Do you need to delete your Snapchat app, either temporarily or permanently?
If so, it’s common to wonder what will happen to your account, Snapchat memories, Snaps, and so on.
Therefore, in this article I’ll be sharing exactly what will happen if you delete the Snapchat app from your phone or tablet, and what will change if you decide to reinstall it later.
1. Your Memories Will Be Preserved
One of the most common concerns that people have when they delete Snapchat, is that their memories will be affected.
While it’s a good idea to back up your Snapchat memories regardless, thankfully nothing will happen to them simply from deleting the app!
This is because the memories are tied to your Snapchat account, not the specific device that you’re using Snapchat on. They’re actually uploaded and stored on Snapchat’s servers, meaning that they’ll still be there when you redownload the app later – even if it happens to be on a different device.
That being said, there is one situation where memories can be erased, which I’ll discuss a bit later.
For the most part however, it’s not something that you really have to worry about at all, especially if you’re planning on reinstalling Snapchat shortly after!
2. Your Unopened Snaps Will Still Be There – For A Time
If there are any Snaps that were unopened when you deleted the Snapchat app – or there are any that people send you while the app is already deleted, don’t worry!
Like memories, these will also remain available to view as soon as you reinstall the app, at least for a certain period of time.
Unopened snaps received from others in a normal 1-to-1 fashion, will remain for up to 31 days before they expire, and are automatically deleted.
Group chats however will only hold unopened Snaps for up to 7 days.
This isn’t a problem if you plan on immediately reinstalling Snapchat, as the Snaps will still be there. If you plan on deleting Snapchat for an extended period of time however, it’s important to know that unopened Snaps will no longer be there if you go beyond these two time periods.
So, you should consider opening up and viewing Snaps before deleting Snapchat, and periodically checking it if you don’t want to miss anything!
3. You Will Clear All Cache And Temporary Files
If you’re deleting Snapchat in order to fix a glitch or bug, good news!
When you delete Snapchat, all temporary files – including Snapchat’s cache, are cleared from your device.
This not only frees up space, but it also ensures that corrupt files can be replaced when you go to reinstall the app.
Often times, deleting and reinstalling the Snapchat app can be enough to solve any unexplained bugs or errors, such as Snaps being stuck on ‘sending’ or Snapchat not verifying your new number. Therefore, it should always be one of the first things you consider trying.
While Android allows you to clear any app’s cache from your phone’s settings, clearing the cache on iPhone can be a bit more complicated of a process.
That being said, regardless of the device you use, deleting the app will immediately clear any app files from your device – including the cache.
4. You Will Need To Sign Back In Upon Redownloading
Because everything related to Snapchat is deleted when you delete the app from your device, this also means that the app will not remember your login information once you redownload it.
The only exception to this may be if you have it backed up to a cloud storage platform automatically, like iCloud for example.
This means that you’ll want to be absolutely sure you remember your login information for your account before you delete it, or you have a way to recover the information should you forget.
Otherwise, you could lose access to your account completely!
If this happens, you’ll want to contact Snapchat support for further assistance.
5. You May Lose Any Snapstreaks You Have In Progress
Be mindful of any Snapstreaks that you have in progress, before taking an extended break from Snapchat!
Although your streaks won’t automatically end when you delete the app, they will certainly expire if you go too long without maintaining them.
Remember, streaks end after 24 hours of no Snaps being sent back and forth.
So although Snapstreaks are tied to your account rather than your device, you will need to maintain the streak at least once every 24 hours before its lost.
Again, the streak will not be affected until 24 hours have passed. So if you’re only deleting Snapchat for a moment, you have nothing to worry about!
6. Your Account Will Not Be Deleted
Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that your account will not be deleted, even if you take an extended break from the app.
Currently, Snapchat does not delete inactive accounts. So, even if you stop using the app for years, your account should still be there if you ever wish to return.
However, it’s still possible for accounts to be deleted in other ways.
For example, if you take an extended break from Snapchat, you may not know if someone were to compromise your account, logging into it without you knowing.
Often times when accounts are compromised, they are used for nefarious purposes. Unfortunately, if someone on your account breaks Snapchat’s rules, your account can get banned – even if you weren’t the one that did anything wrong.
This can ultimately result in lost contacts and memories.
So, if you are going to take a break from Snapchat for an extended period of time, be sure to make a backup of your memories, contacts, and any other important data that you want to keep!
Conclusion
Generally speaking, deleting the Snapchat account is completely safe.
Your account, data and memories will still be there, and unopened Snaps will remain available to view for as long as 31 days before being automatically deleted.
I hope that this article has answered your questions, and eased some concerns.
If you have any other questions about Snapchat, please ask them below and I’ll be happy to help.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister