Maybe you are a fan of the connections that Snapchat builds between you, your friends, and your family. Maybe you’re growing weary of the amount of personal data social media companies are harvesting. You might also be considering reducing or deleting your online presence.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- How to Permanently Delete Your Snapchat Account
- How to Delete a Snapchat Account for Someone Who Died
- Snapchat Account Deletion: Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’ve decided to move on, your account is inactive, or you’re looking to close the account of a loved one who has died, it is possible to delete your Snapchat account. Follow the steps below to learn how.
How to Permanently Delete Your Snapchat Account
It isn’t difficult to delete your Snapchat account. Snapchat makes it so easy that they give you a 30-day waiting period between requesting a deletion and executing it.
During the 30 days, you’ll be able to log on and reactivate your account, just in case you change your mind. If you are set on deletion, here are the steps to get there.
Sign in at the accounts portal
To delete an account, you can use this request form. To do so, you’ll need to log in with your username and password.
You can also log in with the email address associated with your Snapchat account and your password.
Submit information for deletion
Once you are logged in, you’ll see an account deletion disclaimer. This disclaimer references the possibility that you are downloading data from your account which hasn’t been completed.
If you haven't received that data yet, you won’t be able to receive it if you submit your deletion request now.
If that disclaimer doesn't apply to you, you can move forward. Input your username and password and click “Continue.” From here you can proceed and confirm your account’s deletion.
Wait 30 days without opening the account
For 30 days after you make this request, your account is deactivated. Your friends won’t see your name or be able to send anything to you on Snapchat.
During this time, however, if you log in with your username and password, you will reactivate your account. Doing this will cancel the deletion request. If you can resist the urge to log in for 30 days, Snapchat will remove your account.
If you don't, you'll have to re-initiate the deletion and wait 30 more days before your account is deleted.
How to Delete a Snapchat Account for Someone Who Died
Snapchat is quite up-front that they cannot give one user access to another user’s account, no matter the circumstances. If you're deleting someone's Snapchat as part of a post-loss checklist, this could pose a challenge.
However, they offer a clear, easy-to-use form for deleting a loved one’s Snapchat account after they die. This means that even if you cannot see your loved one's final snaps, you can declutter their digital legacy and remove the account entirely. Here’s what to do.
Visit Snapchat Support’s contact form
Snapchat Support offers a simple, useful form that allows you to report accounts for a variety of issues.
One of the options they offer in their list is “this user passed away.” Select that button, and the contact form becomes a request for the account to be deleted.
Fill out the form and attach a copy of the death certificate
The form asks questions about the user’s age and username. It also asks for a copy of the death certificate to be uploaded as verification.
By submitting the form, you can quickly resolve the issue of your deceased loved one’s Snapchat account. You should receive a response from Snapchat Support confirming the deletion.
If you don't, you can use another account and type in the username you expect to be removed. If it is no longer searchable, you can assume it has been effectively deleted.
Snapchat Account Deletion: Frequently Asked Questions
Your Snapchat account may not be hard to delete, but what about the smaller components within Snapchat?
Here are some questions about deleting and deactivating in other contexts that might help you make your choice about deleting your account.
Can you deactivate Snapchat without deleting it?
The first 30 days of the deletion process are a temporary deactivation, but if you forget and don’t log back in during that time, your account is gone forever.
There isn’t a temporary deactivation option. For something similar, consider uninstalling the application. This might help you resist the urge to use Snapchat if your issue is overuse.
How do you delete Snapchat messages or conversations?
You can delete messages by selecting and holding them until the options menu comes up. From here you can select “Delete.”
You can also go to the Friends page and select and hold a single person’s name, which will give you a menu that says “Clear Conversation History.”
This won’t delete anything on the other person’s end, but it does clean up the interface for you.
How do you delete a Snapchat story?
If you select the menu option next to “My Story,” you’ll see all the snaps in your story.
Select the one you want to delete, and when it opens, there will be a trash icon at the bottom. Select that icon and confirm your wish to delete the snap.
How do you delete friends on Snapchat?
If you don’t want to be connected to someone on Snapchat anymore, you can tap and hold their name on the Friends screen. Select “More,” and the menu you see will include the option “Remove Friend.”
It also includes “Block,” if you want to bar them from sending you snaps or chats.
Saying Goodbye to Snapchat
Snapchat can be a fun way to quickly make another friend laugh, but given the occasional concerns for the data collected by Snapchat and other social media platforms, some people prefer not to risk i
Many people see deleting their online presence as part of leaving a clear digital legacy without their past accounts burdening those they love.
Sources
- “Delete My Account.” Snapchat Support. Snapchat. support.snapchat.com/en-US/a/delete-my-account1
- “Remove & Block Friends.” Snapchat Support. Snapchat. support.snapchat.com/en-US/a/remove-block-friends
- “Contact Us Form.” Snapchat Support. Snapchat. support.snapchat.com/en-US/i-need-help?start=5640758388326400
- “Clear a Conversation.” Snapchat Support. Snapchat. support.snapchat.com/en-US/a/clear-feed