Snapchat exploded onto the scene in 2011 as a revolutionary new social media platform featuring ephemeral, self-destructing messaging. The platform has since become immensely popular and is now essentially the de facto social media app of choice for Gen Z, who represent a large chunk of its nearly 230 million daily active users.
Like most social media platforms, Snapchat has had to deal with its fair share of privacy concerns, especially from parents of younger users who are worried about keeping their children safe online. So if you want to find out how to delete Snapchat, read on and we'll walk you through the process.
How to delete a single Snap
If you're not looking to delete your Snapchat account outright, but you're second-guessing a Snap you sent out, if you accidentally sent a Snap to a wider audience than you intended to, or you no longer want a Snap to be accessible on the platform for any other reason, you can easily delete individual Snaps from your conversations and stories.
To delete a Snap from a conversation, follow these steps:
- Launch Snapchat.
- Go to your Chats.
- Select the chat from which you want to delete your Snap or message.
- Tap and hold the Snap or message you want to delete.
- Hit "Delete" and watch it disappear.
Everyone in the chat will be able to see that you have deleted a message, but as long as they haven't seen what you deleted, they won't ever know what it was.
If you want to delete a story that you shared on Snapchat, follow these steps:
- After launching Snapchat, tap on your avatar in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Then select "My Story".
- Choose which story you want to delete.
- Hit the trash icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Confirm by clicking "Delete", and you're all done!
After you've deleted a story, it will no longer be viewable to anyone, even those who have already seen it. You also won't be able to see who has viewed the story after you've deleted it, so if you want to check on who has seen your story, take a look before deleting the story.
How to delete your Snapchat account permanently
Though Snapchat has beefed up its privacy and security standards recently by offering end-to-end encryption, the scope and amount of user data the platform collects, processes, and shares with third-party entities is still a major concern for many. So if you're one of the many who are concerned about their privacy on the platform, or if you simply want to cut Snapchat out of your life and move forward with a lighter social media footprint, then you can easily delete Snapchat permanently.
That said, it's important to note that you will only be able to delete Snapchat from a web browser and not through the app itself.
Here are the steps you'll need to take if you want to delete Snapchat permanently:
- Head over to the Accounts Portal and log in with your username and password.
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile device once you've logged in, then tap on "Submit".
- Enter your username and password once again and tap on "Continue".
Once you've hit that "Continue" button, then your Snapchat account will be deleted. However, you still have 30 days after deleting your account before Snapchat actually deletes it for you permanently. So if you change your mind, you can still recover your account by logging in again during that period.
Make sure you remember your Snapchat password because you won't be able to recover it once you've deactivated your account.
How to enable Snapchat privacy settings
If you're not sure if you want to delete Snapchat permanently, but you want to enhance your overall privacy on the platform, then you can enable a host of privacy settings in the app to help safeguard your privacy while using Snapchat.
To access your Snapchat privacy settings:
- Launch Snapchat on your device.
- Tap on your avatar in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner to bring up the Settings menu.
From the Settings menu, you will be able to enable various privacy settings including two-factor authentication and options to restrict who can contact you, view your story, see your location, and see you in the "Quick Add" function. From the Settings menu, you can also clear all kinds of data like your search history, conversations, sticker searches, location, and lens data.
If you tap on "Manage" under "Additional Services" in the Settings menu and then on "Permissions", you'll be able to manage your Snapchat app permissions and disable the app's access to your location, photos, contacts, and clipboard. Making sure to set your app permissions to only what you are comfortable with is an important step to take in protecting your privacy on the platform. If you tap on "Maps" in the "Manage" menu, you can also toggle off the option to share your location and usage data with map providers.
Finally, if you have any additional concerns regarding your privacy and overall safety on Snapchat, you can access a wide range of support resources from the Settings menu. If you can't find what you're looking for from the online knowledge base, you can always get in touch with Snapchat Support.
Conclusion
Though Snapchat has indeed made some strides in terms of user privacy, many users are still (rightfully) concerned about their privacy and security on social media apps like Snapchat. The rash of high-profile privacy incidents involving social media companies in recent years, along with events like Edward Snowden's alarming revelations about the extent of the NSA's surveillance practices, and the introduction of data privacy legislation like the GDPR in Europe and the CCPA in California has helped put a new spotlight on the importance of maintaining our privacy, keeping user data secure, and holding companies accountable for how they collect and process that data. It's, therefore, no big surprise that so many users are looking into how to delete Snapchat and other social media platforms that collect mountains of data from their users.
So if you want to delete Snapchat to help better secure your online privacy, if you want to reduce your overall social media presence, or if you want to step away from the platform for any other reason, all you need to do is follow the simple steps outlined in this guide. You'll likely find that when you delete Snapchat, you'll notice all kinds of positive effects on your life – so much so that you may never find yourself looking back longingly on your days as a Snapchatter.