Having your Snapchat account suddenly get permanently locked can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you feel like it was for no reason at all. Unfortunately, Snapchat does sometimes ban accounts erroneously or without warning. There are a few potential reasons Snapchat may have permanently locked your account and steps you can try to get it back.
Common reasons Snapchat accounts get permanently locked
Here are some of the most common reasons Snapchat gives for permanently locking accounts:
- Violating Snapchat’s Terms of Service or Community Guidelines – Things like sending abusive messages, spamming, or posting illegal or dangerous content.
- Suspicious activity – If Snapchat detects suspicious logins, password resets, etc. they may lock the account for security purposes.
- Third-party apps – Using third-party apps like segmentation tools or auto-swipers can get accounts banned.
- Spam or bot accounts – Accounts that are deemed fake or only used for spam can get permanently suspended.
- Underage users – Snapchat requires users to be at least 13 years old. If they suspect the account belongs to someone under 13, they will ban it.
If you didn’t do any of these things, there’s a chance your account was banned incorrectly. Let’s look at some steps you can take to appeal the ban and hopefully get your account back.
Appealing a permanent Snapchat ban
If you believe your Snapchat was banned unfairly, you can appeal the ban through these steps:
- File an account deletion request – This is counterintuitive, but it’s the only way to “reset” your account status and appeal the ban. Go to Snapchat’s account deletion page and request to have your account deleted.
- Wait 30 days – After filing deletion request, you’ll have to wait 30 days before Snapchat completely deletes all your data. This essentially puts your account in purgatory.
- Try logging back in – After 30 days have passed, try logging back into your old Snapchat account. There’s a chance the ban will have been lifted and you’ll be able to access your account again.
- Contact Snapchat support – If you still can’t access your account, you’ll need to reach out to Snapchat’s support team. Explain that you filed an account deletion request and waited 30 days, but are still banned.
Filing the account deletion request basically forces Snapchat to take another look at your supposedly “permanently” banned account. In many cases, this is enough to get your account unbanned after 30 days. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to plead your case directly to Snapchat support.
How to contact Snapchat support
To reach out to Snapchat’s support team about an unfair ban, you have a few options:
- Submit a ban appeal form – Snapchat has an online appeal form you can use to dispute bans.
- Direct message @snapchatsupport on Twitter – The @snapchatsupport account is monitored by Snapchat staff who may be able to assist.
- Email [email protected] – You can email Snapchat’s general customer service email, though it may take longer to get a response.
In your message to Snapchat, explain everything you can about why you believe the permanent ban was a mistake:
- How long you’ve used Snapchat without issues
- That you have no idea what Terms of Service violation they detected
- That you only use Snapchat on a personal level and don’t violate bans
- Ask if they can review your account more thoroughly
Hopefully if you seem genuine and supply your username, Snapchat support can investigate and find that your ban was in error. However, there is no guarantee they will lift your ban, since Snapchat rarely overturns permanent account locks.
Can you make a new Snapchat if permanently banned?
If your appeals do not work, is it possible to simply make a brand new Snapchat account?
Unfortunately, no. Snapchat’s bans are linked to devices and IP addresses, not just your username. So if you try to make a new account from the same mobile device or WiFi network, it will quickly get banned again.
To create a new Snapchat account after a permanent ban, you would need:
- A brand new mobile device or factory reset your current one
- A different WiFi network or mobile data
- A new phone number to verify your account
- A different email address to register
Essentially, Snapchat’s bans make it extremely difficult to ever use their platform again if they decide to ban you. You have to fully detach from any previous identifiable information. Having to get a new phone just for Snapchat is impractical for most people.
Can you recover permanently deleted Snapchat account?
Similarly, if your account was permanently deleted and removed from Snapchat’s servers, there is unfortunately no way to recover or restore it. Some key points on permanently deleted Snapchat accounts:
- Usernames are permanently released and can be taken by a new account
- Chat logs, Snaps, Memories, and other data are deleted forever
- There is no “undo” or retrieving deleted accounts
- You cannot merge a new account with the old deleted one
Once a Snapchat account is permanently deleted either by the user or by Snapchat itself, there are no second chances. The only option is to make an entirely new account using a new device and phone number, and start your Snapchat presence over from scratch.
Steps to avoid getting locked out of Snapchat
To avoid winding up in this situation yourself, be mindful of Snapchat’s rules and ban criteria:
- Don’t use third-party apps related to Snapchat
- Avoid sending spam, illegal, or abusive messages
- Don’t make fake or bot accounts
- Be careful resetting your password to avoid suspicious activity flags
You should also be cautious about what content you view on Snapchat, as banned accounts or materials can sometimes lead to bans by association. While Snapchat’s criteria for bans isn’t totally transparent, following their policies closely is the best way to avoid problems.
Conclusion
Having your Snapchat permanently banned without warning can be infuriating, especially if you relied on it to keep in touch with friends. Unfortunately, Snapchat usually provides little recourse once they determine an account should be banned.
The only real options are appealing to Snapchat support or attempting to create an entirely new account separate from any previous information linked to you. Even then, Snapchat may still detect you are associated with a banned account. It demonstrates the immense power and potential errors of automated moderation systems.
The best advice is to be vigilant about following Snapchat’s rules and community guidelines. While it is unlikely to prevent all banning errors, it can reduce the risk of your account being disabled unexpectedly. Being aware of their ban criteria can also help diagnose what may have triggered an erroneous ban.
Having your Snapchat permanently banned with no explanation can make anyone feel powerless and frustrated. But by thoroughly understanding Snapchat’s rules and ban processes, you can hopefully avoid winding up in that situation yourself.