Snapchat is great for sharing ephemeral photos and videos with your friends, family, and the world. Many people tend to prefer Snapchat over Facebook and Instagram because of its casual nature and the excellent AR filters it offers. However, if you have been sucked down the Snapchat rabbit hole and are looking to delete or deactivate your Snapchat account, follow this guide.
Deleting your Snapchat account is a two-step process. The account is first deactivated and then removed from the server after a few days. This gives the user time to reactivate their account if they change their mind or if the deletion wasn’t the intention. However, once the account is permanently deleted, there’s no way for you to reactivate your account. Before you delete your Snapchat account though, make sure to download all your data from the platform.
How to Download Snapchat Data before Deleting Your Account
It is always recommended to download your data before deleting your Snapchat account. The data will include the following:
- Login History
- Account Information
- Profile data
- Snap History
- Location
- Overview of your friends
- Search History
Follow the below-mentioned steps to download the data:
Step 1: Enter your login details after visiting the Snapchat’s Account website.
Step 2: Click My Data and then select Submit Request.
Step 3: You will receive a link in your mail when your data is ready to be downloaded. Follow the said link.
Point to remember: You will not be able to download your Snapchat data immediately after making the request. Snapchat says it can take up to 30 days depending on the amount of data associated with your account. If you do not care about your Snapchat data and do not wish to wait though, you can go ahead and proceed to delete your account.
How to Delete or Deactivate Your Snapchat Account
There are two ways to do this. You can delete or deactivate from the app or the web. If you have already uninstalled the app from the phone, follow the web method.
- How to delete Snapchat Account from the Web
- How to delete Snapchat Account from the App
- How to reactivate Snapchat Account
How to Delete Snapchat Account from the Web
Step 1: Go to Snapchat’s portal page.
Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select Support under the header Community.
Step 3: Select My Account & Security and then click Account Information.
Step 4: Click on Delete My Account, after which you will be asked to enter your Username and Password.
Step 5: Finally, you will be asked to re-enter your username and password, after which you need to click Continue.
Snapchat will now delete your account.
How to Delete Snapchat Account from the App
Step 1: Tap on the user profile icon on the top left of the Snapchat app and click on the Settings icon on the top-right of the profile page.
Step 2: Scroll down to the Support section and tap on “I Need Help.” Tap on the search bar and type “Delete my account.” The will open a support document detailing the process. You need to click on the Snapchat portal link there.
Step 3: Verify with your username and password and then tap on the continue button. A warning will pop-up that the process will delete your account. Confirm, and then the account will be removed from Snapchat servers after 30 days.
How to Reactivate Your Snapchat Account
If you change your mind, then you can reactivate the Snapchat account within 30 days of the request for deletion.
You can log in with the same username and password, but there will be no way to reset the password if you have forgotten. It can sometimes take 24 hours before a deactivated account can be reactivated.
