Telegram Adds Passkeys as an Alternative to SMS Codes
In short
On December 12, 2025, Telegram added passkeys so users can log in with Face ID, a fingerprint or a PIN instead of an SMS code. A phone number is still required to create an account.
Telegram added passkey support in an update announced on December 12, 2025. A passkey lets you log in with your device's biometrics or PIN instead of waiting for an SMS code. You set one up under Settings > Privacy and Security > Passkeys, and it can sync through password managers such as iCloud Keychain or Google's.
Passkeys do not remove the phone number. Telegram still requires one to sign up, and its own announcement advises keeping your account tied to an active phone number you control even after you add a passkey.
This builds on Telegram's long-standing habit of avoiding SMS where it can. Login codes are often sent as a message inside another logged-in Telegram app rather than by text, and Telegram Desktop and macOS have for years required a code from another app or a QR login instead of an SMS code.
For anyone verifying a new Telegram account, the first code still comes by SMS or to an existing session. After that, a passkey plus a cloud password (Telegram's two-step verification) makes future logins less dependent on receiving texts, which matters if your number changes or SMS delivery in your country is unreliable. If you verify with a number you won't keep, use it only for your own legitimate account and follow Telegram's terms, since Telegram advises keeping an active number you control.
What to do
Once your Telegram account is set up, add a passkey and a cloud password so you can log in again even if SMS codes don't arrive.
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