Seeing the “An Error Occurred AUTH_TOKEN_EXPIRED” message pop up when trying to use Telegram Desktop? This annoying notification means your authentication token has expired, cutting off access to your chats and contacts.
Not to worry! With a few simple troubleshooting steps, you can refresh your token and get Telegram Desktop working again. Follow this guide to quickly resolve the expired auth token error.
What Triggers the AUTH_TOKEN_EXPIRED Error on Telegram?
Telegram uses authorization tokens to verify your account across devices. These tokens automatically refresh in the background every few months. If your token expires before a refresh, you’ll get the AUTH TOKEN EXPIRED error.
Potential reasons your Telegram Desktop auth token may have expired early include:
- Time & date misconfigured on your computer
- Using a VPN or proxy that changes your IP address
- Conflicts with antivirus or firewall software
- Multiple accounts logged into Telegram Desktop
- Telegram recently added 2-step verification to your account
- Your account was logged out of active sessions on other devices
- Outdated Telegram Desktop app – not auto-updating
Top Solutions to Fix AUTH_TOKEN_EXPIRED Telegram Desktop App Error
Step #1 – Logout and Terminate All Sessions
Before troubleshooting your desktop app, it’s a good idea to logout of Telegram on your mobile devices first. This clears any connected sessions that could be clashing with your desktop token.
On each mobile device:
- Open the Telegram app and go to Settings > Devices
- Tap “Terminate All Sessions” to logout everywhere
- Close the mobile Telegram app completely
Terminating sessions ensures your desktop auth token can refresh isolated from any conflicts.
Step #2 – Check Telegram Desktop Permissions
The Telegram Desktop app needs access to certain resources on your computer to maintain a valid auth token automatically. Make sure Telegram has permission to:
- Send and receive data through your firewall and antivirus programs
- Access your camera for scanning QR codes
- Adjust time and date settings to stay in sync
- Receive automatic app updates in the background
- Create files & folders for cached data and logs
Check your OS and security app settings to ensure Telegram Desktop has the required access. Grant any additional permissions if needed.
Step #3 – Change Proxy / VPN Settings
Proxy connections and VPN services assign you a temporary IP address different than your computer’s direct address. This tricks Telegram into thinking you switched devices.
Try toggling OFF any active proxies or VPN services temporarily to see if a normal connection refreshes your auth token.
You can also whitelist Telegram Desktop in your VPN/proxy app settings if needed to maintain a consistent IP address.
Step #4 – Scan QR Code Again
The easiest way to manually refresh your authorization token is to re-scan your Telegram QR code.
On Telegram Desktop:
- Click your profile picture > Settings > Devices.
- Select “Log Out Everywhere” to reset.
- On your mobile app, go to Settings > Devices and click “QR Code”.
- Scan the QR code with your desktop app camera to re-link your account.
This should force Telegram to generate a brand new auth token fixing the expired error.
Step #5 – Use Telegram Web
If your desktop still won’t activate properly, try accessing Telegram through the web app as a temporary workaround.
- Go to web.telegram.org
- Scan the QR code to link your account.
- You can now chat normally until the desktop app issue is resolved.
The web app may succeed where the desktop client failed. But features will be more limited.
When to Contact Telegram Customer Support
If re-scanning the QR code, changing permissions, and troubleshooting proxy/VPN issues don’t fix the expired auth token, reach out to Telegram support for help.
To contact Telegram support:
- In the Telegram app, go to Settings > Ask a Question
- Visit @SpamBot and send a direct message
- Go to https://telegram.org/support
Explain the expired auth token error and steps you’ve tried. Provide any logs or error screenshots. The Telegram team can then dig deeper to resolve persistent token refresh problems.
