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How do you delete Snapchat data and documents?

How do you delete Snapchat data and documents?

Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger users. A big part of Snapchat’s appeal is that photos, videos, and messages (aka snaps) disappear after being viewed. However, deleting Snapchat data isn’t quite as simple as it seems.

There are a few different types of data stored by Snapchat. There are snaps (photos/videos sent to friends), stories (photos/videos shared to your wider audience), memories (snaps you choose to save in the app), chat logs, location data, and more. Deleting each type of data requires navigating to different parts of the app and platform.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to find and delete the various types of Snapchat data and documents, including:

  • Snaps
  • Stories
  • Memories
  • Chat logs
  • Location data
  • Deleted accounts

Knowing how to delete Snapchat data is important for managing your privacy and security on the platform. The steps below will help you remove Snapchat content you no longer want to be accessible.

Deleting Snaps

Snaps are photos and videos sent directly to friends on Snapchat. By default, snaps disappear after being viewed once. However, there are a couple cases where you may want to manually delete snaps:

  • If a snap hasn’t been opened yet by the recipient, you can delete it before they view it.
  • If you allow a recipient to replay a snap, it won’t disappear until they’ve replayed it. You can manually delete it before they do.

Here’s how to find and delete unopened or replayed snaps:

  1. Tap the paper airplane icon in the upper right to go to your sent snaps.
  2. Tap and hold on the snap you want to delete.
  3. Tap the trash can icon to delete the snap.

The snap will now be removed for all recipients.

Deleting Stories

Stories allow you to share photos and videos that your entire Snapchat friends list can view. Stories expire after 24 hours by default. But you can delete individual stories whenever you want:

  1. Tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
  2. Tap the My Story circle.
  3. Tap and hold the story you want to delete.
  4. Tap the trash can icon to delete.

Deleting a story removes it so your friends can no longer view it.

Deleting Memories

Memories are snaps you choose to save in Snapchat’s storage, rather than having them automatically delete. Here’s how to find and delete saved Snapchat memories:

  1. Tap the profile icon in the top left corner.
  2. Tap the Memories section.
  3. Tap the snap you want to delete.
  4. Tap the trash can icon in the bottom left.

This will send the snap to the “Deleted” folder in Memories. To permanently erase it:

  1. Tap the Deleted folder.
  2. Tap and hold the snap you want to permanently delete.
  3. Tap the trash can icon again.

The snap will now be permanently erased from Snapchat’s servers.

Deleting Chat Logs

To delete chat logs in Snapchat:

  1. Tap the Chat icon in the bottom left.
  2. Tap and hold the chat with the person you want to delete.
  3. Tap the trash can icon in the top right.

This will delete the entire chat history with that person.

To delete just part of a chat:

  1. Tap and hold a specific message you want to delete.
  2. Tap the trash can icon for that message.

You can also block a person to delete all chats from them:

  1. Tap and hold on their name in your chat list.
  2. Tap Block Friend.

Deleting Location Data

Snapchat collects location data that can be used for geofilters, lenses, targeted ads, and more. Here’s how to view and delete your Snapchat location information:

  1. Tap your profile icon.
  2. Tap the gear icon to go to Settings.
  3. Scroll down and tap Manage under the “Additional Services” header.
  4. Tap Map Data.
  5. Tap Clear Map Data to delete your location history.

You can also enable Ghost Mode in this menu. This prevents Snapchat from collecting any new location data moving forward.

Deleting Your Snapchat Account

If you want to delete your Snapchat account entirely, here are the steps:

  1. Go to Snapchat’s Accounts page from a web browser.
  2. Click Delete My Account.
  3. Enter your username and password and complete the Captcha.
  4. Select Delete My Account on the confirmation page.

Deleting your account erases all snaps, memories, stories, and other data from Snapchat’s servers. Your data can’t be recovered once the account is deleted.

Account Deletion Rules and Timeframes

Keep in mind these rules around Snapchat account deletion:

  • You need to wait 30 days after requesting deletion before the account is erased.
  • Logging back into your account during the 30 day window cancels the deletion.
  • Snapchat reserves the right to suspend the account before deletion instead.
  • Some data may persist in Snapchat’s backups or records for legal purposes.

So expect the deletion process to take up to 30 days after you request it. And some traces of your usage data may still remain in Snapchat’s corporate systems.

Conclusion

Deleting Snapchat data requires digging into the app’s various sections and menus depending on the type of content you want to remove. The steps above cover how to delete snaps, stories, memories, chat logs, location data, and your full account.

In summary, here are some key takeaways on removing Snapchat data:

  • Open snaps can be deleted before recipients view them.
  • Stories, memories, and chats can be deleted individually or all at once.
  • Turning on Ghost Mode stops new location data from being collected.
  • Deleted accounts can take up to 30 days to be fully erased.
  • Some usage analytics may persist internally at Snapchat after deletion.

Overall, Snapchat provides fairly robust options for controlling your privacy and managing how long your data is stored. Following this guide will help you understand the steps required to find and permanently erase Snapchat content, accounts, and associated personal information.