1. Huge pitfalls encountered when logging into Telegram on a new iPad

Recently, considering that I no longer need to work remotely, I sold my unused M1 MacBook Pro and iPad mini 6 on Zhuanzhuan (a second-hand marketplace app):

Then I spent a little more money and upgraded to a cellular version of the M3 iPad Air with national subsidies. Compared to the official price of 6099 RMB, it definitely felt like a much better deal.

After receiving the device, system setup and application installation went smoothly, and the user experience was good. The only thing that took me most of the day was actually the most "obvious" step:Log in to TelegramWhen logging in with a mobile phone number, it either keeps spinning indefinitely or occasionally pops up a message asking "Add email address to receive verification code," before directly leading to an interface that says... SMS Fee Interface:

The image above essentially means that because domestic mobile operators charge high fees for sending verification codes via SMS to Telegram, and Telegram mandates phone number verification via SMS, users need to purchase a one-week Premium subscription to cover these SMS costs. In other words:To log in to your account on a new device, you need to pay for a membership before you can receive a verification code.

Paying to log in is a bit outrageous. I personally can't accept this logic, but my new device really needs to log in to Telegram. So, is there any other way without paying?

The answer is yes: Telegram actually already supports a method based on... Passkey The login method can completely bypass the SMS verification code process.

2. What is a Passkey, and why can it solve the Telegram login problem?

2.1 The essence of Passkey: Replacing "I know a secret" with "I possess a key"“

Before proceeding with the specific steps, it is necessary to briefly explain the following:What exactly is a Passkey, and how is it fundamentally different from the familiar "password + SMS verification code"?Otherwise, many people would probably have some doubts when they first see "Log in with Passkey".

The core logic of the traditional account system is: as long as you can prove "I know a secret" (password/verification code), the system considers you to be the owner of the account.

The problem is that this "secret" is very fragile: passwords can be compromised through credential stuffing or phishing attacks; SMS verification codes rely on carrier channels, which are costly, unstable, and sometimes unavailable in certain areas; once the verification code is hijacked, the system cannot distinguish between "you" and "the middleman".

Passkey's logic is completely different; it's closer to the real-world "key" model: you don't prove your identity by entering a copyable "secret," but rather through...A private key stored on the local deviceTo complete the authentication.

In terms of user experience, this means: no need to enter a password directly; no need to receive SMS messages; only one confirmation via Face ID / Touch ID / system unlock is required locally.

From a system perspective, the essence is: the server only stores your public key; the private key always remains on your device or in your password vault and will not be taken by the website; even if a phishing website "looks exactly the same", it cannot trick you into handing over your private key.

Therefore, Passkey does not just solve the problem of "entering one less verification code", but rather: it directly bypasses the most vulnerable and externally dependent part of the traditional account system (in this case, the SMS verification code required by Telegram).

This is why, in scenarios where logging into Telegram on a new device is blocked by SMS fees, Passkey becomes a truly usable alternative.

2.2 Why can Passkey be used across devices? — The key lies in "who is keeping that key safe for you?"“

Many people's first question about Passkey is: since the private key is stored on the device, what happens if I switch devices? Do I need to re-bind it every time I switch devices? Theoretically, if the private key...It exists only in the local security chip of a single device.Yes, this is indeed a problem. In reality, Passkey's ability to achieve "seamless synchronization across devices" is key to this:The private key is not hosted by the website, but by your system account or password vault.

Within the Apple ecosystem, this mechanism manifests as follows: Passkeys are managed by a system-level "Passwords & Keychain"; private keys are encrypted and synchronized end-to-end via iCloud; and devices logged in with the same Apple ID can share these Passkeys. This means that when you create a Passkey for Telegram on your iPhone or Mac and log in on a new iPad, the system will automatically synchronize this "key" from iCloud. You only need to confirm once on the new device using Face ID/Touch ID to complete the Telegram login.

From a user's perspective, the experience is: no additional tools need to be installed; no import/export is required; and account inheritance between devices is virtually seamless. This is also the key reason why I was able to successfully log in to Telegram using Passkey during this device switch:What truly ensures identity continuity is no longer your phone number, but your Apple ID plus a system-level password vault.

2.3 What about non-Apple users? Password libraries are becoming a "cross-platform identity hub".“

If you're not within the Apple ecosystem, the logic is similar, except the "key" is no longer held by iCloud but by a third-party password repository, such as Bitwarden, a password manager that already supports Passkey (for detailed setup steps on Bitwarden, please refer to my previous article:Use Docker to build your own password management system based on Bitwarden.Essentially, it acts as a "cross-device, cross-platform private key hosting and synchronization hub." As long as the Passkey is stored in your password vault and different devices log in with the same password vault account, then when logging into Telegram on a new device, the Passkey can be accessed and verified without going through the SMS verification code process.

