Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to share photos, videos, and messages that disappear after being viewed. Deactivating your Snapchat account is easy to do directly within the app and can be undone just as easily if you later decide to reactivate your account.
Why Would You Want to Deactivate Your Snapchat Account?
There are a few common reasons why someone may want to deactivate their Snapchat account:
- You want to take a break from using Snapchat and social media in general.
- You feel like Snapchat has become distracting or is taking up too much of your time.
- You’re concerned about privacy and want to limit the amount of data Snapchat collects on you.
- You had a bad experience on Snapchat, such as being bullied or harassed.
- You’re no longer using Snapchat and want to delete your account permanently.
Deactivating gives you a chance to take a break from Snapchat without going through the process of permanently deleting your account in case you want to rejoin in the future.
How to Deactivate Your Snapchat Account
Deactivating your Snapchat account is simple to do right within the Snapchat app:
- Open the Snapchat app and go to your profile page
- Tap the settings icon in the top right corner
- Scroll down and tap “Support”
- Select “I need more help”
- Choose “Manage my account” followed by “I want to delete my account”
- Tap “Continue” to confirm you want to deactivate
Snapchat will now walk you through a couple more confirmation screens letting you know your account will be deactivated but you can reactivate it at any time by simply logging back in.
What Happens When You Deactivate Your Snapchat
Here is what happens when you deactivate your Snapchat account:
- Your profile is hidden from other users so they can’t search for you or view your snaps.
- Your friends list is cleared out but your friendships will be restored if you reactivate.
- You can’t send or receive any snaps or chats.
- Your snapscore and memories are preserved.
- Your bitmoji will be disconnected from your account.
- You’ll stop receiving notifications and emails from Snapchat.
Essentially, deactivating makes your account go dormant. You disappear from the Snapchat community but your account history and data is saved for when you come back.
What About My Snaps and Chats?
Any unopened snaps or chats sent to you before deactivation will be deleted and disappear forever when your account is deactivated. So make sure to open anything important before deactivating.
Snaps and chats you’ve sent to friends will remain visible to them. If you reactivate your account down the road, your chat history will be restored.
Can I Recover Deactivated Snapchat Account?
Yes, it’s easy to recover and reactivate your Snapchat account at any time. All you need to do is:
- Open the Snapchat app and log in with your username and password
- That’s it! Logging back in will automatically reactivate your account.
Your account and friendships will be restored exactly how they were before you deactivated. It’s as if you never left!
How Long Does Deactivation Last?
Your Snapchat account can remain deactivated indefinitely with no time limit. You could come back and reactivate your account years later if you wanted.
However, Snapchat does mention your account may end up getting deleted if it stays deactivated for an extended period of time. But this would likely be many months or even years.
Can You Permanently Delete a Deactivated Account?
If you decide you want to permanently delete your deactivated Snapchat account, you will have to first reactivate it, and then request deletion again following the steps below:
- Log back into Snapchat to reactivate your account
- Go to your profile settings
- Select “Support” then “I need more help”
- Choose “Manage my account” followed by “I want to delete my account”
- Confirm you want to permanently delete
Once permanently deleted, your account and all of its data cannot be recovered, unlike with deactivation.
Other Ways to Take a Break from Snapchat
Deactivating your account isn’t the only way to take a break from Snapchat. Here are a couple other options:
- Temporarily disable notifications – Turn off all Snapchat notifications so you aren’t distracted by them.
- Remove Snapchat from your homescreen – Making the app less visible can reduce mindless accessing.
- Limit your usage – Set reasonable limits on how much time you spend on Snapchat each day.
Conclusion
Deactivating your Snapchat gives you the freedom to easily take a break from the app without losing your account and data permanently. Your profile will be hidden, you won’t be able to send or receive snaps, but everything will be waiting for you when you eventually return. And reactivating only takes a simple login anytime you want access again.