How to delete your Snapchat account, step by step

Q: How do I delete my Snapchat account permanently?

Delete it through accounts.snapchat.com with Delete my account, then do not log in again. After 30 days of deactivation and 30 more days, Snapchat permanently deletes the account and it cannot be brought back.

To delete your Snapchat account, log in to the Snapchat accounts portal at accounts.snapchat.com, tap Delete my account, enter your password and tap Continue. Your account is then deactivated for 30 days, and after 30 more days Snapchat permanently deletes it.

That is the whole job on every device. The app on iPhone only gives you a shortcut into the same portal. Below are the exact steps, the timeline, and the two things to do first so you do not lose your Memories or keep paying for Snapchat+.

How to delete a Snapchat account on the web or Android

Snapchat's help page on deleting an account gives the same four steps for Android and for the web:

Log in to the Snapchat accounts portal at accounts.snapchat.com.
Tap Delete my account.
Input your password.
Tap Continue to confirm account deactivation and deletion.

On an Android phone you can do this in your phone's browser. You do not need a computer.

How to delete a Snapchat account on iPhone

On iOS, Snapchat starts you in the app and then hands you to the portal:

In Snapchat, tap the gear button on your profile screen to open Settings.
Scroll down to Account Actions.
Tap Delete Account.
Log in to the Snapchat accounts portal.
Tap Delete my account.
Input your password.
Tap Continue to confirm.

Deleting the Snapchat app from your phone does none of this. Your account stays live until you finish the steps above.

What happens after you tap Continue

Snapchat does not delete the account right away. It works in two stages:

Stage	How long	What you can do
Deactivated	30 days	Log back in with your username to reactivate it. Download your data.
Waiting for permanent deletion	30 more days	Nothing. The account cannot be reactivated.
Permanently deleted	After that	Gone. Snapchat says permanently deleted accounts cannot be reactivated at all.

If you are located in India, the second stage is longer: 30 days deactivated, then 180 more days before permanent deletion.

Snapchat's help center does not describe a way to skip the 30-day deactivation, so "delete my Snapchat account immediately" is not an option it offers. The fastest path is to start now and not log in again.

Some data is kept even after deletion. Snapchat says it retains certain information for legal, security and business needs, for example details of purchases you made through Snapchat and when you accepted its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Its privacy FAQ also notes that deleting your account revokes your access to any other Snap account entities.

How to cancel a deletion and get the account back

Within the 30 days, reactivating is simple: log in to the Snapchat app with the username of the account you want back.

Three catches from Snapchat's page:

While the account is deactivated, you cannot change the password or log in with your email address or phone number. Use the username.
Only you can reactivate it. Snapchat Support cannot do it for you.
After the 30 days, it cannot be reactivated at all.

That also means one stray login during the 30 days cancels your deletion. If you are sure, log out on every device first.

Before you delete: download your data

Snapchat gives you 30 days after deactivating to download your data, but it is safer to do it before you delete. Here is the process from Snapchat's download your data page:

Log in at accounts.snapchat.com. From the app, you can also go to Settings and select My Data.
Click My Data.
Select the data you want to include.
Choose a date range, or toggle it off to receive all your data.
Confirm the email address you want to be notified at.
Click Submit at the bottom of the page.
When Snapchat emails you, or from your recent exports page, select See exports, then Download.

The file arrives as a zip. Snapchat says it strives to deliver data within 7 days, and large downloads can take longer, so request it a week ahead of your deletion.

Memories need their own care. To get only your Memories, toggle Export your Memories on under "Select data to include," then click Request Only Memories. Once the zip is on your device, open the index.html file inside it, click Memories on the left, and download them one by one or all at once. Snapchat suggests using a computer rather than a phone if the download gives you trouble.

Cancel Snapchat+ and storage plans first

Deleting your account and cancelling a paid plan are separate jobs. Snapchat's subscription page says to cancel Snapchat+ or Memories+ where you signed up:

iPhone: through the App Store.
Android: through the Google Play Store.
Web: through the Snapchat accounts portal.

Refunds are handled by whoever you bought the subscription from, so for an Apple or Google purchase you contact them. A 100GB Memories-only storage plan can be managed or cancelled in your Memories settings.

The "wait 72 hours" message

If Snapchat tells you to wait 72 hours before deleting your account, that is a security protection, not an error. Snapchat's account settings help page says it is there so account actions are not taken by an unauthorized user. Wait the 72 hours and then try again on the same device.

If you cannot log in or forgot your password

The portal needs your password, so a lost password comes first. You can reset it at accounts.snapchat.com.

Snapchat's account access page is blunt about the limits. It cannot reset a password if the account has no email address or mobile number, if you do not know which ones are linked, or if you no longer have access to them. Knowing the username is not enough on its own.

If you forgot your username, Snapchat suggests logging in with the phone number or email linked to the account, checking whether your device saved your login, or asking a friend to open your Friendship Profile and read you the username.

If the account was hacked, Snapchat points you to its Support Bot from the same page. Recover the account first, then delete it.

This is also why it pays to keep a working email on any account you might want to close later. Our checklist for changing your email address everywhere covers the accounts people usually forget.

Frequently asked questions

How do I delete my Snapchat account permanently?

Delete it through accounts.snapchat.com with Delete my account, then do not log in again. After 30 days of deactivation and 30 more days, Snapchat permanently deletes the account and it cannot be brought back.

Can I delete my Snapchat account without the password?

No. The deletion step asks you to input your password. Reset it first at accounts.snapchat.com, which needs access to the email address or phone number on the account.

How do I delete Snapchat on my phone?

On Android, open accounts.snapchat.com in your browser and follow the four portal steps. On iPhone, go to Settings, Account Actions, Delete Account in the app, which takes you to the same portal.

Does deleting the Snapchat app delete my account?

No. Uninstalling only removes the app from your phone. The account stays active until you request deletion in the portal.

Can I reactivate my Snapchat account after deleting it?

Yes, within 30 days. Log in to the Snapchat app with your username, not your email or phone number. After that window it is gone for good.

Starting fresh with a separate address

If you are cleaning up your accounts, a separate address for sign-ups helps next time. Secria Mail sign-up is a name, the address you want and a password, no phone number and no card. The free plan includes 2 aliases, so each service can get its own, and if one leaks you can trace it and stop it by deleting the alias. Sign up here or read more about Secria Mail.

If you plan to come back to Snapchat on a new account later, our guide to creating a Snapchat account without a phone number walks through the email sign-up. And if you are closing an email account too, see what happens when you delete your email account.