Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger users. The ephemeral nature of Snaps and Stories makes it easy to share casual moments without worrying about them living on forever. However, as your Snapchat usage accumulates over time, you may eventually want to delete old Snaps and chats to free up storage space or reset your presence on the app.
Deleting Individual Snaps and Chats
If you just want to delete select Snaps and conversations, you can do so as follows:
- Open a chat, press and hold on a Snap or message, then tap the trash can icon to delete it.
- In your Recent Updates feed, press and hold on a Snap or Story to delete it.
- From your profile, tap My Eyes Only, enter your passcode, then delete anything you don’t want stored there.
Deleting individual Snaps or chats is useful for curating your conversations or removing regrettable moments. However, if your goal is to wipe the slate completely clean, you’ll need to delete your Snapchat account.
Deleting Your Snapchat Account
Here are the steps to fully delete your Snapchat account and all of its data:
- Open Snapchat and go to your profile page.
- Tap the Settings (gear) icon in the top-right corner.
- Scroll down and tap “Support.”
- Tap “My Account,” then “Delete Your Account.”
- On the Delete Account page, tap “Continue” to proceed.
- Select “Delete My Account” to confirm.
After following these steps, your account will be queued for deletion. It can take up to 30 days for all of your data to be wiped from Snapchat’s servers. During this time, your account will remain deactivated so you won’t be able to log back in.
What Gets Deleted When You Delete Your Account
Deleting your Snapchat account erases the following information:
- Your profile
- Your friends list and any custom friend lists
- Your Snap history and Memories
- Your chat history
- Your Story history
- Your My Eyes Only content
- Your Snapcode
- Your Bitmoji account
- Your Snapchat trophies and scores
In other words, everything associated with your account will eventually be wiped clean. However, keep in mind:
- If you’ve shared Snaps or Stories with friends, they may still have that content saved even after you delete your account.
- If other users have saved your photos or videos externally, or taken screenshots, those can still exist outside of Snapchat.
- Any purchases made on Snapchat are non-refundable if you delete your account.
How to Download Your Snapchat Data
Before deleting your account, you may want to download an archive of your Snapchat data for memories or records. Here’s how:
- Go to your Snapchat settings.
- Scroll down and select “My Data.”
- Tap “Submit Request.” Snapchat will prepare a downloadable file.
- Once the file is ready, return to My Data and tap “Download.”
- The file will contain your Snap history, Story history, profile information, and more.
- Save this file to your device or another cloud storage service.
This provides a backup of your Snapchat data to look back on before wiping your account completely.
Can You Recover a Deleted Snapchat Account?
If you change your mind after deleting your Snapchat account, is recovery possible? Unfortunately, no. Snapchat’s account deletion process is designed to be permanent.
Some things to keep in mind:
- You can’t reactivate a deleted Snapchat account. You’ll have to create an entirely new account.
- Your old username becomes available for anyone else to claim after account deletion.
- Any Snapcode associated with your old account will no longer work. You’ll need a new Snapcode.
- You’ll start over with a blank friends list and empty Snap history.
For these reasons, make absolutely sure you want to delete your Snapchat account before proceeding. This action cannot be undone.
Other Ways to Limit Your Snapchat Presence
Deleting your Snapchat account entirely is an extreme measure. If you just want to limit your Snapchat use, there are a few other options:
Temporarily Deactivate Your Account
Instead of deleting your account, you can temporarily deactivate it:
- Go to your Snapchat settings
- Tap “Account Actions”
- Select “Temporarily deactivate account”
This will hide your profile and all your content for up to 30 days. To reactivate, simply log back into Snapchat.
Block Friends
Block specific friends from viewing your Stories or contacting you on Snapchat:
- Go to your Friends list
- Tap the friend you want to block
- Scroll down and tap “Block”
You can also block someone after receiving a Snap from them by tapping their name, tapping the ⋮ button, and selecting “Block.”
Restrict Your Visibility
Adjust your privacy settings to limit what friends can see:
- Turn off “Quick Add” in settings so strangers can’t add you easily.
- Disable “See Me in Quick Add” to stop your profile from being suggested.
- Restrict your Stories visibility or use Custom Story settings.
Taking these steps can let you fly more under the radar on Snapchat without fully deleting your account.
Conclusion
Deleting your Snapchat account is a serious decision since the process cannot be undone. Make sure to download your Snapchat data for memories and records before deleting your account. If you just want to limit your Snapchat presence, try deactivating temporarily, blocking friends, adjusting privacy settings, or using the platform less actively.