Ghost mode is a privacy setting in Snapchat that allows you to be invisible to other users when you are using the app. When ghost mode is turned on, you will not show up on anyone else’s friend list or “Quick Add” section, and your public Snapchat stories will not be viewable to anyone else. Ghost mode essentially makes your Snapchat presence completely private.
Enabling Ghost Mode
Turning on ghost mode in Snapchat is simple:
- Open the Snapchat app and tap on your profile icon in the top left corner
- Tap on the gear icon to access your settings
- Scroll down and tap on “Ghost Mode”
- Toggle the setting on – it will turn green when activated
And that’s it! Ghost mode will now be enabled on your account. The toggle is right next to your username in your profile, so you can easily turn ghost mode on or off whenever you want.
What Happens When Ghost Mode is On
When ghost mode is enabled on your Snapchat account, here is exactly what happens:
You Become Invisible to Other Users
The main effect of ghost mode is that your Snapchat account becomes completely invisible to all other users. You will no longer show up on any of your friends’ friend lists. If someone tries to search for your username, they will not be able to find you. Even if someone has your phone number or email address linked to your Snapchat account, they will not be able to look you up or add you as a friend.
Essentially, enabling ghost mode makes it seem like you don’t have a Snapchat account at all. You become a “ghost” user that no one else can see or find.
Your Public Stories Disappear
In addition to your account becoming invisible, any public Stories you have posted will no longer be viewable to anyone else when ghost mode is on. Only you will be able to view your own public Stories.
So if you frequently post content to your public Snapchat Story that you want all your friends and followers to see, be aware that turning on ghost mode will make that public content inaccessible to anyone else.
You Won’t Show Up as a Suggested Friend
Snapchat has a “Quick Add” section where the app suggests new friends for you to add based on mutual connections. When ghost mode is enabled, you will no longer show up as a suggested friend in anyone else’s Quick Add list.
Even if you have many friends in common with another user, your account will remain hidden from their Quick Add recommendations when ghost mode is on.
You Can Still Privately Message Friends
It’s important to note that even though you become invisible with ghost mode on, you can still send and receive private Snaps and Chats with your existing friends. Your conversations will remain intact.
Ghost mode only affects your public presence on Snapchat – not your private communications. So you can continue messaging your real friends normally.
Who Can See You in Ghost Mode?
When ghost mode is enabled, there are only a couple of ways another Snapchat user would still be able to see your account or Stories:
- Friends you have previously added will still be able to view your Stories and chat with you.
- If someone has your personal phone number or email address linked to your account, they may still be able to search and find your profile to add you as a friend.
But in general, no one else aside from your existing friends will have access to your account or Stories when ghost mode is on.
Why Use Ghost Mode?
There are a few key reasons why Snapchat users enable ghost mode:
More Selective About Friends
For those who get a lot of random friend requests or suggested friends on Snapchat, ghost mode allows you to become more selective about who you allow to view your content and connect with you. Rather than anyone being able to add you, you can carefully choose who to become friends with on Snapchat while in ghost mode.
Avoid Exes or Unwanted Connections
Ghost mode is a good way to avoid exes, former friends, or other unwanted connections from being able to view your Stories or contact you on Snapchat. Since you become completely invisible, you don’t have to worry about blocking specific people.
Take a Break From Snapchat
If you want to take a vacation from Snapchat without deleting your account, turning on ghost mode can give you a temporary break. You can avoid notifications and friend requests while your account lies dormant. Whenever you want to return, just turn ghost mode off again.
Prioritize Real Friends
For those who have lots of Snapchat friends, ghost mode lets you prune down your friends list and focus only on sharing content with your closest friends. It removes distant acquaintances or inactive friends from the equation.
Limit Public Attention
If you have a public Snapchat account where you don’t necessarily want attention from strangers, ghost mode gives you an incognito way to limit public visibility. You can post Stories just for your private circle of friends without unwanted eyes.
Disadvantages of Using Ghost Mode
While ghost mode can certainly be useful, there are a few drawbacks to having it enabled as well:
- You lose public visibility – followers who enjoyed your content won’t be able to view your Stories anymore.
- It can be easy to forget that you have ghost mode on, which might lead to confusion if friends can’t find your account.
- Turning ghost mode on and off frequently can be tedious if you change your mind.
- You may miss out on friend opportunities or suggested friends you actually wanted to connect with.
So ghost mode does limit your public Snapchat presence in significant ways. Make sure you actually want to go incognito before enabling it.
When to Turn Ghost Mode Off
Here are some common situations when you will probably want to turn ghost mode off again:
- When you return from a Snapchat break and want to start posting publicly and connecting with new friends again.
- If you created a new public account that you now want to promote and gain followers for.
- When posting Stories related to a specific event that you want to be publicly visible.
- If friends say they can’t find your account and you want to be searchable again.
- When you are ready to start actively using Snapchat again on a regular basis after a dormant period.
In general, anytime you want to reestablish a public presence and reconnect with old friends, turning ghost mode off will allow you to show up in other users’ friend lists and Stories again.
Conclusion
Ghost mode can be a useful privacy tool if you want to limit your Snapchat presence, avoid unwanted connections, or take a break from the app. But it does completely remove your public visibility, so make sure you actually want to go incognito before enabling it. Always remember to turn ghost mode off when you want to reengage with the Snapchat community.