Telegram Active Sessions: How to See and End Them on Any Device

How do I see my active sessions on Telegram?

Open Telegram, go to Settings and look for Devices. That screen lists every device and app currently logged into your account, and it is where you end sessions you do not want. Some app versions place the same list under Privacy and Security, labeled Active Sessions.

A session is one logged-in copy of Telegram: your phone app, a desktop app, a browser tab on Telegram Web, or a tablet. One third-party guide says each entry shows the device type, an approximate location, an IP address and the last time the session was active. The list is a quick way to answer the question "who else is inside this account right now?"

As of October 2026 we could not pull up a current Telegram help page that spells out every menu label, so the paths below come from recent third-party guides. Telegram changes labels between app versions. If a name differs on your screen, look for the closest match in Settings.

1. Open Telegram Settings
2. Tap Devices (or Active Sessions)
3. Check device, location and last active
4. Tap an unknown session, then Terminate Session
5. Or tap Terminate All Other Sessions
6. Set two-step verification and auto-terminate

Where are Telegram devices and active sessions on phone, desktop and web?

The screen is the same idea everywhere, but the name and location shift a little by app. This table summarizes what the guides we checked describe.

You can only manage the list from a device that is logged in. If you are locked out entirely, you have to log in again first, and Telegram will send a notification to your other devices when you do.

On the phone app there is also a Scan QR Code option on the same screen, which logs a new device into your account. Only scan codes that you generated yourself on your own computer. A code shown to you by someone else is a way of adding their device to your account.

How do I terminate all other sessions on Telegram?

Ending every session except the one you are holding takes a few taps. Follow these steps on your phone, and use the table above if you are on desktop or web.

1. Open Telegram and go to Settings.
2. Tap Devices (on some versions, Privacy and Security, then Active Sessions).
3. Read the list first. Note which entries are your own phone, computer and browser.
4. Tap Terminate All Other Sessions and confirm. Every device except the current one is logged out.

If you only want to remove one entry, tap it and choose Terminate Session, or use Edit in the top right corner to select several, as Kaspersky describes. This is the better choice when you know that most sessions are yours and only one looks wrong.

Ending a session logs that device out. It does not delete your chats or your account. The same guide notes the account data stays in place, and the logged-out device has to sign in again to get back in.

Can I make old sessions end by themselves?

Kaspersky points to a setting called Automatically terminate old sessions, found in the Devices screen, with an option such as 1 week of inactivity. The available time periods may vary by app version. We like this setting for people who log in on borrowed or work computers, because forgotten sessions close without you doing anything.

Why can't I terminate other sessions? The 24-hour rule explained

Telegram has a built-in protection against account theft: according to Kaspersky, a newly logged-in device cannot terminate sessions on other devices during its first 24 hours. After that window, a session can end the others. As of October 2026 we have not found Telegram publishing an exact description of the rule, so treat the 24-hour figure as reported by Kaspersky.

The logic is simple. If a thief logs in with a stolen code, they cannot immediately throw you out. You, on your long-established device, keep control and can end their session. The flip side is that a thief who waits out the window can then end all your sessions, which is why speed matters if you suspect a break-in.

This rule explains a common confusion. You log in on a new phone, open Devices, and cannot end your old sessions yet. Nothing is broken. Wait for the window to pass, or use the old, trusted device to end the sessions from there.

If you have just received or taken over an account, expect the same behavior. A fresh login on your device is a new session, so the other entries on the list may stay for a day before you can remove them yourself. Check the list again after 24 hours and finish the cleanup then.

What does an unknown session on Telegram mean?

An unknown session means a device you do not recognize is logged into your account. It is not always a hack, but treat it as one until you know otherwise. Compare the device name, app version and last-active time with what you actually use.

Common harmless causes are an old phone you forgot, a work computer, a browser tab on Telegram Web, or a VPN that makes the location look wrong. The location is approximate and usually based on an IP address, so a nearby city or another country can appear for your own device.

The worrying causes are real too. Kaspersky explains that account takers open their own session without closing yours, then send messages and delete them only on your side, so you do not see them. Signs it might be happening include messages you did not send, chats that look different, or login-code messages you did not request.

What should I do right away?

1. Open the Devices screen and end the unknown session, or tap Terminate All Other Sessions if you cannot tell which is which. Privacy International recommends removing everything you do not recognize.
2. Set up or change your two-step verification password in the privacy settings, so a login code alone is not enough to get in.
3. Check any other devices that are still logged in for malware, and do not scan QR codes or share login codes with anyone.

Ending a session removes that device, but it does not remove whoever knows your login method. If they can still receive a code for your phone number, they can log in again. That is why the password step matters.

What should I check after buying a Telegram account?

Check the Devices screen first, then end every session you did not create. A bought account is only yours if you control every login on it. We say this plainly because buying, selling or transferring accounts is restricted by Telegram's Terms of Service, and the platform can act against accounts it considers to be in breach. Weigh that risk before you buy anything, from us or anyone else.

When we hand over a Telegram account, we move it to the buyer's phone number. In our experience, the first thing a careful buyer does afterward is open Devices and see what is logged in. If anything looks unfamiliar, end it, and set a two-step verification password you alone know. Because of the 24-hour rule above, do not be surprised if some options are unavailable straight after your first login. Check again later.

For a broader checklist on vetting a seller and a handover, read how to buy a social media account safely. If you would rather start with an aged account that already has a clean history, see our Telegram accounts, moved to your number.

How often should I review Telegram devices?

Review the list whenever something changes: a new phone, a lost device, a borrowed computer, or a message you do not remember sending. Beyond that, a quick look every month or so is enough for most people. Privacy International suggests checking regularly, and notes that if you only use one device, the list should show just that one.

A short routine keeps things tidy:

• Log out of Telegram Web on any shared computer when you finish, and end the session from your phone if you forget.
• Use the automatic termination setting for inactive sessions.
• Keep two-step verification on, with a password that is not reused elsewhere.
• End sessions on any device you sell, give away or lose.

If you also run accounts on X, the habits are similar. Our guide to a Twitter shadowban covers a different problem, but the same rule applies: check what is happening on the account before you assume the cause.