Telegram Code Not Arriving? Why It Happens and What to Do
You typed your number into Telegram and the login code never came. Most of the time the code was sent, just not where you were looking, or Telegram is holding it back for a while. Go through the checks below in order; the last one is about the number itself.
1. Look in the Telegram app on your other devices
If the number already has a Telegram account, Telegram sends the login code to the Telegram app first, not by SMS. The screen says the code went to the app on your other device. Open the app on your phone, tablet or desktop and look for a message from the official "Telegram" service chat.
No other device? Tap "Didn't get the code?" and choose the option Telegram offers: an SMS, a call, or a code to the login email you set up earlier.
2. Wait for the timer, then ask once
Requesting the code again and again makes it worse. After several attempts Telegram shows "Too many attempts, please try again later" and stops sending codes to that number for a while. Wait until the timer on the screen runs out, then ask for the code once more.
3. Check the number you entered
- The country code is the one your number belongs to (+44 for the UK, +1 for the US and
Canada), and the number has no leading 0 after it.
- No spaces or extra digits were pasted in by mistake.
If you're not sure how a country's numbers are written, the country code lookup shows the format for every country.
4. Check that the number can receive SMS from Telegram
Telegram decides number by number which ones it sends codes to. Codes often don't come to:
- free, public numbers from receive-SMS-online sites: thousands of people have used
them, and many are already registered or limited there;
- numbers from VoIP apps that Telegram treats as virtual;
- a number Telegram has banned: the app then says so instead of sending a code.
When the number is the problem
If your own number is fine, the steps above will usually get the code through. If you were trying to sign up with a shared or recycled number, change the number, not the app.
A private virtual number is rented to you alone for 28 days, so nobody else receives its codes and you can log back in later with the same number. The platform still makes the final call on every number, so check that yours works before you rely on it: how to check a number. The full walkthrough is in virtual phone number for Telegram.
FAQ
Why does Telegram send the code to the app and not by SMS?
When the number already has an account, the app on your other devices is where the code goes first. Use "Didn't get the code?" to ask for another way.
How long should I wait after "Too many attempts"?
Telegram shows the wait on the screen and doesn't publish a fixed time. Requesting again before it ends restarts the problem.
Can I get a refund if a number doesn't receive the Telegram code?
A number is final and non-refundable once issued; refunds cover only unused balance or a verified technical fault on our side. That's why we suggest checking a number first.
Get a Telegram-ready number
See Telegram numbers »: a private number for your account, with the code in your dashboard or our Telegram bot.