How to Delete a Snapchat Account

You must first deactivate your Snapchat account via Delete My Account, then wait 30 days for it to be permanently deleted

By
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Freelance Contributor
  • University of Ontario
  • George Brown College
Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on April 1, 2024
Snapchat

What to Know

  • Log in to Snapchat and select Delete My Account.
  • To permanently delete your account, you must wait 30 days after you deactivated it.
  • To reactivate, sign in to your account using your username and password within 30 days of deactivating it.

This article explains how to deactivate, reactivate, and permanently delete a Snapchat account.

How to Deactivate Snapchat From Your Phone

It wasn't always possible to delete your Snapchat account from the app, but now you can. Here's how.

  1. In the app, select your user icon in the upper-left corner.

  2. Chose the Settings gear.

  3. Scroll down to the bottom of the Settings screen and select Delete Account. It's under the Account Actions heading.

    The user icon, Settings gear, and "Delete Account" command in the Snapchat app

  4. Log in on the next screen.

    If you have two-factor authorization set up, you'll need to enter the code during this process.

  5. Enter your username and password, and then select Continue to confirm.

  6. Your account is now deactivated. You'll receive some information about what happens next: If you do nothing in the next 30 days, Snapchat will delete your account.

    The second half of deactivating Snapchat: logging in, confirming, and the exit screen

How to Deactivate Your Snapchat Account from a Web Browser

It's also possible to delete a Snap account from a web browser.

  1. Navigate to Snapchat in a web browser and sign in.

    If you have login verification enabled, a code will be texted to your mobile device that you will need to enter it into the given field in order to sign in.

  2. Under Manage My Account, select Delete My Account.

    delete account

  3. Enter your login details in the fields on the following page and select Continue.

    A screenshot of Snapchat.com.

    Once you deactivate your account, your friends will be unable to interact with you at all through your account. Be sure you want to do this in case you want to keep up any streaks, scores, or other conversations you have going.

  4. On the next page, you'll receive a message stating your account is in the process of being deactivated.

    A screenshot of Snapchat.com.

    If you open the mobile app, you should notice that your deactivation prompt will have caused you to be automatically signed out.

  5. To permanently delete your Snapchat account, you must wait 30 days after you deactivated your account. Your account will then be automatically deleted.

How to Reactivate Your Snapchat Account

If you change your mind about deleting your Snapchat account, you can always reactivate it, provided you do it within 30-days of deactivating it. To reactivate it, all you have to do is sign in to your Snapchat account using your username (not your email address) and your password on the app or web version.

If you recently deactivated your account and are trying to reactivate it, you might need to wait a little while until the deactivation process is complete, which could take up to 24 hours (according to Snapchat).

If you verified your email address on your account, you should receive an email notifying you when your account has been successfully deactivated. Once you receive this, you can go ahead and sign in to your account to reactivate it.

Why Deactivate or Delete a Snapchat Account?

You might want to deactivate, then delete your Snapchat account if:

  • You no longer snap or chat with friends, open snaps or chats from friends, post stories, or view friends' stories.
  • You want to change your Snapchat username.
  • You have too many friends and want to start over with a fresh account, rather than going through them all and deleting them.
  • You want to quit using Snapchat due to loss of interest, unpleasant experiences, a long-term digital detox, a change in priorities, etc.

If you're worried about sharing too much information on Snapchat, you can change several of your privacy settings to make the way you connect and the information you share more private. This way, you don't have to delete your account and start a new one.

FAQ
  • How do I delete Snapchat messages?

    To delete Snapchat messages, go to your profile and tap Settings. Scroll down to the Account Actions section and tap Clear Conversation. Tap X next to the conversations you wish to delete.

  • How do I look up a Snapchat account?

    To find people on Snapchat from your contacts, tap your Profile > Add Friends > Invite your friends. Alternatively, tap the magnifying glass at the top of the screen to search, or scan someone's Snapcode and tap Add Friend.

  • How do I make a second Snapchat account?

    To add a second Snapchat account in the app, go to your Profile > Settings > Log Out > Sign Up. You can only have one Snapchat account per email address, but you can use the same phone number to set up the new account.

  • How do I contact Snapchat customer service?

    To contact Snapchat support, tap your Profile > Settings > Support > I Need Help > Contact Us. Choose a category and fill out the appropriate form.

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