Snapchat has grown to become, till date, one of the most-used social media platforms due to its disappearing messaging, quirky filters, and interactive nature. There comes a time, though, when you feel it’s time for a break or a permanent step away from the app. It could be due to privacy issues, wanting to cut down on using social media, or maybe finding the platform no longer useful. Whatever the case may be, knowing how to deactivate or delete your Snapchat account becomes paramount.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process for both deactivating and permanently deleting your Snapchat account. Know first that when it relates to Snapchat accounts, you have two different ways of taking a break: one permanent, one temporary. Deactivation is temporary-it means you can go back-while deleting an account is permanent. It’s well worth considering what each will entail in terms of your data, friends, and memories on the platform. To that effect, let me walk you through the process so you may understand each step fully to make an informed decision and thereafter comfortably manage your account.
Understanding the Difference Between Deactivation and Deletion
Before doing anything to deactivate or delete your Snapchat account, understand what these two options fundamentally differ with.
Deactivation is a temporary act that will let you have a break from Snapchat without losing your account or data permanently. By deactivating an account, the profile of the user gets hidden, and friends will not be able to contact or view snaps. Yet, the important thing to bear in mind is that deactivation is reversible. If you change your mind, you can log back into your account within 30 days to reactivate it, and everything will return as it was, including your friends list, saved memories, and chat history.
On the other hand, deletion means permanent deletion. After you commence the deletion process, first, your account is merely put out of commission for 30 days. If you do not sign in again within that time frame, after 30 days your account will be permanently deleted with all your friends lists, snaps, messages, and all data included. If your account is permanently deleted, then there is no retrieval or recovery of it and anything which was connected to it. It is the last step; hence, one should be very sure before taking it.
Knowing the difference allows you to make the right call, whether you want to take a temporary break from Snapchat or to leave for good.
How to Deactivate Your Snapchat Account
Of course, if you want to take a break from Snapchat but don’t want to totally lose your account, then deactivation is the best option. Of course, deactivation can be made temporary; this way, one could easily take a break while their data remains intact. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you deactivate your Snapchat account.
Step 1: Log in to Snapchat via a Web Browser
Snapchat doesn’t have the facility to deactivate your account from within its mobile app. You can begin the process of deactivation only if you log into Snapchat via a browser. First, log on to the official Snapchat Account Portal at accounts.snapchat.com.
Step 2: Redirect to Account Deactivation Page
Once you’ve logged in, there are a number of account management options. Find the “Delete My Account” option; though it says delete, this is how you begin the deactivation process, as Snapchat first deactivates your account before deleting it entirely.
Step 3: Enter your username and password.
You will be prompted to identify yourself with the Snapchat username and password. This is to prove that the owner of the account indeed deactivates it.
Step 4: Follow the Prompts to Deactivate
This, after it asks for confirmation of your log-in credentials, is to tell you that your account would be deactivated. Friends will no longer see or be able to contact you, though your data and memories will be saved should you ever decide to return.
Once you have done this, the account is deactivated. You can still re-activate this within 30 days by logging in with your Snapchat credentials. If you do not log in after that period of time, the account then will be permanently deleted.
It is an effective process which allows you to take an interim break yet at the same time does not remove data in case of a future return to Snapchat.
How to Permanently Delete Your Snapchat Account
If you’ve determined you no longer want to use Snapchat, you can permanently delete your account. Snapchat does have a waiting period of 30 days before deleting your account once and for all. Here is how you can permanently delete your Snapchat account and what you could expect during the process.
Step 1: Understand the 30-Day Deactivation Period
Once you initiate the process for deleting your account, Snapchat enforces a 30-day deactivation of your account. During that time, your account would not appear for your friends, and you cannot send and receive messages or snaps. However, your data, memories, and other account details would be temporarily saved.
Within this time frame, if you happen to change your mind and wish to restore your account, simply log in, and this action will reactivate it. Once this timeframe has elapsed, deletion becomes permanent, and access to your account will no longer be possible.
Step 2: Starting the Account Deletion
To delete the Snapchat account, follow similar steps to deactivating one:
- Open any web browser and type accounts.snapchat.com.
- Log into Snapchat with your credentials.
- Go to the Delete My Account section.
- Enter your username and password to confirm.
The very moment you confirm, Snapchat will delete your account and initiate a 30-day countdown for permanent deletion.
Step 3: What Happens After 30 Days?
After confirmation, if you do not log in again within the next 30 days-inactive period, your account automatically gets deleted by Snapchat. That is:
- This will permanently remove your account from Snapchat servers.
- Your friends, snaps, messages, and memories saved will all be deleted.
- Anything you had resident on Snapchat will be gone, forever.
Keep in mind that once this 30-day grace period has passed, it is irretrievable-your account and the data associated with it.
Snapchat never notifies you that it’s deleted your account after those 30 days; rather, you are aware of this only when you try to log in afterwards, and a message pops out that it no longer exists. This is the confirmation that your account has been permanently deleted.
To permanently delete your Snapchat account, in case you no longer use it, follow the steps below: Be very sure that you want to do this, as this cannot be undone after 30 days.
