Telegram Virtual Number: How to Create an Anonymous Telegram Account

Discover the way to communicate while protecting your privacy.

Why have virtual numbers for Telegram become so popular? Reflecting on the past 5-10 years, we are much more cautious about sharing our phone numbers today. We use different email addresses for work and our personal lives, and we may even have separate social media profiles. There are plenty of reasons to protect our personal phone number — one of our most direct and private points of contact — from every app that requests it.

Telegram is among the most widely downloaded messaging apps worldwide, with an active user base exceeding 1 billion. The app is renowned for its rich functionality and security features. However, it traditionally had one major hurdle for privacy-conscious users: It required a phone number to sign up. While Telegram has recently introduced a method for registration without a SIM card (more on that later), using a virtual number remains a popular and accessible option. This directly links a newly created account to a user’s real identity, opening the door to potential spam, unwanted contacts, and a chaotic mix of personal and professional life.

In the article, we’re going to explore a better way to use Telegram's powerful features without sacrificing privacy — a virtual phone number. The feature has its advantages for personal and business uses alike. We'll walk you through the steps required to unlock a new level of anonymity, from how to get a virtual number for Telegram to the best practices for managing your new, truly private account effectively.

Telegram virtual number: how it works

A virtual number for Telegram is a phone number that is not linked to any real SIM card or physical device. Such phone numbers can be obtained from dedicated services, which facilitate phone calls and SMS via the internet.

There are temporary virtual numbers (burners) focused on single-use and there are permanent ones, which can be used regularly (just like normal phone numbers).

Reasons to use a virtual number for Telegram

There are multiple reasons why create an account on Telegram without a phone number from an ordinary telecom provider.

• Enhanced privacy. A personal phone number directly links to its owner. A virtual number acts as a firewall, shielding the user's real identity from doxxing, intrusive spam calls, and anyone trying to piece together their digital footprint.
• Better work/life separation. A dedicated virtual number for professional communication helps keep work conversations separate from your personal life. You can easily switch off notifications for your work number while remaining accessible on your personal one.
• Global access. A virtual number provides businesses with a local identity anywhere in the world, allowing them to establish a local presence in a foreign market effectively.
• Scalability for business. Virtual numbers allow you to affordably and instantly deploy separate lines for your sales, customer support, and marketing teams, creating clear communication funnels.
• Easier testing. A disposable virtual number is the perfect tool for a testing environment. Whether you're beta-testing a new Telegram bot or running messaging campaigns, a virtual number allows you to experiment without compromising valuable personal numbers.

How to start using a virtual number for a Telegram account

Creating a virtual number and linking it to a Telegram account is an operation accessible to everyone. Let’s walk through a step-by-step guide on setting one up for personal or business use.

Step 1. Pick a reliable virtual number provider

Avoid just clicking on the first search result for “free virtual number.” Many of these platforms have poor security, fail to protect their clients' identities, and often use recycled numbers that lead to immediate account suspension. Instead, choose a reliable commercial provider with good reviews and the following features:

• Dedicated phone numbers. Ensures that the number is yours and not shared with anyone else.
• Reliable SMS reception. Enables to promptly receive verification codes from Telegram.
• Diverse selection of supported countries. Allows you to choose the region that best meets your needs.

Step 2. Choose and purchase your number

Once you’ve selected a provider, browse their available numbers. Pick the country you want your number to be from and complete your purchase. Typically, you’ll pay a small monthly or annual fee—an affordable price for the privacy and functionality you gain.

Step 3. Register a Telegram account with a virtual number

Start the Telegram app and input your newly purchased virtual number. Check that the number is correct and confirm. You will receive an SMS with a verification code. Paste it into a relevant field in the Telegram app.

Step 4. Protect your new account

Your account is now set up. However, before you do anything else, complete the final step. Go to Settings — Privacy and Security — Two-Step Verification and enable a password. This requires you to set a password. Since you are using a virtual number that you might not always control, this password is your most critical defense against someone else taking over your account.

Use cases for Telegram virtual numbers

The flexibility that characterizes virtual numbers opens plenty of possibilities for both corporate and personal use. Here are several examples of how to use them.

Privacy-conscious individuals

Anyone who values their privacy can use a virtual number for Telegram to avoid disclosing their personal details and retain a certain degree of anonymity. Another use case: freelance workers who want to keep their personal and work-related communications separate.

Event organization

Temporary virtual numbers are also great for creating Telegram accounts tied to a one-time event, such as a webinar or a party, without investing in obtaining a dedicated real number for that purpose.

Support team routing

A company can assign different virtual numbers to different support departments, which allows customers to connect directly with agents who have knowledge relevant to their inquiry.

Region or product-specific marketing campaigns

A brand can use virtual numbers to set up Telegram accounts for certain regions of presence, products, or services. This allows the company to differentiate marketing communication across the accounts and manage them separately.

Frequently asked questions about using Telegram with a virtual number

When planning to use Telegram with a virtual number, people often look up answers for the following questions.

Is it possible to create a Telegram account without a phone number?

Yes and no. You cannot create an account without a number, as Telegram uses it as a unique identifier. However, you don't need a traditional phone number from a mobile carrier. There are two main ways to sign up without using personal number:

• Virtual numbers. As described in this article, you can use a number from a VoIP service. This is a flexible and affordable option.
• Blockchain-based anonymous numbers. Telegram now officially supports signing up with anonymous numbers purchased for cryptocurrency on the Fragment platform. This is the most private method offered directly by Telegram, but it requires familiarity with crypto.

Can you use an eSIM to register on Telegram?

Yes, absolutely. An eSIM functions just like a physical SIM card, so Telegram accepts numbers linked to them. However, while an eSIM is convenient for travel or managing multiple lines on one device, it's still tied to your real identity through your carrier. Therefore, an eSIM does not offer the same anonymity as a virtual number.

Why does Telegram ban virtual numbers?

You've likely heard that Telegram blocks accounts created with virtual numbers, but this is less about the technology and more about the quality of the number. Telegram boasts almost zero tolerance for spam and abuse, so its systems automatically flag numbers from free, "disposable," or low-quality platforms, since they are popular among spammers and bot farms. Using such numbers means your account is likely to be preemptively blacklisted, which can lead to your new, legitimate account being instantly banned simply by association.

The key to avoiding a ban is to use a dedicated, 'clean' virtual number from a reputable, paid provider. Unlike free services that recycle numbers, a quality provider gives you an exclusive number that hasn't been used by others, ensuring it has no negative history. Think of it as an investment in your account's security and longevity. By paying a small fee for a reliable number, you protect your account from being unfairly caught in Telegram's crossfire against platform abuse. 

Summing things up

Today, protecting your personal phone number is essential. Virtual numbers for Telegram solve this privacy problem for individuals while also providing the flexibility that businesses need to manage multiple accounts and diversify their communication channels.

Whether the numbers are virtual or real ones, connecting and managing several Telegram accounts at once is easier with the right tools. For example, Umnico browser-based Telegram CRM centralizes not just your instant messenger interactions, but all customer communications into one app. Along with intuitive interface, easy setup, and collaboration support, Umnico offers a visual chatbot builder powered by GPT-4 that can boost team efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction by automating Telegram communication. Every new user is eligible for a free trial period.