In other words, Passkey isn't bound to a specific device, but rather to a trusted "identity hub." Within the Apple ecosystem, this hub is the system's password/keychain module, which syncs across multiple devices via iCloud; in cross-platform scenarios, similar functionality can be achieved through third-party password libraries.

I previously used a self-built Bitwarden solution within the Apple ecosystem. However, after upgrading to iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, I encountered some issues with Bitwarden on my iPhone and iPad (it works fine on my Mac for now). Therefore, at least for the current system version, I prefer to only use it on my Mac.Non-Apple ecosystemThe Bitwarden solution is recommended, while within the Apple ecosystem, using the system's built-in password and keychain solutions is more reliable.

2.4 Summary: Passkey is not a "fancy login method," but a new way of carrying out identity verification.

If we abstract this further, we can see that traditional login systems and Passkey systems are essentially two completely different ways of carrying identity. Traditional login systems rely on phone numbers and passwords for identity anchoring, heavily depending on the reachability of telecommunications networks and the user's ability to remember "secret information." In contrast, the Passkey system shifts the identity anchor to the device's root of trust and system-level key management. The login process essentially becomes a "device's proof of account ownership" rather than a "human repeatedly entering credentials into the system."

In the specific context of Telegram, the significance of Passkey lies not in its "more advanced technology," but in providing a viable path independent of telecom operators in a real-world environment. When SMS channels become unavailable due to cost, policy, or network conditions, Passkey-based login bypasses this entire telecom system dependency, preventing account login from being blocked by the single point of failure of international SMS.

Once you understand this, the specific steps become much easier to accept: you're not using some kind of "black technology" to bypass the restrictions, but rather using a more modern login method that Telegram already provides, one that's better suited to the current network environment.

3. Enable and use Passkey login in Telegram (using Apple ecosystem as an example)

Before confirming the use of Passkey as the login method, you first need to ensure that you already have an Apple device logged into Telegram and that your account is active and functional. In other words, Passkey is not a "lifesaver when you can't log in," but rather something you need to ensure you have a valid account.First, complete the binding process on the existing device.Only after that can it be used as an alternative login method on a new device. Therefore, it is recommended to complete this step on an iPhone or Mac that can still use Telegram normally.

After entering Telegram's settings page, in "Settings → Privacy → Passkeys" (the English interface path is "Settings → Privacy and Storage → Passkeys"), you can see various login and verification methods provided by Telegram, including Passkey options:

After clicking to enable Passkey, a system-level verification window provided by iOS or macOS will pop up, prompting you to use Face ID, Touch ID, or device unlocking. You will then need to manually create and save a passkey.

After completing this step, your Telegram account is now effectively linked to the system password vault under your current Apple ID. At this point, you can see that Passkey is enabled in your Telegram security settings. This step is crucial because it means that any device logged in with the same Apple ID will be able to use this Passkey as login credentials.

The next step is the login process on the new device (using my iPad Air 7 as an example). After installing and opening the Telegram client on the new device, you will normally see the familiar phone number login screen. In this screen, in addition to the traditional phone number + verification code login path, Telegram usually provides an option to "Log in with Passkey". At this point, do not go through the SMS verification code process again; instead, directly select the Passkey login method:

When you choose to log in using Passkey, the system will again display an authentication window provided by iOS, prompting you to confirm using Face ID or Touch ID. You will not be asked to enter your Telegram password here, nor will any SMS verification process be triggered. The entire authentication process occurs directly between the device and the iCloud password store. As long as the current device is logged in with the same Apple ID as your original device, the system can sync the corresponding Passkey from iCloud and complete an identity verification process with the Telegram servers.

Once verified, Telegram will automatically log you in. The entire process doesn't involve phone verification codes or SMS fee prompts. For users, the experience is more like "unlocking your device to log in" rather than the traditional "entering credentials." If everything goes smoothly, you should be taken directly to the familiar chat interface within seconds.

It's important to emphasize again that this process assumes your Passkey has already been created and synced to iCloud on another device that can log in to Telegram normally. If you've never enabled Passkey on your original device, the "Log in with Passkey" option won't appear on your new device. This is why it's strongly recommended to bind your Passkey beforehand, while your account is still accessible. In a sense, this is equivalent to preparing a backup login channel for your account that doesn't rely on SMS.

From a practical standpoint, this Passkey login method, based on the system password database and iCloud synchronization, offers a significantly smoother experience within the Apple ecosystem compared to traditional SMS verification code solutions. It not only bypasses the high costs and instability of international SMS but also avoids the awkward situation of being forced to interrupt the login process due to not receiving a verification code. More importantly, once you get used to this login method, the mental burden of migrating accounts when changing devices or reinstalling the system is significantly reduced—login is no longer something that requires "waiting for external system cooperation," but rather becomes more of a confirmation of local device permissions.

