How to create a Telegram account (sign up step by step)

Telegram sign up step by step: create a Telegram account on iPhone, Android, desktop or Telegram Web, verify your number, set a username, add a login email and secure the account with two-step verification.

Start advertising

Phone sign-up screen with a number field, verification code bubble and new profile card — creating a Telegram account

Content owner: Adsun Editorial & Ad Operations Team · Last verified: 2026-10-18

Quick answer

To create a Telegram account, install Telegram (iOS, Android or Desktop) or open web.telegram.org, enter your phone number, type the code Telegram sends, then add your name and an optional photo. A phone number is required — you cannot sign up with email only — but Telegram may ask you to add a login email for future codes, and anonymous numbers bought on Fragment can be used instead of a SIM. After signing up, set a username, turn on two-step verification and review privacy settings.

Key takeaways

Sign up needs a phone number (or a Fragment anonymous number).
The same account works on phone, desktop and Telegram Web.
Set a public @username so people can find you without your number.
Turn on two-step verification right after sign-up.

Create a Telegram account on iPhone or Android

Install Telegram from the App Store or Google Play.
Tap Start Messaging and enter your phone number with country code.
Enter the verification code sent by SMS, call or to another Telegram session.
Add your first name and optionally a profile photo.

Sign up on desktop or Telegram Web

Download Telegram Desktop from telegram.org or open web.telegram.org.
Enter your phone number, or scan the QR code from a phone already logged in.
Type the code and finish your profile.
Your chats sync across every device automatically.

Can you sign up for Telegram with email?

No. Telegram accounts are tied to a phone number. Telegram may ask you to add a login email so codes can arrive by email later, but the first registration still needs a number. Anonymous +888 numbers sold on Fragment are an alternative to a SIM card.

Secure the new account

Settings → Privacy and Security → Two-Step Verification: set a password and recovery email.
Hide your phone number from everyone you do not know.
Review active sessions and log out devices you do not use.
Never share login codes — Telegram support will never ask for them.

Next step: build something on Telegram

With an account you can create a channel, group, bot or Mini App. Grow it with Adsun ads, or monetize it with Adsun ad blocks. Create a free advertiser account at adsun.io, top up in USDT, choose Network (Mini App and bot placements) or Native Ads (channel posts and bot messages), pick countries and languages, bid on CPM or CPC and launch after review. Current minimums are on the pricing page.

Metric definitions and formulas

CPM: Cost per mille: what an advertiser pays for 1,000 ad impressions.CPM = (Ad spend ÷ Impressions) × 1,000
CPC: Cost per click: average price an advertiser pays for one click.CPC = Ad spend ÷ Clicks
CTR: Click-through rate: the share of impressions that produced a click.CTR = (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100%
eCPM: Effective CPM: what a publisher earns per 1,000 impressions, whatever the pricing model.eCPM = (Publisher earnings ÷ Impressions) × 1,000
Fill rate: The share of ad requests that returned an ad.Fill rate = (Filled ad requests ÷ Total ad requests) × 100%

More terms in the glossary and the advertising metrics guide.

Worked example

Hypothetical example — not real Telegram or Adsun data

A new channel owner spends $50 on an Adsun CPC campaign at $0.05 per click = 1,000 clicks. 35% join the channel = 350 subscribers, so cost per subscriber = 50 ÷ 350 ≈ $0.14. Use your own campaign reports for real numbers.

Adsun measurement methodology

Adsun counts an impression when an ad is rendered in a publisher block, a click when the user opens the ad destination, and a reward only after the server-to-server Reward URL confirms completion. Debug-mode traffic is excluded from billing and reports. Metrics are shown per platform, block and country in the partner and advertiser dashboards. Adsun does not publish aggregate network benchmarks in this guide; any number below marked “Hypothetical” is illustrative only. See the SDK documentation for integration details.

About Adsun

Adsun is a Telegram advertising network operated by Adsun. Products: Rewarded ads, Interstitial ads, Task ads, Native ads. Platforms: Telegram Mini Apps, Telegram bots, Telegram channels. Learn more about Adsun.

Start earning or growing with Adsun

Publishers earn USDT from Mini Apps, bots and channels. Advertisers reach Telegram users with CPM or CPC campaigns.

Become a publisher — sign up free Start advertising

Frequently asked questions

Is creating a Telegram account free?

Yes. Telegram accounts are free; Telegram Premium is an optional paid subscription.

Can I create a Telegram account without a phone number?

Not with email alone. You need a phone number or an anonymous number bought on Fragment.

Can I have two Telegram accounts?

Yes. Telegram apps let you add several accounts, each with its own phone number, and switch between them.

Why didn’t I get the Telegram code?

Check the number and country code, wait for the timer and request a call, or look for the code in another device where you are already logged in.

Sources

Update log

2026-10-22: First published. Telegram features are described generally; check telegram.org and core.telegram.org for current rules.

What is Telegram?Telegram explained: a cloud-based messaging app with chats, groups, channels, bots, Mini Apps, Stars and TON integration — why it grew past a billion users and how creators and businesses use it.Create a Telegram channelCreate a Telegram channel step by step on phone or desktop — name, username, description, settings — then grow it and make money with sponsored posts, Stars, subscriptions and Adsun.Create a Telegram botCreate a Telegram bot step by step: get a token from @BotFather, choose code (Python, Node.js) or no-code builders, set commands and webhooks, host it, and monetize it with Adsun bot ads.Telegram AdsTelegram Ads explained: the official Telegram Ad Platform vs. ad networks like Adsun, ad formats in Mini Apps, bots and channels, CPM and CPC pricing, targeting, USDT payments and how to launch your first Telegram ad campaign.