minute
Set a 2-Step Verification password and recovery email now. Section 05 shows the three locks.
- 1WALLET
Set up a TON wallet
A self-custody wallet such as Tonkeeper. Fund it with enough TON for the number you want.
- 2BUY
Buy a number on fragment.com
Open the Numbers section, connect the wallet and buy at auction or at a fixed price. The number is an NFT you hold in that wallet.
- 3DIAL
Enter the +888 number in Telegram
Use Start Messaging or Add Account and type the number. Update Telegram first if +888 is not accepted.
- 4FETCH
Get the code from Fragment
On Fragment open My Assets and choose Get Login Code next to the number. No SMS is sent.
- 5CODE
Type the code and your name
Your profile shows the +888 number. Hide it in Phone Number privacy if you prefer.
- 6LOCK
Set a password before anything else
Anyone who later holds the NFT can fetch a login code. A password keeps them out if you ever sell or lose the wallet.
How do you keep an account on a virtual number safe?
A virtual number is a weak front door. Add three locks that do not depend on it. Tick each one as you set it up.
All three are on. Losing the number no longer means losing the account.
Also worth doing: log in on a second device, such as Telegram Desktop by QR code, so a code can reach you inside Telegram if the number stops working. Telegram may also ask you to add a login email so codes come by email instead of SMS.
What happens when the number goes to someone else?
This is the part most guides skip. Flip the switch to see the same story with and without a password.
Day 0
You sign up with a one-time number and chat for weeks.
Day 20
The seller rents the same number to a stranger for another app.
Day 21
The stranger opens Telegram with that number and asks for the code by SMS. It reaches them, and they are inside your chats.
The same applies when a rented number lapses or a Fragment number changes owner. A password stops the login, but your account is still tied to a number you no longer hold, so move it as shown next.
Can you move the account to another number later?
Yes, and you keep everything. Telegram’s FAQ says you can change your number and keep everything: chats, contacts and media.
Settings › tap your phone number › Change Number
You need access to both numbers for a moment, because Telegram sends a code to the new one. The new number must not already have its own Telegram account.
Sister service
Need a number for Telegram today?
vsim.co is our sister site for virtual numbers. It sells one-time SMS numbers and permanent US numbers.
- Telegram is one of the strictest apps. A code may not arrive, or Telegram may reject the number.
- For an account you want to keep, choose a permanent number over a one-time one.
- Whatever you buy, set the password from section 05 straight away.
Questions people ask about virtual numbers for Telegram
Can I use Telegram without a phone number?
Not fully. Every account is created with a number. A Fragment +888 number is the only option that needs no SIM card. Passkeys, added in December 2025, let you log in without an SMS code, but Telegram still says to keep an active number you control.
Is it legal to use a virtual number for Telegram?
Telegram does not forbid it. Some countries require phone numbers to be registered to a person, so check the law where you live. Using many numbers for spam breaks Telegram’s Terms of Service.
Why does Telegram say “This phone number is banned”?
The number was blocked before it reached you, usually because it is a VoIP or shared number that was used for spam. Retrying will not help. Use a different number, preferably a different type.
Can I use a free virtual number for Telegram?
Avoid free “receive SMS online” websites. Their messages are public, so anyone can copy your login code. Free VoIP app numbers sometimes work, but they can be taken back after a period of inactivity.
What happens if I lose access to my virtual number?
You can keep using Telegram on devices that are already logged in. To log in anywhere new you need the number, a passkey or a login email. Change to a number you own while you are still logged in.
Can one virtual number be used for two Telegram accounts?
No. Each phone number is one Telegram account. If Telegram sends the code to “the Telegram app on your other device”, that number already belongs to an account.
Can I switch from a virtual number to my real number later?
Yes. Go to Settings, tap your phone number and choose Change Number. Your chats and contacts stay. The new number must not have its own Telegram account.
Do Fragment +888 numbers work on WhatsApp or other apps?
No. They only work for Telegram. They cannot receive SMS or calls, and their login codes are shown on Fragment under My Assets.
Which guides go well with this one?
How we checked this guide. On 25 October 2026 we read the Telegram FAQ on numbers, 2-Step Verification and Change Number, Telegram’s passkeys announcement and the passkeys API page, TechCrunch’s report on Fragment +888 numbers, a Fragment login-code walkthrough, a login email explainer and user reports of VoIP numbers being banned. We do not publish success rates because Telegram does not share them. Written by the AddTelegramMember team, a Telegram growth service since 2019.