Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger users. A key feature of Snapchat is that messages, called snaps, disappear after they are viewed. This creates an ephemeral, in-the-moment feeling to conversations. However, one question that often comes up is what happens if you delete a chat in Snapchat. Does it delete the conversation for the other person as well, or do they still have access to the chat? In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at how deleting chats works on Snapchat.
Does deleting a chat delete it for both people?
The short answer is: Yes, deleting a chat or conversation thread in Snapchat removes it for both you and the other person. Snapchat says “Chats are deleted for both parties when either person deletes the chat.”
So if you delete a Snapchat conversation, it will disappear from both your chat screen and the other person’s. The chat will no longer be accessible for either of you. This applies for one-on-one chats as well as group chats.
It’s important to note that simply clearing a conversation (by using the “Clear conversation” option) does not delete it for both parties. Clearing a chat only erases it from your own view – the other person can still go back and view the conversation. But deleting a chat fully removes it for both you and your contact.
How to delete a chat on Snapchat
Deleting a conversation on Snapchat is easy to do, just follow these steps:
- Open the Snapchat app and go to the Chat screen
- Tap and hold your finger on the chat you want to delete
- This will bring up a menu – tap “Delete”
- Confirm that you want to delete the chat
And that’s it! The chat will now be removed for both you and the recipient. Keep in mind you can only delete an entire conversation – Snapchat does not allow you to selectively delete individual messages in a chat.
Does deleting a chat delete the snaps/messages in the chat?
Yes, deleting a Snapchat chat also deletes all the snaps and messages that were sent within that conversation. So not only will the chat thread disappear, but all the individual snaps and texts exchanged will be deleted as well.
This removes any trace of the conversation and ensures it can’t be accessed again by either party. The only exception is if either person took a screenshot of a snap before the chat was deleted.
What happens when you delete a chat?
Here’s a quick rundown of what happens when you delete a chat on Snapchat:
- The chat disappears from the Chat screen for you and the other user.
- All messages (snaps and chats) within that conversation are deleted.
- The conversation is removed from both yours and the recipient’s Chat history.
- Neither you nor the other person will be able to access or view the chat again.
- If either person took a screenshot of a snap, the screenshot will remain available.
Essentially, deleting a chat erases the conversation entirely for both parties as if it never happened (unless a screenshot was taken).
Can you recover a deleted chat?
Unfortunately, no – there is no way to recover a deleted Snapchat conversation. The platform is designed so that chats disappear permanently once they are deleted.
Unless you have a screenshot of the chat, the messages, images, videos, and conversation will be gone for good. This applies to both individual users and Snapchat itself – no one is able to retrieve deleted chats.
How long do deleted chats stay in Snapchat’s servers?
Snapchat deletes chats from their servers very quickly after a user deletes the conversation. According to Snapchat, any data from deleted chats is removed from their servers within 24 hours.
In some cases, the media content from chats (like photos) may be deleted even more quickly, within just a few seconds to minutes of deleting the conversation. So you can rest assured that once you delete a chat, Snapchat works to purge it from their systems nearly immediately.
Can Snapchat employees see your deleted chats?
No, Snapchat employees are unable to access or view your deleted conversations and messages. According to Snapchat’s privacy policy:
“Snaps, messages and other content you delete are deleted from Snapchat’s servers and systems. The same is true for your contacts who delete content they send to you.”
So you can be confident that deleted chats are permanently erased from Snapchat’s view as well.
Tips for deleting Snapchat chats
Here are some tips to keep in mind when deleting Snapchat conversations:
- You can only delete an entire chat – you cannot selectively delete certain messages within a chat.
- There is no undo button once you delete a chat, so delete carefully!
- Deleting a group chat will delete it for all participants.
- Don’t rely on deleting chats for complete privacy – the other person may have already screenshotted your snaps.
- For best results, delete a chat right after viewing any sensitive messages or images.
- You can delete chats on both the Snapchat mobile app and the desktop app.
Snapchat chat deletion vs other platforms
Snapchat’s system of deleting chats for both parties sets it apart from some other messaging apps. Here’s a comparison of how it works on some other popular platforms:
Platform | Does deleting a chat delete it for both people? |
---|---|
No – only deletes for the person who deletes the chat. | |
Facebook Messenger | No – only deletes for the person who deletes the chat. |
iMessage | No – only deletes for the person who deletes the chat. |
Snapchat | Yes – deletes for both the person who deletes and the recipient. |
So Snapchat takes a unique approach by removing the chat for both parties, as opposed to just the person who deletes the conversation.
Conclusion
Deleting chats on Snapchat is a straightforward process that permanently erases the conversation for both you and the recipient. All messages, images, videos and content shared within the chat will be deleted as well.
Once a chat is deleted, there is no way to recover it. The conversation is removed entirely from the app and Snapchat’s servers. This differs from platforms like WhatsApp and iMessage that only delete chats for the user who deletes them.
Overall, deleting chats can help maintain your privacy and free up storage space. But keep in mind the other person may have already taken screenshots outside of Snapchat. So for maximum privacy, always delete chats immediately after viewing any sensitive content.