Quick Answer
No, you cannot directly delete the Snapchat app from your phone by using your computer. The Snapchat app can only be deleted directly on the mobile device where it is installed. However, there are a few indirect ways to remove Snapchat from your phone remotely using a computer:
- Use phone finder/locator software to remotely lock or wipe your device – This will remove all apps and data including Snapchat
- Use parental control apps to block access to the Snapchat app on your phone
- Backup your phone data, factory reset the phone, then restore without reinstalling Snapchat
But there is no direct way to target and delete only the Snapchat app from your phone using a computer or remote access. The app must be manually uninstalled from the phone itself in order to be removed.
Explanation
Snapchat is a popular social media app available for iOS and Android mobile devices. It allows users to send photo and video messages that disappear after being viewed. The Snapchat app itself is installed directly onto a user’s phone or tablet and integrated into the device’s operating system.
When an app like Snapchat is installed, all of its data and programming is contained in a discrete package on the device’s storage. This makes Snapchat self-contained on each device it is installed on, so it cannot be directly accessed or manipulated remotely from outside the device.
There are security and technical reasons why you cannot directly delete or control apps on a mobile device from a computer:
- Isolation of apps – Apps are sandboxed and can only change data within their own designated storage area on the device.
- App store restrictions – The Apple App Store and Google Play Store have security policies that prevent remote uninstalls.
- Mobile operating system security – Android and iOS do not allow apps to be directly accessed or changed remotely.
- Lack of remote access interfaces – There are no built-in OS-level features for directly managing apps on mobile devices from a computer.
So attempting to directly delete the Snapchat app from your phone using a computer would be ineffective, as the Snapchat software and data exists only on the mobile device itself with no external access.
However, there are some indirect ways you can essentially remove Snapchat from your phone using computer tools:
Use Phone Finder Software to Remotely Wipe Device
Some phone finder services allow you to remotely lock, locate or wipe your device if it is lost or stolen. This could also be used to reset your phone to factory settings and erase all apps and data, including Snapchat. However, this is very heavy-handed as it will remove everything on your phone.
Popular phone finder apps like Find My iPhone, Find My Mobile and Find My Device allow remote wiping features in their web dashboards or computer apps. You would need to make sure the finder software is installed and activated on your target phone first.
Use Parental Control Apps to Block Snapchat
Mobile parental control software lets parents monitor and manage their kids’ online activities and app usage remotely. The best parental control apps have options to block access, limit use or disable apps like Snapchat.
By blocking Snapchat via parental controls on your phone, the app would essentially become unusable and invisible on your device. Popular parental control services like Bark, Qustodio, and FamilyTime have Snapchat blocking capabilities.
Backup Phone, Factory Reset and Selectively Restore Apps
You could backup your phone’s data to your computer, then perform a factory reset to wipe the device and reinstall a clean operating system. When you restore from the backup, you would have the option to select which apps to reinstall – so you could leave Snapchat out of the restore process.
This is an involved process but would ultimately remove Snapchat as long as you do not restore it later from the backup. iTunes or iCloud can be used to backup and restore iOS devices. For Android phones, Google offers backup options.
Direct Snapchat Deletion Methods
To fully delete the Snapchat app from your device, you will need direct access to the phone in order to uninstall it:
Delete Snapchat on iPhone
To uninstall Snapchat from an iPhone or iPad:
- Open the Home screen and find the Snapchat app icon.
- Long-press on the Snapchat icon until the icons start to shake.
- Tap the black X that appears over the top-left corner of the Snapchat icon.
- Confirm that you want to delete Snapchat by tapping Delete.
This will completely remove the app and its data from your iOS device.
Delete Snapchat on Android
To uninstall Snapchat from an Android phone or tablet:
- Open the Apps menu in your Android device’s Settings.
- Find Snapchat in the list of installed apps and tap on it.
- Tap Uninstall.
- Confirm that you want to uninstall Snapchat.
This will remove the app from your Android device.
Alternative Ways to Limit Snapchat Access
If you don’t want to completely delete the Snapchat app from your phone, there are some other options to help restrict or monitor its use:
- Delete Snapchat account – You can delete your Snapchat account entirely from the app’s settings.
- Restrict notifications – Disable Snapchat notifications in the phone’s main Settings menu.
- Limit screen time – Use built-in screen time controls on iOS or Android to limit daily Snapchat usage.
- Monitor activity – Use a monitoring app on your phone to track Snapchat usage and messages.
These approaches will not remove Snapchat from your device but can help limit its impact and visibility.
Conclusion
Deleting apps remotely from a phone is not directly possible due to mobile operating system restrictions. The only way to fully uninstall Snapchat is to do it directly on the mobile device itself.
But there are some indirect options like remote wiping tools, parental controls, or selective restores that can be used on a phone from a computer to try to remove Snapchat. Overall there is no magic button to directly delete Snapchat or any other apps from a smartphone using only a computer.