How to deactivate Snapchat

To deactivate your Snapchat account, just log in to the website, click the deactivation link, and enter your login details. This starts a 30-day countdown, after which your account will be deleted permanently.

If you’re interested in deactivating Snapchat but don’t want to lose your photos, chats, or memories, take a look below. I’ll explain how to download your data so you can delete Snapchat without leaving anything important behind.

How to deactivate your Snapchat account

Deactivating a Snapchat account is easy, but there is a mandatory 30-day waiting period before deletion. Follow these steps to deactivate Snapchat on any device:

1. First of all, make a note of your Snapchat password somewhere secure. Once deactivated, you won’t be able to reset your password. This means if you forget it, there’s no way to log in and reactivate your account.
2. If you’re using the Android or iOS app, open the settings menu and hit Delete Account. Alternatively, use a web browser to open Snapchat’s account deactivation page.
   
3. Enter your username and password, then click the CONTINUE or Next button.
4. Assuming there are no errors, your account should now be deactivated. If you log into Snapchat at any point in the next 30 days, it will be reactivated. Otherwise, the entire account will be permanently deleted.
   
5. At this point, you may see an error saying “Security Restriction: Please try again from this device after 72 hours”. This usually occurs when using a new device or when connected to a VPN. You may have better luck using the website instead of the mobile app, or vice versa. Failing that, you’ll have to contact Snapchat support or try again in a few days.

How to download and backup your Snapchat data

To its credit, Snapchat makes it quite easy to save a copy of your data. I suggest doing this before deactivating your account because once your data is deleted, it’s gone for good.

Important: Snapchat’s data-downloading tool only backs up images and messages you have saved. If it’s not saved, only metadata will be available. This will show when someone changed their chat-expiration settings, took a screenshot, or sent something, but not message contents. You can also download your user profile, Bitmoji, AI conversations, location data, and search history.

Here’s how to back up all of your saved Snaps, memories, chats, and much more:

1. Log into Snapchat’s Accounts portal using your web browser and click My Data.
2. Select everything you’d like to download using the toggle buttons on the right. If you’re unsure, just choose everything– it’s better to download data you don’t actually need than try to be efficient and lose something important.

   

3. If you only want to save some data, you can select a date range during this step. Alternatively, to download everything Snapchat has on you, toggle the button off or select All time in the calendar.

   

4. Enter your email address, then hit Submit.
   
   
5. All that’s left to do is wait. It took about an hour for the data from my newly created account to become accessible, and older accounts may take longer. When the export is ready, tap Download.
   
6. A zip file containing your data will start downloading. Once unzipped, you can find saved images in the chat_media folder. To read saved messages, open the index.html file using a browser, click Chat history metadata, and select a recipient.
   

Does Snapchat keep your data after you close your account?

Snapchat’s privacy policy is lengthy and complex, plus you’ll have to read several support posts to get the full picture. Snapchat has had issues with privacy before, but claims most data is deleted 60 days after your account is deleted. This is extended to 210 days for users in India. Exceptions apply when there’s a legal requirement to store data for longer, or when it’s necessary for investigating abuse reports.

One of the main selling points of Snapchat is that your messages are deleted shortly after viewing. Normally, unread messages are available for 31 days in private chats and one week in group chats. However, deactivating your account removes you from your contact’s chat lists, effectively making your conversation unreadable. Your messages are saved in the meantime, though, and will return if you choose to reactivate your account.

Does Snapchat tell my contacts if my account is deleted?

No. If you deactivate your account, you’ll simply vanish and won’t appear in search results, chats, or contact lists. If you’re going to delete Snapchat, it’s a good idea to let friends know another way to reach you beforehand.

Does deleting my Snapchat account delete all of my chats?

If you sent messages to others and they saved or took screenshots of those messages, they will remain accessible to them after you delete your Snapchat account.

Will I lose my data if I deactivate and then reactivate my Snapchat account?

Snapchat won’t delete any of your chats or photos before its mandatory 30-day waiting period ends. As such, you can deactivate your account, then change your mind later without risking anything. Once reactivated, your conversations should reappear within a few minutes.

Conclusion

It’s relatively simple to delete Snapchat accounts, but you will have to resist the temptation to log back in during the 30-day cooling-off period. Congratulations – you’ve just deleted a social media app! But this doesn’t mean you have to stop chatting altogether. Check out our guide to the best encrypted messaging apps for more secure services that don’t constantly demand your attention.