Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among young people, due to its fun features like filters, lenses, and disappearing messages. However, sometimes you may want to permanently delete a Snapchat message you’ve sent or received for privacy reasons. Here’s how to do it.
Does Snapchat Automatically Delete Messages?
Yes, Snapchat is designed so that messages disappear automatically after they are viewed by the recipient. Once a Snap is opened, the sender can see that it has been viewed. After viewing, Snaps disappear from the receiver’s inbox.
By default, Snapchat deletes unopened Snaps in 30 days. So if your Snap hasn’t been viewed in 30 days, it will be automatically deleted from Snapchat’s servers. This applies to both one-to-one Snaps and Snaps sent in groups.
However, this doesn’t mean the messages are gone forever. The recipient can still take a screenshot of your Snap before it disappears without you knowing. So deleting messages on both sides requires taking some extra steps which we’ll explain next.
Saving Snapchat Messages
There are two ways your contacts can save Snapchat messages you send them:
- Taking a screenshot
- Using a third-party app to save your Snap
Snapchat notifies you if someone takes a screenshot of your Snap. However, there is no notification if they use an external app to save your message. Some popular apps used for this purpose are:
- Snapchat Saver Apps
- AZ Screen Recorder
- DU Recorder
So even if you delete the Snap from your end, your contact could have already saved it through other means.
How To Delete Snapchat Messages You’ve Sent
If you want to delete a Snap you’ve already sent, here are the steps:
- In Snapchat, tap on the ‘Chat’ icon at the bottom.
- Open the chat with the contact you want to delete the message from.
- Press and hold the Snap you want to delete.
- Tap on the trash icon to delete it.
- Confirm by tapping on ‘Delete’ in the pop-up prompt.
This will delete the Snap from your end. However, as we explained before, your contact could have already saved it externally without you knowing. So unfortunately, this method doesn’t guarantee deleting the Snap on both sides.
How To Delete Snapchat Messages You’ve Received
To delete a Snap you’ve received from someone:
- Open the Snapchat chat with the relevant contact.
- Press and hold the Snap you want to delete.
- Tap the trash icon.
- Confirm deletion in the pop-up window.
Again, this will only delete the message from your inbox, not the sender’s outbox or your contact’s saved files.
How To Request Deletion of a Snap You Sent
Snapchat introduced a feature called ‘Delete for Everyone’ in 2017. This allows you to request deletion of a Snap you’ve sent, from the recipient’s end as well.
Here is how to use it:
- Open the relevant chat.
- Press and hold the Snap you want to delete.
- Tap the ‘Delete for Everyone’ icon (trash can with arrow).
- Confirm in the pop-up prompt.
This will notify your contact that you want to delete the Snap. If they accept the request, the Snap will be deleted from both ends. However, your contact can still decline the deletion request and keep the Snap on their end.
Also, you can only delete Snaps sent in the past 10 seconds through this method. So it has to be done almost immediately after sending the Snap.
Block Contacts From Saving Your Snaps
You can enable some settings to prevent recipients from saving your Snaps via screenshots and third-party apps.
To stop contacts from taking screenshots:
- Go to Settings > Snapchat Camera
- Enable ‘Prevent recipients from saving your Snaps’
This will notify you if someone screenshots your Snap and let you delete it right away. However, they can still use external apps to save your messages secretly.
To stop third-party apps from saving Snaps:
- Go to Settings > Manage
- Tap ‘Apps that can receive Snaps’
- Don’t allow access to any third-party apps
This will prevent unauthorized apps from being able to capture your Snaps. But you have to regularly update the list of allowed apps as new ones come out.
Delete Snapchat Messages From Servers
Snapchat stores all messages temporarily on their servers until they are deleted automatically after 30 days. So is there a way to get Snapchat to delete them before that?
Unfortunately, there is no direct way to force Snapchat to delete unopened messages from their servers before 30 days. The only way is to delete your Snapchat account entirely. This will wipe all your data from Snapchat’s systems.
Here’s how to delete your Snapchat account:
- Go to your Snapchat Profile > Settings
- Scroll down and tap ‘Delete Account’
- Enter your password and confirm deletion
Once your account is deleted, all your Snaps and Chats will be permanently deleted as well. So this is an extreme measure to take if you really want Snapchat messages gone for good.
Using A VPN For Snapchat
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is another way to enhance your privacy on Snapchat and keep messages more secure.
A VPN encrypts all network traffic from your device and routes it through a private server. This hides your IP address and online activity from Snapchat, your ISP, hackers, and snoopers.
Some key benefits of using a VPN with Snapchat:
- Prevents Snapchat from tracking your IP address and linking messages to you
- Encryption protects Snaps and data from interception
- Bypasses geo-restrictions if Snapchat is banned in your region
- Blocks malware and phishing attempts on public WiFi
So even if your messages are deleted from Snapchat’s servers, a VPN adds another layer of privacy protection for your online activity and location.
Third-Party Apps To Delete Snapchat Messages
Some third-party apps claim to be able to delete Snapchat messages from both the sender and receiver. Examples include:
- Snaphack
- MSnapHack
- SnapHax
However, it’s not recommended to use such apps as they often ask for your Snapchat login details. Giving away your username and password to external platforms can seriously compromise your account security and privacy.
Most of these apps cannot actually force delete Snapchat messages. Instead, they simply hack into your account and delete messages manually from both sides after logging in. This gives them full access to your inbox, saved Snaps, memories and location data.
Conclusion
While Snapchat markets itself as a privacy-focused app for ephemeral messaging, recovering deleted Snaps is still possible in many cases. There is no foolproof way to guarantee deletion of messages from both the sender and receiver.
However, you can take some precautions like:
- Enabling settings to prevent saving of Snaps via screenshots and third-party apps
- Using VPN encryption for added privacy protection
- Avoiding suspicious third-party apps that ask for your Snapchat login info
- Deleting chat history from both sides immediately after sending sensitive messages
With the right settings and precautions, you can enjoy Snapchat’s fun features more privately. But ultimately, restraint is advised when sending risky or explicit messages that you might regret later!
FAQs
Does deleting a Snapchat message also delete it from the recipient’s phone?
No, deleting a Snap from your end does not delete it from the recipient’s phone automatically. They may have already saved it externally using screenshots or third-party apps without you being notified.
Can you recover deleted Snapchat messages?
It’s difficult to recover deleted Snapchat messages as they are meant to disappear forever. However, recipients can save your Snaps secretly using screenshots and external apps. So the messages may still be retrievable through those means.
Why can’t I delete a Snapchat message I sent?
Snapchat only allows you to delete messages for up to 10 seconds after sending. After that time period, deletion is not allowed from the sender’s side unless the receiver agrees to it.
How long do deleted Snapchat messages stay on servers?
Snapchat retains unopened Snaps on their servers for up to 30 days before automatic deletion. Opened Snaps are instantly deleted. There is no way to force delete server data before 30 days.
Can Snapchat employees see deleted messages?
No, Snapchat employees cannot view deleted messages as everything is encrypted. The messages are meant to permanently disappear after viewing. However, device screenshots may still be retrievable.
Is Snapchat end-to-end encrypted?
Snapchat uses end-to-end encryption for its Chat feature. However, Snaps do not use end-to-end encryption. They are encrypted in transit and storage, but the company still has access to them.