Yes, it is possible to delete the Snapchat app from your device without deleting your Snapchat account. Your account and all of its data will remain intact even if you uninstall the app. Here’s what you need to know about deleting Snapchat without losing your account.
How to Delete Snapchat App Without Deleting Account
If you want to delete the Snapchat app but keep your account, follow these simple steps:
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Go to the Apps or Application Manager section.
- Find Snapchat in the list of installed apps.
- Tap on Snapchat and select “Uninstall.”
- Confirm that you want to uninstall the app when prompted.
And that’s it! Snapchat will be removed from your device, but your account and all of its data will still be there if you choose to reinstall the app later. Your friends, Snapstreaks, memories, and all other account details will be waiting for you when you log back in.
Why Uninstalling the App Doesn’t Affect Your Account
When you create a Snapchat account, your user data is stored on Snapchat’s remote servers – not locally on your device. So when you delete the app, you are only removing the software that accesses your account – not the account itself.
Snapchat’s servers continue housing your account details, friends list, memories, and other data even when the app is deleted. Your account essentially goes dormant but remains fully intact. Nothing is deleted or lost.
Reinstalling Snapchat will simply restore your access to your existing account. You’ll be prompted to log back in with your username and password when launching the newly installed app. From there, it’s like you never left!
Benefits of Uninstalling the Snapchat App
There are a few reasons why you may want to uninstall Snapchat temporarily without losing your account:
- Free up storage space on your phone
- Take a break from Snapchat and social media
- Troubleshoot app glitches or issues
- Start with a fresh slate if you reinstall later
Removing Snapchat frees up storage on your device since the app can take up a considerable amount of space. This is especially true if you have lots of Memories stored.
Taking a break from Snapchat can be healthy if you find it distracting or time-consuming. You may wish to uninstall it for a digital detox without losing your account’s data.
In some cases, uninstalling and reinstalling the app can fix bugs or other performance issues you may encounter while using Snapchat.
Finally, a fresh reinstall gives you a chance to start over with a clean slate. You can tidy up your Friends list or go through your Memories and Stories before accessing them again.
What Data is Saved When You Uninstall Snapchat?
These key account details and data will remain saved and intact even when Snapchat is removed from your device:
- Your username
- Your password
- Your Friends list and Friend relationships
- Your Snapstreaks
- Your Snap scores and achievements
- Your Bitmoji and avatar
- Your Snapchat Memories and Stories
- Your preferences and notifications settings
- Your linked accounts and connections
- Your chat conversations and histories
In essence, everything that makes your account yours will be waiting for you when you reinstall and log back in.
When is Snapchat Data Actually Deleted?
Snapchat data is permanently deleted only if you manually request your account to be deleted through the app’s settings. Or if your account is inactive for a prolonged period.
Here’s when Snapchat permanently deletes account data:
- You request account deletion in Snapchat’s settings. This will delete your account and all its data.
- Your account is inactive for over a year. In this case, Snapchat reserves the right to terminate unused accounts.
So unless you manually delete your account or leave it inactive for well over 12 months, uninstalling Snapchat will not result in any data being erased.
How to Reactivate Your Snapchat Account
If you change your mind later and want to use Snapchat again, reactivating your account is simple:
- Reinstall the Snapchat app on your device, either from an app store or as a downloaded .APK file.
- Open Snapchat and log into your account using your existing username and password.
- That’s it! Snapchat will unlock your account and restore all of your friends, memories, settings etc.
You can repeat this process as many times as you want. Just use the same login credentials each time to access your account again.
Can I Temporarily Disable My Account?
Rather than completely uninstalling Snapchat, you also have the option to temporarily disable your account from within Snapchat’s settings. Here’s how:
- Open Snapchat and go to your profile page.
- Tap the Settings (gear) icon in the top-right corner.
- Select ‘Account Actions’ from the menu.
- Choose ‘Temporary Disable Account.’
When your account is disabled:
- Your friends will not be able to search for your account.
- Your Bitmoji will disappear from friends’ friend lists.
- You will not show up as a friend suggestion.
- You won’t be able to use Snapchat to chat or create/view stories.
However, all your account details, friends, memories, etc. will remain intact. You can easily reactivate your account at any time by simply logging back into Snapchat.
Conclusion
Deleting the Snapchat app from your device does not affect your account or its data in any way. Your information remains saved on Snapchat’s servers until you manually delete your account or leave it inactive for an extended period of time.
Uninstalling Snapchat just removes the app interface, while your account goes into a dormant state. You can quickly restore full access by redownloading Snapchat and logging back in with your credentials.
So feel free to uninstall Snapchat if you need a break or want to troubleshoot issues. Just remember to log back in with the same username and password when you inevitably want to use Snapchat again!