Despite Snapchat’s revolutionary approach to connecting people on the Internet, you may be wondering how to delete the Snapchat account permanently.
Perhaps you’re moving on to another platform that has better features and is more popular amongst your friends. Or you’re concerned that third parties might be spying on accounts and you want to remove those embarrassing photos you’ve sent to your loved ones that were supposedly “deleted” after a short while.
Whatever your reasons may be, this article will guide you through the steps to safely delete your Snapchat account permanently.
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What Is Snapchat?
Snapchat is an ingenious invention of a messaging app that allows users to take photos or videos and send it to their friends. Unlike other messaging apps or social media platforms, messages sent on Snapchat aren’t permanent. Once they are viewed, or after a specific time limit, they are automatically removed.
You can download Snapchat on both Android and iOS devices. In 2019, Snapchat boasted 218 million daily users and the number is still growing. The app was built to allow users to experience more spontaneous conversations.
The culture of Snapchat users gravitates towards photos and videos. Texting “hi” to your friends is replaced by sending a quirky photo as a greeting. Need a visual shoutout for the glorious cupcakes you’ve baked? Turn on Snapchat and start sharing.
Like any other messaging platform, since its launch in 2011, Snapchat has evolved by adding features such as lenses and filters, live-chat, and a text messaging option.
In 2016, Snapchat introduced Memories, which allows users to store private snapshots on the app, in an apparent shift from being an exclusive platform for sending temporary photos and videos.
Is Snapchat Safe?
The idea of sending self-destructive photos projects a sense of privacy. In a world where anything you post on social media stays around forever, Snapchat is seen as a beacon of privacy protection.
Yet, is Snapchat as safe as you’ve imagined? Or should you be concerned before you start sending photos on Snapchat?
Snapchat’s privacy policy offers a firm message that it doesn’t store nor make your private messages public.
However, don’t let your guard down when using Snapchat. The photos that you’ve sent can be kept by the recipients. While you’ll get an alert of a snapshot, there are apps that will record the images without you knowing about it.
Snapchat’s employees are also armed with a backend tool called SnapLion. The software allows access to Snapchat’s user data, including saved Snaps. At least one incident of abuse by Snapchat’s employees has been recorded.
In all fairness, Snapchat is enforcing stricter restrictions and control to protect its user’s privacy. However, you’ll need to refrain from sending overly-sensitive photos of yourself over the app, as you can’t be sure who’s spying.
What to Do Before Your Delete Snapchat Permanently
Whether it’s your concern of privacy intrusion or you’re switching to another social media platform, you may decide that it’s time to delete Snapchat for good.
However, before you wipe off your existence in Snapchat, it’ll be good to retrieve your data stored on the platform. Your chat history, location history, friends, and Bitmoji are some of the information that can be salvaged prior to account removal.
Follow these steps to download your Snapchat data.
1. Log in to your Snapchat account on https://accounts.snapchat.com/accounts/
2. Click “My Data”
3. Select “Submit Request”
4. A download link will be sent to your email. Click on the link to access the download page.
5. Click on the “.zip” link to start downloading your data.
How to Delete Snapchat Permanently
Once you’ve got a copy of your data, you’re good to go to delete your Snapchat account permanently.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Log in to your Snapchat account page on your browser.
2. Select Delete My Account
3. Enter your password and click Continue.
4. Your account is now Deactivated
5. Wait for 30 days before your account is permanently deleted.
If you change your mind, just log in to your Snapchat account within 30 days and everything will be restored.
Summary
It’s up to you whether you stay or leave Snapchat for good. If you’ve decided to delete your account, just remember to backup your data before doing so.
If you’re choosing the latter, we hope our instructions have been clear and concise. Be sure to backup your Snapchat data before deleting the account permanently.
