# How to change your phone number on Telegram Where to change the number in Telegram, what is kept and what to do if the old SIM card is gone. https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/change-number Updated 2026-10-02 · 5 min read Yes, you can change your number on Telegram and keep the whole account. Open Settings, tap your phone number (just above the username) and choose Change Number. Per Telegram's FAQ, everything is kept: your contacts, your messages, your media from the Telegram cloud and your Secret Chats on all devices. One condition: if a different Telegram account already exists on the new number, you must delete that account first. ## How to change your number on Telegram, step by step 1. Open Settings and tap your phone number, which sits right above the username. 2. Choose Change Number. 3. Enter the new number. A Telegram account can only be tied to a mobile number, and landline numbers are not supported. 4. Confirm the number with a code. The app says a call or an SMS with a confirmation code will go to the new number. If the code does not arrive, check the number format and wait: details are in [Telegram login code or call not arriving](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/login-code). Change the number while the account is still open on your device, because the change is made from Settings. ## What moves with the number According to Telegram's FAQ and the text in the app, the account and all its cloud data move to the new number: - chats and messages from the Telegram cloud; - media and files; - contacts; - Secret Chats on all your devices. The account stays the same, so what is stored in it stays too: Stars and gifts live in the account and follow it. ## What happens to your contacts On the Change Number screen Telegram warns that your Telegram contacts automatically get your **new number** added to their address book, provided they had your old number and you have not blocked them in Telegram. If you do not want to show the new number, set your privacy: Settings → Privacy and Security → Phone Number. How that works is in [how to hide your phone number on Telegram](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/hide-phone-number). ## The new number is already registered on Telegram Then you first have to clear the number. Telegram's FAQ says that if a different account exists on the target number, you need to [delete](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/delete-account) that account first. Deletion is irreversible, so make sure nothing you need is in it: Stars, gifts, conversations. > **Important:** Never tell anyone the code, including people who call themselves "support". The code is only for you, to confirm the new number. Scammers' tricks are covered in [Telegram scams](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/telegram-scams). ## The old SIM is lost or the number no longer exists While the account is open on at least one device, you can change the number and keep your chats, contacts and media. If you cannot sign in and the number is lost, it is harder: Telegram identifies a user by the number. What works then (the operator, a second device, support) is covered in [how to recover a Telegram account](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/recover-account). Telegram's FAQ warns that a code "via Telegram" on another device is not a substitute for an up-to-date number. Keep the account tied to a number you control, otherwise you risk losing access for good. ## An anonymous +888 number instead of a SIM If you want a number without a SIM card and an operator, you can change to an anonymous +888 number sold by Fragment. In that case the login code is shown on the Fragment website, not sent by SMS. How to buy such a number and confirm it is in [anonymous +888 number on Telegram](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/telegram-anonymous-number). ## Stars and the Shiba Bank bot The Shiba Bank bot sends Stars and Premium by @username, and the account stays the same when you change the number, so buying works for you as before. The bot never asks for a login code or a password. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I change my number on Telegram? Settings → tap your phone number (above the username) → Change Number. Enter the new mobile number and confirm it with the code that comes by call or SMS. ### Can I change my Telegram number and keep my chats? Yes. Per Telegram's FAQ, everything is kept: contacts, messages, media from the cloud and Secret Chats on all devices. ### What happens to my contacts if I change my number on Telegram? If they had your old number and you have not blocked them, your new number is added to their address book automatically. The app says so itself. ### What if the new number is already registered on Telegram? First delete the account that exists on it: that is what Telegram's FAQ says. Deletion is irreversible, so check that nothing you need is there. ### How do I change my Telegram number if I no longer have the old SIM? If you are still signed in on some device, change the number in Settings as usual. If not, see the account recovery guide: with no number and no open session, Telegram cannot return the account. ### Can I tie Telegram to a landline number? No. An account can only be tied to a mobile number, and Telegram does not support landline numbers.