Having Snapchat add friends without your permission can be annoying and concerning. There are a few potential reasons why Snapchat may be adding friends on its own.
You May Have Enabled Quick Add
One possibility is that you have Quick Add enabled in your Snapchat settings. Quick Add allows Snapchat to automatically add friends based on your contacts and interactions. Here’s how it works:
- When Quick Add is on, Snapchat can pull contacts from your phone’s address book and add them as friends without asking you first.
- If you interact with someone on Snapchat, such as viewing their Story or chatting with them, Snapchat may add them as a friend using Quick Add.
- Snapchat may also use your location data from Snap Map to suggest nearby Snapchat users for Quick Adding.
To check if you have Quick Add enabled:
- Open your Snapchat app and tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
- Go to the Settings screen by tapping the gear icon.
- Scroll down and check if “Quick Add” is turned on. If so, tap on it to disable it.
Turning off Quick Add should prevent Snapchat from auto-adding friends without your permission going forward.
Your Friends May Be Adding You
Another possibility is that your existing Snapchat friends are adding you to their own Quick Add lists. Here’s how this could happen:
- Your friend has Quick Add enabled in their Snapchat settings.
- They add your phone number or username to their Snapchat contacts.
- Snapchat pulls the contact from their list and adds you as a friend.
In this case, you’re seeing new friends added from other people’s Quick Add lists. Ask your existing Snapchat friends if they recently added your contact or re-added Snapchat.
Snapchat Suggested Them
Snapchat may also automatically recommend friends for you to add based on your connections and activity. Here are some examples of how this can happen:
- Snapchat suggests users who are contacts in your phone’s address book.
- Snapchat recommends friends of friends who they think you may know.
- Snapchat shows friend suggestions based on your geographic location and places you visit.
- Snapchat makes suggestions based on user profiles you’ve viewed or engaged with.
These friend suggestions may appear on your Snapchat Add Friends screen. Accidentally tapping “Add” on one of these recommendations could add them as a friend without you realizing it.
Your Account Was Compromised
In some rare cases, Snapchat accounts can be hacked or compromised. A hacked account may add friends without your knowledge as part of malicious activity. Here are some signs your account may be compromised:
- New friends added that you definitely did not approve.
- Suspicious chat messages sent from your account.
- Forgotten password, logged out unexpectedly, or login issues.
- Unusual changes made to your profile or settings.
If you suspect foul play, change your password immediately and check your Snapchat settings. Enable two-factor authentication for extra security going forward.
How to Prevent Snapchat from Auto-Adding Friends
If Snapchat is adding friends without permission, here are some tips to prevent it from happening again:
- Disable Quick Add in your Snapchat settings to stop pulling contacts from your address book.
- Ask friends not to add your contact info to their Quick Add lists.
- Be more selective when tapping “Add” for any suggested friends.
- Enable two-factor authentication for account security.
- Change your password periodically to protect against account hacks.
- Log out of Snapchat when lending your phone to others.
Following these tips should significantly reduce the chances of Snapchat auto-adding friends going forward.
How to Remove Friends Added by Snapchat
If Snapchat has already added some friends you want to remove, here is how to delete friends on Snapchat:
- Open your friends list in Snapchat and tap the ⋮ icon next to a friend’s name.
- Select “Remove Friend” to delete them from your friends list.
- Tap “Remove” again on the confirmation popup.
- Repeat this process for any other friends you want to remove.
This will unfriend and remove them from your Snapchat account. However, they may still see your public content or re-add you as a friend later unless you block them.
How to Block a User on Snapchat
Blocking a user on Snapchat prevents them from viewing your Stories or contacting you again. Here’s how to block someone:
- Tap and hold on their name in your Snapchat friends list.
- Select “More” from the popup menu.
- Tap “Block” to confirm you want to block them.
Blocking a friend will also remove them. They won’t be notified that you blocked them, but they will no longer be able to find your profile or communicate with you on Snapchat.
Conclusion
Snapchat adding friends without permission can be scary but is usually fixable. Enable two-factor authentication, disable Quick Add, and be selective about approving friend requests. Prune your friends list by removing or blocking any unwanted additions. With a few precautionary steps, you can prevent Snapchat from auto-adding friends in the future.