How to permanently deactivate your Snapchat account: A step by step guide

Snapchat is one of the pioneers of modern-day communication. It created a digital platform that allowed people to give the world real-time updates on where they were and what they were doing. It also allowed people to connect, come together, and share their lives. However, it did that with a very unique twist to the traditional sphere of social media platforms.

While updates on most social media platforms were permanent in nature, Snapchat pushed the idea of sharing updates that were temporary in nature. The platform spearheaded the idea of ephemeral messaging that has now come to dominate the social media platform from its rivals.

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Snapchat gave the world a platform where messages, pictures, and videos disappeared forever. Some disappeared within seconds while others disappeared after the recipient looked at them. Snapchat, which has more than 300 million users worldwide, has struck the right chord with youngsters in particular, but too much social media is akin to digital harm.

If you are taking stock of your digital life and realise that you are spending way too much time on Snapchat then there is only one way to reduce it – deleting or deactivating your Snapchat account. Even Snap, the company behind Snapchat understands your need to deactivate it and makes it easier to disappear from the platform like messages do.

How to deactivate Snapchat account permanently

Before we get to deactivating your Snapchat account permanently, you must know that Snapchat does not offer the option to delete your account using the Android app. So, if you are an Android user, you can delete your Snapchat account through a browser. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Visit the Snapchat Accounts page from any web browser.

Step 2: Enter your username or Email and click on Next.

Step 3: Enter your password and hit Next. 

Step 4: Click on Delete my account.

Step 5: Enter your username and password once again.

Step 6: Select the Continue option at the bottom.

How to delete your Snapchat account using iOS app

One way Snapchat works differently on iPhone versus Android is the ability to delete your account. Here’s how to delete your Snapchat account in the iOS app.

Step 1: Open the Snapchat app.

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Step 2: Click on your profile icon in the top-left corner.

Step 3: Tap on the gear icon.

Step 4: Scroll down to Accounts Actions.

Step 5: Click on Delete Account.

Step 6: You will now be redirected to the Accounts page.

Step 7: Follow the instructions above to complete the process of deleting your Snapchat account.

Even though Snapchat has a native option to delete your account in the iOS app, it redirects users to the web option. So, we recommend deleting the account through the browser itself since it is straightforward and works reliably.

Delete Snapchat account permanently: Here's how

When you delete or deactivate your Snapchat account through the web browser or iOS app, your account is not permanently deleted. The messaging platform keeps all your data for 30 days just in case you want to return to the platform and want to use your account once again.

If you feel within 30 days of deleting your account that it was a mistake and you don’t want to leave Snapchat after all, then you can reactivate your account. If you don’t take any action related to your Snapchat account for 30 days after deleting your account then Snapchat will permanently delete your account.

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In other words, the process to delete your Snapchat account is deleting your account first through the browser or iOS app and then waiting 30 days. Even after your account is permanently deleted, Snapchat retains some important information for “legal, security, and business needs” and this may include your purchase history on the social platform.

How to reactivate your Snapchat account

Once you delete your Snapchat account, the social platform offers 30 days to reactivate your account. Here’s how to restore your account on Snapchat:

Step 1: Open the Snapchat app and log in using your credentials within 30 days of deleting your account. Remember, once you delete your account, Snapchat won’t let you log in using your email and you will need to use your username instead.

Step 2: You will be asked whether you want to reactivate your Snapchat account.

Step 3: Click Yes and Snapchat will ask you to wait a bit to restore your account.

Step 4: Click Ok and wait a few minutes.

Step 5: Now, login and you would have successfully restored your account.

With the above steps, you can delete your Snapchat account and free yourself from the world of disappearing updates. You can either permanently free yourself from Snapchat or rejoin within 30 days with the same credentials if you feel leaving the platform is too difficult in this digital world.