Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users send photo and video messages that disappear after being viewed. While Snapchat messages are designed to be temporary, there may be times when you want to permanently delete a conversation.
Can you permanently delete Snapchat conversations?
Yes, it is possible to permanently delete Snapchat conversations. However, the process is a bit different compared to deleting conversations on other messaging platforms.
Why permanently delete Snapchat conversations?
Here are some common reasons why you may want to permanently delete Snapchat conversations:
- Privacy – To ensure your conversations are wiped from Snapchat’s servers
- Free up storage space – Long-running conversations can take up storage space
- Move on from a relationship – Delete conversations with exes or old friends
- Remove inappropriate content – Get rid of conversations you no longer want to be associated with
How to permanently delete Snapchat conversations
Permanently deleting Snapchat conversations requires a few more steps than simply clearing your message history. Here is how to do it:
Delete the conversation
- Open the Snapchat conversation you want to delete
- Tap and hold on the conversation
- Tap the trash icon to delete the conversation
This will clear the conversation history on your end. However, the messages will still be stored on Snapchat’s servers.
Block the user
- Go to your Friends page
- Tap and hold on the friend you want to block
- Tap ‘More’ then select ‘Block’
Blocking the user will prevent both of you from viewing each other’s stories or sending snaps. It will also delete the conversation from Snapchat’s servers.
Delete conversation backup from Memories
If you have ever saved a Snapchat conversation to Memories, you will also need to:
- Go to Memories and tap on Saved Conversations
- Tap Edit at the top right
- Select the conversation you want to delete
- Tap Delete at the bottom
This ensures there are no saved backups of the conversation on Snapchat’s servers.
Remove the friend from your Friends list
As an extra precaution, you can also remove the user from your Friends list by:
- Going to your Friends page
- Tap and hold on the friend you want to remove
- Tap ‘More’ then select ‘Remove Friend’
This will delete their name from your Friends list and remove you from each other’s lists.
Does blocking delete Snapchat conversations?
Yes, blocking someone on Snapchat will delete the conversation history from both ends. When you block a friend, it removes you from each other’s Friends lists and erases your chat history on Snapchat’s servers.
So blocking is essential if you want to permanently wipe a conversation. Simply deleting a chat only removes it from your view – the messages still exist on Snapchat’s end until you block the user.
Does unadding delete Snapchat conversations?
No, just removing or unadding a friend on Snapchat does not delete your conversation history. You need to explicitly block the person to delete the messages from Snapchat’s servers.
When you remove a friend, it simply removes them from your contacts list. The chat history will remain visible if you re-add the friend later.
How long do deleted Snapchat conversations stay on servers?
If you simply delete a conversation, Snapchat states the messages can remain on their servers for up to 30 days. However, the messages are inaccessible during this time.
Blocking a user is the only way to immediately and permanently delete a conversation from Snapchat’s servers.
Can you recover deleted Snapchat conversations?
No, there is no way to recover a Snapchat conversation that has been permanently deleted. The messages are wiped from the servers and cannot be retrieved.
Some third-party apps claimed to be able to recover deleted Snapchat messages, but this is not possible anymore due to changes in Snapchat’s backend infrastructure.
Does deleting conversations free up Snapchat storage?
Yes, deleting old Snapchat conversations can help free up storage space used by the app. Snapchat conversations, especially those with media, can take up a considerable amount of space.
Here are some pointers to free up storage:
- Delete old conversations you no longer need
- Remove friends you no longer talk to
- Save important media to your camera roll, then delete it from Snapchat
- Delete old stories and memories you no longer need
Deleting conversations requires manually selecting each chat, so it can be tedious. But it’s worth it to free up space.
How to delete Snapchat conversations faster
Manually deleting conversations one by one can be time consuming if you have a lot of contacts. Here are some tips to delete Snapchat messages faster:
Use Select All
- On the Chat screen, tap Edit at the top right
- Tap Select All to select all conversations
- Tap Delete at the bottom to wipe all chats
This will let you mass delete conversations in one go instead of individually.
Use Select All after searching
- Search for a specific friend’s name or username
- Tap Select All
- Delete to only wipe conversations with that person
Searching lets you selectively delete all chats with one friend without affecting the rest.
Use Delete By in Settings
- Go to Settings > Account Actions
- Tap Delete By and select an option like 30 Days
This lets you automatically delete old chats based on time period. Useful for periodic clean up.
Clear Conversations on startup
- Go to Settings > Clear Conversations
- Enable option to Clear Conversations on Startup
This will automatically wipe all chats whenever you restart the Snapchat app. Good for a fresh start.
Should you delete Snapchat conversations?
Here are some pros and cons to consider before deleting Snapchat conversations:
Pros
- Privacy – Conversations are permanently erased
- Free up space – Deleting chats frees up storage used
- Move on – Wipe old chats to move on from the past
- Clean slate – Mass delete everything for a fresh start
Cons
- Lose memories – You may regret deleting meaningful conversations
- Re-adding takes time – You have to add friends again if reconnecting later
- Can’t recover – Deleted chats are gone forever and can’t be retrieved
Overall, it makes sense to delete most conversations after a while, except special ones you want to keep for memories.
Conclusion
Deleting Snapchat conversations requires blocking the user to fully wipe the messages from Snapchat’s servers. Simply clearing chat history only removes it from your view temporarily.
Remember to also delete any conversation backups saved in Memories for a complete purge. Blocking and removing friends provides an extra layer of protection.
Periodically deleting old Snapchat conversations helps preserve privacy, save space and move on from the past. But be selective about deleting special conversations you may want to look back on later.