Snapchat is one of the most popular social media apps, allowing users to send photo and video messages that disappear after being viewed. While some enjoy Snapchat for its ephemeral nature, others may want to take a break from the app without losing their account and messages. Fortunately, Snapchat makes it easy to temporarily deactivate your account.
Deactivating your Snapchat account lets you take a break while saving your data. Your friends will no longer see your profile or stories, but your memories, friends list, and settings will remain intact for when you reactivate. Deactivation differs from deletion – deleting removes your account and data permanently.
Here’s what you need to know about how to temporarily deactivate your Snapchat account without deleting it:
Should I deactivate or delete my Snapchat account?
Before temporarily deactivating your Snapchat account, consider whether fully deleting it may be a better option:
Reasons to temporarily deactivate Snapchat:
- You want a break from Snapchat but plan to use it again in the future.
- You don’t want to lose your Snapchat memories and history.
- You want to keep your friend list and settings for when you return.
Reasons to permanently delete Snapchat:
- You no longer want a Snapchat account at all.
- You want to delete all your Snapchat data.
- You don’t plan on using Snapchat again.
If you want an extended break but see yourself eventually reactivating, deactivation is the way to go. But if you’re done with Snapchat for good, deletion may be a better choice.
How to Temporarily Deactivate Your Snapchat Account
Deactivating your Snapchat account is simple and straightforward. Here are the steps:
- Open the Snapchat app and go to your profile by tapping the profile icon.
- Tap the settings icon in the top-right corner of your profile screen.
- Scroll down and tap “Support.”
- Tap “My Account.”
- Tap “Delete My Account.”
- On the “Delete My Account” page, tap “Deactivate Account.”
- Enter your phone number or email to confirm your identity.
- Tap “Continue” to deactivate your account.
And that’s it! Snapchat will immediately deactivate your account. All your data will be saved for when you log back in to reactivate.
What Happens When You Deactivate Snapchat?
Here’s what you can expect when deactivating your Snapchat account:
- Your profile will no longer show up for your friends.
- You will stop receiving snaps, chats, calls, notifications.
- Your Bitmoji avatar will disappear from friend’s accounts.
- Your Snapcode will deactivate.
- Your Snapstreaks will temporarily freeze.
- Your account data, memories, settings will be saved.
Essentially, deactivating your account makes it seem like you no longer have Snapchat. But behind the scenes, your account data remains intact and ready for when you log back in.
What Happens to Your Snapstreaks?
Snapstreaks track how many consecutive days you’ve snapped with a friend. Deactivating your account will pause your Snapstreaks, but it will not reset them. When you reactivate your account, your streaks will continue counting up from where they left off.
So you don’t need to worry about losing your coveted streaks while your account is deactivated. Just make sure to log back in before too much time passes. Snapstreaks expire after 6 months of inactivity.
How Long Can You Deactivate Snapchat For?
You can have your Snapchat account deactivated for up to 30 days before it becomes permanently deleted.
Here is a timeline of what happens when your Snapchat is deactivated:
| Time Deactivated | Account Status |
|---|---|
| 1-29 days | Temporarily deactivated |
| 30 days | Permanently deleted |
So make sure to log back into Snapchat within 30 days if you want to keep your account and data. After 30 days, there is unfortunately no way to retrieve your deactivated account.
Should I Log Out Before Deactivating?
You do not need to log out of Snapchat before deactivating your account. The deactivation process will automatically log you out.
However, you may want to log out if:
- You share a device and don’t want others accessing your account.
- You want to clear cached data and cookies.
- You want to unlink connected apps.
Logging out is simple – just go back to your profile screen and tap the settings icon, then tap “Log Out.”
How Do I Reactivate My Snapchat Account?
Reactivating your Snapchat account after deactivation is easy. Just log back into Snapchat with your username and password within 30 days. Your account will be restored with all your friends, memories, settings intact.
Here are the steps to reactivate your Snapchat:
- Open the Snapchat app.
- Log in with your username and password.
- A prompt will ask if you want to reactivate – tap “Reactivate.”
- Snapchat will restore your account.
And that’s all it takes to temporarily deactivate and reactivate your Snapchat account!
Pros and Cons of Deactivating Snapchat
Before deciding to deactivate your Snapchat account, weigh the potential advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
- Take a break from Snapchat – Deactivating lets you distance yourself from the app if you need a reset.
- Preserve your data – Your account data remains saved for easy reactivation later.
- Maintain friendships – You keep your friends list to reconnect when you return.
- Keep Snapstreaks – Your streaks are paused but not reset while deactivated.
Cons:
- Lose ephemeral content – Friends’ stories and incoming snaps will disappear while you’re gone.
- Return is time-limited – You only have 30 days before deactivation becomes permanent deletion.
- Out of sight, out of mind – Friends may engage with you less if you deactivate.
Overall, deactivating can be the right choice if you want time away but plan to use Snapchat again in the near future.
Other Snapchat Account Options
Along with deactivation, here are some other options to manage your Snapchat usage:
Temporarily disable notifications:
You can mute notifications for set increments of time (1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, etc.) without deactivating your account. Go to Settings > Notifications > Tap time period.
Delete the app from your phone:
Delete the Snapchat app from your device without deactivating your account. You can always redownload the app and log back in later.
Log out of Snapchat:
Logging out signs you out of the app on a device without deactivating. You can simply log back in anytime.
Delete Snapchat but don’t deactivate:
You can delete the Snapchat app but leave your account active. Your data will remain intact for when you redownload and log in.
So in summary, deactivating your account provides a clean break from Snapchat while preserving your information. Depending on your needs, you may also find simply disabling notifications, deleting the app, or logging out helpful as well.
Conclusion
Deactivating your Snapchat account allows you to take an extended break while saving your information. Simply go to your account settings and select “Deactivate” to begin. Your profile will disappear and you will stop receiving snaps. To reactivate, just log back in within 30 days. Deactivating can help you reset your relationship with Snapchat if you plan to use it again in the future.