At this point, the Telegram Passkey-based login process within the Apple ecosystem is essentially working correctly. If you subsequently have multiple devices such as a Mac, iPhone, and iPad, this mechanism can be reused almost seamlessly, eliminating the need to repeatedly troubleshoot issues like "not receiving verification codes."

Additional Notes | Regarding the issue of "verification successful but no response" during Passkey login.

During actual use of Passkey to log in to Telegram, some readers reported that after completing fingerprint verification on their iPads, the interface did not change noticeably, as if "nothing happened." Looking back, I encountered a similar situation myself, except it happened on the high-speed train (where I was switching between using my iPad's cellular China Unicom network and my iPhone's China Telecom network via a hotspot, while also constantly turning my VPN on and off). The network environment was quite chaotic, so I didn't pay much attention to this phenomenon at the time.

If we break down this login process in principle, Passkey login actually relies on at least two network paths being available simultaneously: one is that the device's system password database (synced via iCloud in the Apple ecosystem) can be accessed normally to read and verify the locally stored Passkey; the other is that Telegram's login service itself can be connected normally to complete the final account authentication. If either of these two paths is unreachable in the current network environment, the login process may manifest as "verification passed, but the client did not provide any clear feedback."

In the domestic network environment, this situation is more easily amplified: on the one hand, the Chinese iCloud is actually deployed in Guizhou Cloud, and if a global proxy is enabled but no domestic or international traffic is split, it may affect the normal communication between the system password vault and iCloud; on the other hand, Telegram's service itself requires a proxy to access. If the network policies of these two paths conflict, seemingly mysterious login failures or unresponsiveness can easily occur.

Therefore, if you encounter similar issues when logging in with a Passkey, a relatively safe approach is to maintain a consistent network environment and avoid frequently switching between cellular, hotspot, direct connection, and proxy connections. Simultaneously, ensure that the access paths for iCloud and Telegram are both in a mutually compatible network condition (e.g., using a VPN to split domestic and international traffic). Often, it's not that the Passkey itself is faulty, but rather that a certain step in the login process cannot complete properly under the current network conditions.

4. Afterword

This time, I encountered a problem logging into Telegram on a new device that resulted in SMS verification. On the surface, it seemed like a very specific, even trivial, usage issue. However, after going through the whole process, I realized more clearly that we've become so accustomed to taking "phone number + SMS verification code" for granted as a login method that we rarely consider how this system is actually highly dependent on the accessibility of telecommunications networks, cost structures, and the strategies of different regional operators. Once these prerequisites change, what seemed like a straightforward process can suddenly fail in a specific scenario.

From this perspective, Telegram's requirement to pay for SMS verification is not a technical issue, but rather a real friction arising from the misalignment of goals between the underlying communication system and internet products. For users, this friction often manifests in a very unfriendly way—you simply want to log into your account, but are forced to pay for a verification code via SMS. This experience is unlikely to resonate with users and will prompt them to actively seek alternatives.

The role of Passkey here isn't actually a "more advanced, flashy feature," but rather a practical path to bypass reliance on the telecommunications system. When the login process shifts from "whether I can receive a text message" to "whether my device can complete local identity verification," the controllability of the entire process significantly improves. At least for me personally, switching to Passkey-based login has noticeably reduced the mental burden of changing devices within the Apple ecosystem; logging in is no longer something that depends on "carrier whims."

Of course, this doesn't mean Passkey is a perfect solution. On one hand, it still relies on operating system-level ecosystem support, resulting in differences in experience across different platforms; on the other hand, concepts like "key," "password vault," and "synchronization" still present a certain cognitive barrier for many ordinary users. Therefore, at this stage, treating Passkey as a...Optional alternative login channelUsing this method, rather than the only one, might be a more prudent approach.

A more practical suggestion is this: while your account can still log in normally, pre-link a Passkey for some important services. This is like preparing a "backup channel" for your account that doesn't rely on SMS. You might not need it most of the time, but if you ever encounter a situation like this, it will make the whole problem much simpler.

This experience itself wasn't a "major event," but it clearly reveals an ongoing change: our familiar login methods are not irreplaceable. As device capabilities and system-level security mechanisms mature, identity authentication is gradually shifting from "reliance on external communication systems" to "reliance on the local device's root of trust." When you find more and more services offering Passkey login, it will be easier to understand that this change isn't the choice of any single vendor, but rather the entire ecosystem migrating towards a more realistic and controllable direction.