It’s not uncommon for Snapchat users to notice that some of their friends seem to randomly disappear from their friend list and then reappear again later. There are a few potential reasons why this can happen:
They deleted you as a friend
One possibility is that your friend removed you as a friend on Snapchat and then added you back again later. They may have done this accidentally or intentionally for whatever reason. Some reasons your friend may have deleted you include:
- They wanted a Snapchat break from someone for a little while
- They were clearing out people they didn’t snap with often
- They were upset with you about something and deleted you in the moment
- They were trying to manage their friend list and deleted some people by mistake
If the deletion was accidental, they likely added you back once they realized you were missing from their list. If it was on purpose, they may have had a change of heart after some time passed and decided to add you back.
They were temporarily banned
Another possibility is that your friend was temporarily banned from using Snapchat, which would cause them to disappear from your friend list. Snapchat bans can happen if a user violates Snapchat’s terms of service in some way, like by sending inappropriate snaps or using third-party apps.
- Bans can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days or longer.
- Once the ban is lifted, the user would show up in your friends list again.
So if your friend suddenly vanishes for a short time, a temporary ban could be the reason.
They reinstalled the app
If your friend reinstalled Snapchat on their device, they would disappear from your friend list temporarily.
- When Snapchat is reinstalled, it has to reload the user’s friends list.
- It can take a little time for all of their friends to repopulate in the list.
- Once the list is fully reloaded, the friends will all reappear.
Reinstalling the app can cause your entire friend list to momentarily vanish and then gradually return over minutes or hours.
Their account was temporarily deactivated
Snapchat sometimes deactivates accounts that show suspicious activity, like accounts that may have been hacked. If this happens to your friend, their account will be temporarily unavailable and removed from your friend list.
- Once Snapchat completes an investigation of the account, it may be reactivated.
- If reactivated, the account would show up in your friends list again.
- Deactivation can last from a few hours to a few days depending on the circumstances.
You were temporarily blocked
There is also a chance that your friend temporarily blocked you from viewing their Snapchat stories. Being blocked would make them disappear from your friend list for the duration of the block.
- If your friend blocked you, it was likely because they didn’t want you seeing certain snaps.
- The block could last for an hour, a day, a week, or longer.
- Whenever they unblock you, you would show up as friends again.
Think about if you had any interactions recently that may have prompted them to block you for a short period of time.
Their phone broke or was replaced
If your friend got a new phone or their phone was damaged, it could cause them to disappear from Snapchat friends lists temporarily.
- When installing Snapchat on a new device, it takes time for the friend list to fully sync over.
- Damaging a device can cause friends to disappear until Snapchat is reinstalled.
- Once your friend is logged back into Snapchat on their new or repaired device, you will reappear as friends.
Server or app issues
Glitches in the Snapchat app or server problems can also sometimes lead to friends briefly disappearing and reappearing.
- Issues on Snapchat’s end can cause friend lists to show incorrectly.
- App updates may also create temporary bugs affecting friend lists.
- These problems are usually resolved within a few hours.
If many people are reporting friends disappearing, it may point to a larger technical issue.
When Friends Reappear
When your missing friends resurface, their Bitmoji will show up in your Snapchat friend list again as if no disruption had occurred. Depending on the original reason for their disappearance, some things that may happen when they reappear include:
- Their Snapchat score will return to the same number.
- Their chat history with you will still be intact.
- Their profile and Snapchat settings will remain unchanged.
- Any blocked friends will become unblocked.
- You’ll be able to view their public stories again.
Basically, it will be as if they never left your friend list in the first place. You can pick up right where you left off with sending snaps, chatting, video calling, etc.
Noticing When Friends Reappear
Since your disappearing friends don’t always provide an explanation, here are some signs that can help you deduce why a friend may have returned:
- If they reappear minutes after deleting you, it was likely an accidental removal.
- A return after hours or days may signal a temporary ban was lifted.
- Reappearance days or weeks later could mean they deactivated their account for a break.
- A quick return may point to them reinstalling Snapchat or getting a new phone.
- Coming back after weeks/months could indicate they intentionally deleted you for a long break.
Paying attention to these contextual clues can help shed light on the reason for your friend’s disappearance when they won’t share details.
Preventing Friends from Disappearing
While some reasons for friends temporarily disappearing are unavoidable, there are a few things you can do to help prevent it:
- Maintain positive relationships with your Snapchat friends to avoid blocks or deletions.
- Avoid actions that could get your account temporarily banned.
- Remind friends to check their block list if you disappear, in case they forgot they blocked you.
- Ask friends to confirm before deleting or reinstalling Snapchat to prevent accidental removals.
Staying on mutually good terms with your real life friends on Snapchat is key to keeping your friend list intact. But if someone does end up disappearing, at least now you know some possible reasons why.
What to Do If a Friend Keeps Disappearing
Having a friend continuously disappear and reappear can be confusing and frustrating. Here are some tips if it becomes a recurring issue:
- Ask them directly why it keeps happening – open communication is best if you’re comfortable doing so.
- Check if it only happens with one particular friend – it may be an issue localized to your friendship.
- Pay attention to patterns like it happening at certain times or on certain days.
- Document details like dates, durations, and any notable contextual events.
- Check whether you can see their public stories during disappearances to gauge if you were blocked.
- Consider muting notifications for them if the constant exiting and entering is disruptive.
Having details will help you figure out next steps. If it appears to be intentional ghosting behavior, you may have to reconsider the friendship. But if it seems like a technical glitch, reporting details to Snapchat may help resolve it.
Conclusion
Friends popping in and out of your Snapchat list without explanation can be puzzling. But in most cases it’s due to simple reasons like temporary bans, blocks, app issues or accidental deletions. Pay attention to patterns in their disappearances, check if you can still view their public content, and communicate to get to the bottom of recurring issues. With some detective work, you’ll likely be able to deduce why your phantom friend keeps materializing and vanishing.
Key Takeaways
- Friends can temporarily disappear from your Snapchat list if they delete you, get banned, reinstall the app, deactivate their account or block you.
- Server problems and glitches can also cause friends to vanish and reappear.
- Look for patterns and contextual clues to figure out the reason when friends resurface.
- Maintain good relationships, avoid bans, and communicate to minimize disappearances.
- If a friend keeps vanishing, document details and patterns to understand why.