Docs / Onboarding
Authentication & Early Access
Only for insiders, for now.
Fifteen is in closed alpha. That means you can't just download it and start using it - you need an early access code first.
Getting early access
Right now, the only way to get in is through an invitation. If you have a code, great. If not, you'll need to wait for the public release or know someone on the team.
We're keeping the alpha small while we iron out bugs and make sure the infrastructure can handle real usage. It's not an artificial scarcity thing - we just don't want the app to fall over while people are trusting it with their socials.
First time authentication
When you launch Fifteen for the first time, you'll see an authentication screen. Here's what to do:
Enter your early access code. This is the code someone gave you or that you got from the team. It's a one-time thing - once you're in, you're in.
Create your account. After your code is validated, you'll set up your account credentials. Use a real email address - if you get locked out, that's how you'll recover your account.
Sign in. Once your account is created, sign in with your credentials.
That's it. The app saves your session locally in your macOS Keychain, so you won't have to sign in every time you open the app.
What authentication actually does
The authentication isn't about your Telegram messages. Those stay local on your Mac. The auth is for:
Access control: Making sure only alpha users can use the app during testing
MCP features: Some of the AI tool integrations require server-side coordination
Sync settings: If you use Fifteen on multiple Macs, your settings sync between them
Your Telegram messages never touch our servers. The authentication is separate from message storage.
Multiple machines
You can use Fifteen on multiple Macs with the same account. Just sign in on each machine and your settings will sync. Each Mac will maintain its own local message database - they don't sync with each other, but that's fine. The app will index your Telegram history independently on each machine.
Multiple accounts
You can also connect multiple Telegram accounts to Fifteen after you authenticate. The app authentication (your Fifteen account) is separate from Telegram authentication (your phone number + code).
So: one Fifteen account → can connect multiple Telegram accounts → can use on multiple Macs.
Sharing your access code
Each early access code is single-use. Once you've used it, it's burned. If you want to invite someone, you'll need to get them a new code. Check your account settings - we give alpha users a few codes to share from time to time.
Getting locked out
If you forget your password or can't access your account:
There's a password reset flow on the sign-in screen. It'll send a reset link to your email.
If that doesn't work, ping the team. We can manually reset accounts during alpha.
When does authentication expire?
Your session token is valid for a while (weeks, not days), and it auto-refreshes when you use the app. You shouldn't get randomly logged out unless something breaks or you explicitly sign out.
If your token does expire, just sign in again. Your locally stored messages don't go anywhere - they're on your Mac regardless of authentication status.
What about privacy?
We take this seriously. The authentication system uses JWT tokens, credentials are stored in macOS Keychain (encrypted by the OS), and your Telegram messages never leave your computer. The Fifteen backend never, ever touches your messages.
The server only knows:
Your email
When you authenticated
Which early access code you used
It doesn't know:
Shared contacts (if you are part of an organization)
Public release
When we eventually open this up to everyone, the early access requirement goes away. You'll still need to create an account to use the app. Most likely there will not be a free version, although trials will be free.
For now though, you need that code.
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