How to Reactivate Your Snapchat Account
If you have deactivated your Snapchat account and later changed your mind before the 30-day deactivation period elapses, then you can easily re-activate it. Re-activating will restore all of your data, friends, messages, and saved memories as they were before you deactivated. Here’s how you re-activate your Snapchat account.
Step 1: Log in to Your Snapchat Account
First, you can reopen your Snapchat application on your mobile phone or log onto the website for Snapchat. Log in with your username and password as you normally would. Snapchat doesn’t allow you to log in using your email address for reactivation, so remember your username.
Step 2: Confirm You Want to Reactivate
Once you input your login information, Snapchat will display a message indicating that the account is currently deactivated. It will then ask you to confirm whether to reactivate the account. Confirm it that you wish to proceed with the reactivation.
Step 3: Reactivate and Wait
Snapchat begins the reactivation of your account. For some, this takes several moments, while for others, it can take 24 hours to get your account fully back up. During this time, one might not be able to sign in, nor will all of the features be accessible, but rest assured-your account will be reinstated.
Step 4: Sign In and Continue with Snapchat
When the reactivation process is complete, you will log in and use Snapchat like you previously did. Friends, snaps, and memories will be restored to how they were prior to deactivation. You can pick up where you left off, and everything should be exactly as it was before deactivation.
Step 5: Troubleshooting Login Issues
If you are having any problem trying to reactivate, ensure that you have the right username and password. If you have forgotten your password, then you will need to reset it according to your prompts on the login page. It is possible that you might attempt to reactivate your account outside of the window of the 30-day deactivation. In that case, your account has already been permanently deleted, and it cannot be recovered.
By following the steps below, it is easy to reactivate your Snapchat account if one happens to return to the platform during the deactivation period. Just remember to do so within 30 days, or your account will be permanently deleted and reactivation no longer possible.
Common Questions and Troubleshooting
In deactivate or delete Snapchat account, there is a possibility you may face some common concerns or challenges. Now, in this section, we are showing you some of the frequently asked questions and their solutions in case you face any problem in the process.
How Long Does Deactivation Last?
Deactivation is temporary and can last as long as 30 days. In that time, literally, your account is “on hold,” and no one will be able to find you or contact you on Snapchat. If you do not log back into Snapchat within 30 days to reactivate your account, then Snapchat deletes your account completely. For users who are not quite sure whether to leave Snapchat permanently, this allows them some time to give it some thought.
What happens to my friends and messages after deactivation?
Once you deactivate your account, your friends will not be able to see your profile, snap you, or even message you. During the deactivation time, all your messages, snaps, and memories you save will be there, but once you reactivate it within 30 days, it goes back to what it was before deactivating. After 30 days, your account will get deleted permanently, along with your information and all other data.
Can I recover my data after deletion?
When this 30-day grace period has expired and your account is permanently deleted from Snapchat, you will no longer be able to reinstate your account or access any data that was attached to it. This includes all your friends, snaps, messages, and memories that you saved. Make sure to reactivate your account before the 30-day mark, or simply back up all your important photos and messages if you want them to remain safe.
What if I forgot my username/password?
If you forgot your username or password, then you may still be able to deactivate or delete your account. To date, Snapchat has offered to reset passwords using either email or SMS, so you will need to click on the “Forgot Password” option on the login screen and complete changing the password to regain access.
Can I create an account again using the same e-mail/phone number?
Yes, once your Snapchat account is deleted, you can actually make a new one, using the same email address or phone number, but it will never display data from your old account, and you’ll have to start fresh with a new friends list, settings, and snaps.
What Will I Do If There’s An Issue With Login During Reactivation?
If for some reason you cannot log in to reactivate it, first make sure you are within the 30-day deactivation window. Check that you are using the right username and password; if you’ve forgotten the password, reset it using the option “Forgot Password.” Continue reinstalling Snapchat or clearing your device’s cache if there is still a problem, for the assurance that the technical glitch is sorted.
And what happens to my Bitmoji and its connected apps?
It’s also worth noting that Your Bitmoji will remain tied to your Snapchat account, but it won’t be visible to friends during the time the account is deactivated. Once you reactivate your account, your Bitmoji will again appear. Similarly, any apps that you have linked to your Snapchat account- perhaps you use Snapchat as a way of logging into a number of different apps-will not function properly while an account is deactivated. If your account is permanently deleted, you may need to relink those apps through another account.
Conclusion: How to Deactivate or Delete Your Snapchat Account
In the end, deactivating or even deleting your Snapchat account is pretty easy, but you need to realize the aftermath of each choice. Deactivation allows you to take a little break from Snapchat by keeping all your data, friends, and memories intact and letting you easily return within 30 days by simply logging back into Snapchat to reactivate it. On the other hand, if you delete your account, all your information will be permanently deleted after a 30-day waiting period.
Whether you are deactivating your account for a temporary break or deleting your account to step away from social media permanently, knowing how to manage the Snapchat account empowers you to make an informed decision. Anyone who goes through the steps in the guide, and understands common questions and troubleshooting tips will confidently be able to deactivate or delete his or her account, depending on his needs.
Ultimately, yours will be to call whether you want to leave Snapchat, and for how long, depends on what is best for you considering your digital well-being and personal consideration.
