Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to send photo and video messages that disappear after being viewed. The app has over 265 million daily active users worldwide. While Snapchat wants its community to have fun, they do enforce rules and restrictions to ensure safety and prevent abuse. One consequence for violating Snapchat’s Community Guidelines is getting temporarily banned from using the app.
What causes a temporary ban on Snapchat?
There are a few common reasons why Snapchat may temporarily ban an account:
- Sending unwanted, offensive, or abusive content
- Impersonating other users
- Spreading false information or fake news
- Bullying or harassing other users
- Spamming Snapchat friends with unwanted messages/photos
- Using third-party apps or mods that violate Snapchat’s terms
Essentially any activity that goes against Snapchat’s Community Guidelines could potentially lead to a temporary ban. Some actions may result in an immediate permanent ban, while other first-time offenses may only get a warning or temporary locks. Snapchat reviews all reports of inappropriate behavior and determines responses on a case-by-case basis.
How long do temporary Snapchat bans last?
The duration of Snapchat temporary bans can vary depending on the severity of the violation. Some typical ban timeframes include:
- 1 hour
- 12 hours
- 24 hours
- 48 hours
- 7 days
- 14 days
- 30 days
For very minor first-time offenses, a temporary ban may only last an hour or 12 hours. Repeated violations or more serious infractions can lead to bans lasting days or even weeks. A 30 day ban is typically the longest temporary lock period before an account faces permanent termination.
1 hour ban
A 1 hour temporary ban is common for things like sending a spammy Snap to too many friends at once. This is usually just a warning to get users to slow down on mass messages.
12 – 24 hour ban
Short bans of 12-24 hours are common for minor first-time violations like:
- Sending inappropriate but non-abusive Snaps
- Accidentally violating a Snapchat term of service
48 hour ban
A 2 day ban can happen if Snapchat detects repeated policy breaks within a short time period. For example, continuing to spam friends after already being temporarily banned for 1 hour.
7 day ban
If a user continues violating rules after already being banned for shorter durations, Snapchat may issue a one week ban. Serious first-time offenses like impersonation or threats of harm can also warrant a 7 day ban.
14 day ban
Two week bans are given after multiple violations or for offensive content violations. For example, a user who gets banned for 24 hours for harassment but then continues the abusive behavior once the ban lifts may get hit with a 14 day ban next.
30 day ban
A one month ban is the longest temporary lock Snapchat gives before permanent deletion. It is reserved for severe or repeated violations of Community Guidelines. Some actions that can lead to a 30 day ban include:
- Impersonating others
- Spreading dangerous misinformation
- Making physical threats
- Sexually harassing other users
Continuing to break rules after a 30 day ban almost always leads to permanent account termination.
What happens when your Snapchat is temporarily banned?
Here’s what occurs when your Snapchat account gets banned:
- You are immediately logged out of your Snapchat account
- When trying to log back in, you see a message that your account is “temporarily locked.”
- The notification states how long the ban will last, such as “Your account has been temporarily locked for 24 hours.”
- You are unable to access your Snapchat during the ban period.
- Friends who try to send you Snaps will get a notification that your account is temporarily unavailable.
- Once the set time period passes, the ban is lifted and you can login normally again.
- If the ban was for longer than 7 days, you may have to reset your password before accessing your account again.
So in summary, a banned Snapchat account is inaccessible for sending or receiving Snaps until the suspension period expires.
Can you undo a temporary ban on Snapchat?
Unfortunately, there is no way to prematurely undo or remove a temporary ban on Snapchat. Users just have to wait out the full time period, whether it’s 1 hour or 30 days.
Some key points about Snapchat ban appeals include:
- There is no official appeals process for temporary bans.
- Contacting Snapchat support will not get a temporary ban lifted early.
- Deleting and recreating your Snapchat account also does not remove a ban status.
- You must simply complete the entire temporary ban duration before accessing your account again.
The only exception is if Snapchat admits they banned your account by mistake. In those rare cases, Snapchat support may undo a ban after investigating. But barring a mistake, temporary bans cannot be shortened.
What happens after a Snapchat temporary ban is lifted?
Once a time-based ban expires, normal access to your Snapchat account is restored. You can start using the app to Snap friends and post Stories again.
However, keep in mind your account may be on thin ice at that point. Further rule breaking could trigger an even longer ban or permanent deletion.
Here are some tips to avoid future issues after a Snapchat ban:
- Carefully review Snapchat’s Community Guidelines.
- Delete any questionable or offensive content from your account.
- Don’t take ban as license to resume banned behavior once expired.
- Lay low and avoid activities that could be seen as policy violations.
- Build up positive Snapping history to move past ban.
Essentially you want to be on your best behavior moving forward. While your account is restored after a temporary ban, you do not want to end up with an indefinite permanent suspension next.
Can you get permanently banned on Snapchat after temporary ban?
Yes, Snapchat can permanently ban accounts after issuing temporary bans first. If inappropriate activity continues after a time-based suspension, Snapchat may escalate to permanently deleting the account.
Some examples of situations where temporary bans lead to permanent bans include:
- A user gets a 1 day ban for harassment, but continues harassing behavior after the ban lifts resulting in a permanent ban.
- Someone receives a 7 day ban for impersonation, but impersonates again right away after the 7 days, triggering a lifetime ban.
- A user gets banned 30 days for spreading dangerous misinformation, but keeps posting the same misinformation immediately after the 30 day ban expires, leading to permanent termination.
In these cases, the user failed to correct their behavior during the temporary ban period. Since the violations continued, Snapchat ultimately determined these users should be permanently removed from the platform.
So temporary bans serve as a warning. But Snapchat will ramp up penalties for repeat bad actors up to permanent deletion. The only way to avoid a permanent ban after a temporary ban is improving your behavior and closely following Snapchat’s rules moving forward.
What to do if you get permanently banned from Snapchat?
If you receive notice that your Snapchat account has been permanently banned, here are some steps to take:
- Accept the ban, as permanent means permanent. There is no way to regain access to a banned Snapchat account.
- Do not try creating a new Snapchat account. Any new accounts will get banned too if linked to your device or IP address.
- Reflect on what rules you violated that triggered the ban.
- Consider using another social media platform with a clean slate.
- Ask permitted friends to remove photos of you from their Snapchat.
- Delete saved Snapchat photos, videos, data from your mobile device.
Permanent bans are the final decision, so if Snapchat deletes your account, there are no appeal options. The best course of action is accepting the consequences and considering alternative social media platforms to use going forward.
Conclusion
Getting temporarily banned from Snapchat can be inconvenient and frustrating. But these bans help Snapchat enforce community rules and maintain a safe environment for all users. Typical temporary bans last anywhere from 1 hour up to 30 days depending on the severity and frequency of violations.
There is no way to get a temporary Snapchat ban reversed or removed early. You simply have to wait out the duration and be careful not to break rules again afterwards. Further policy violations can lead to permanent account deletion, so take any temporary bans as a serious warning.