Almost all messaging applications promote complete anonymity but nothing measures up to the efforts put by Telegram to hide you from everyone. WhatsApp isn’t even close to Telegram if you consider anonymity as a factor and need to improve a lot. Despite being so secure and private, Telegram still requires you to register with a phone number that beats the whole point of anonymity. In this post, I will tell you about surefire methods to use Telegram without a phone number.
Can you use Telegram without a phone number?
Yes. Anyone can use Telegram without a phone number but it does require you to register with a legitimate phone number. The phone number is needed to accept the incoming messages and avail the verification code. The incoming message contains the verification code that must be entered by the user to create an account on Telegram. After that, you can remove the phone number from the Telegram account and can continue to use Telegram without a phone number.
How to use Telegram without a phone number?
This method elaborates on the steps to hide your phone number after registering for Telegram. This does not remove your phone number from the repository but hides it from any user that connects with you on Telegram.
- Open the Telegram application and go to the hamburger menu located on the left side of the application.
- Click on the ‘Settings‘ option and then move to the ‘Privacy and Security‘ option in the application.
- Locate the ‘Phone Number‘ option and click on it to enter the phone number settings.
- You will notice three labels with single selection options. Set the ‘Who can see my phone number?‘ option to nobody.
- Secondly, set the ‘Who can find me by my phone number option?‘ to my contacts so that only people you know and trust and have saved in your contact list can see you.
- You can also add exceptions for users that will override the above two settings for them and make you appear as a normal Telegram user.
Methods to use Telegram without a Phone Number
These methods are aimed to give you alternative and free solutions to let you create a Telegram account with a dummy phone number. Since giving out your actual phone number is a loophole that undermines the whole anonymity concept of Telegram, these methods can help you to be completely safe and secure and unknown on Telegram.
Method 1: Google Voice
Google Voice is an interesting and legitimate tool to get a phone number that can be used as a normal one. It is a cloud-based phone system that lets you make all those actions that you do with a sim card, using the internet. You must have heard of VoIP protocol to call and video chat over the internet and it is exactly that with Google’s branding and reliability. Follow these steps to use Telegram without a phone number given by a telecom company.
- Sign in to your Google account and then navigate to the Google voice section.
- If you are signed in with your Gmail account in the Chrome browser, you can directly search for Google voice, and then select the device on which you want to use it.
- This can only work if you have a US-based account that is completely verified. You can select the phone number based on area codes too.
- After activation, register for Telegram using the same number and wait for the text message.
- Input the text message and voila! Your Telegram account with a different phone number is ready.
Note: Since you use your Google account to register for the Google voice and then sign up for Telegram, it can be traced back to you by your Gmail account.
Method 2: FreePhoneNum.com
FreePhoneNum.com is a website that gives out phone numbers for free depending upon your requirement for receiving a text message, sending a text message, and calling. To register for a Telegram account using a phone number from FreePhoneNum.com, follow these steps:
- Open your browser and type FreePhoneNum.com. Find the ‘Receive SMS’ option and click on it.
- The website offers temporary phone numbers for the United States and Canada, and pick anyone from the lot to use Telegram without a phone number registered to you.
- Select and copy the available phone numbers one by one and try to create an account. If the number fails or Telegram warns about too many requests, try with a different phone number.
- There is also an option to register with Facebook or Google account and get access to a few phone numbers that have not been tried by many users.
Note: FreePhoneNum.com is an entirely free website that offers temporary phone numbers which you can try and use Telegram without a phone number that can be pinpointed to you.
Method 3: Receive SMS
Receive SMS is also a similar website that offers free phone numbers that can be used to create and use Telegram without a phone number registered in the name of the user. Follow these steps to get a phone number from Receive SMS:
- Open your web browser and type ‘receivesms.org’.
- You will be presented with phone number options from four countries. Select on anyone (preferably the one with most phone numbers).
- Copy the number and register on Telegram. Click on the read SMS button to go to the SMS history page.
- Copy the latest message containing the Telegram code and verify your Telegram account.
Note: Recieve SMS is a perfect website to use Telegram without a phone number availed under your name. It has its limitations though, as most of their numbers often return an error.
General FAQ
Is there any other method to use Telegram without a phone number?
Yes. Multiple Android applications and websites exist that offer phone numbers which can be used to make an outbound call or receive an SMS. The only problem is that most of these applications are paid and do not give phone numbers even for a trial basis. Moreover, they are flooded with bloatware that can do more harm than good.
Are these methods to use Telegram without a phone number working?
Telegram frequently updates its policies and security mechanisms and you may encounter some difficulty with a few methods. But most of these methods are working as of writing this post about how to use Telegram without a phone number. Hit me up in the comments if you have any issues with any of the methods mentioned above.
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