Staying Safe on Snapchat

Snapchat is a place to connect and communicate with friends and loved ones, but it’s important to know how to stay safe. We recommend checking out our Safety Center to learn more about Our Policies, Our Team, and information for Parents and Educators. Keep in mind, Snapchat is for ages 13+.

We also offer in-app support for Snapchatters who may be experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis, or who may be curious to learn more about these issues and how they can help friends dealing with them. Our new Here For You feature shows safety resources developed with experts when Snapchatters search for certain topics, including those related to anxiety, depression, stress, grief, suicidal thoughts, and bullying.

Here are some tips to stay safe on Snapchat 👻

Check Your Privacy Settings

Check your privacy settings to choose who can send you Snaps, view your Stories, or see your location on Snap Map.

Choose a Strong Password

Select a password that’s at least 8 characters long, and don’t include personal information, like your name, username, phone number, or birthday. Include a mix of numbers, symbols, and capital and lowercase letters in your password.

Don’t share your password with others, and don’t use the same password for other apps or websites. If you don’t remember your Snapchat password, learn how to reset your password.

Verify Your Email and Mobile Number

Verify that the email address and mobile number associated with your account are accurate in Snapchat settings.

Set up Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication is an optional security feature to verify that it’s really you when you log into your Snapchat account! This makes your account more secure 🔐

You can setup two-factor authentication right in the Snapchat app! Learn more about two-factor authentication.

Keep it Between Friends

Snapchat was made for keeping in touch with your close friends. We recommend that you only friend or accept friend requests from people that you know in real life. 

Report Abuse on Snapchat

You can always report abuse on Snapchat, including harassment, bullying, or any other safety concern. If someone is making you uncomfortable, you can also block that Snapchatter and leave any group chat. Learn more about reporting abuse or safety concerns.

Snapchat is partnered with the Crisis Text Line to provide additional support and resources to Snapchatters in the US. You can text the word “KIND” to 741741 to chat with a trained crisis counselor at Crisis Text Line. This service is free and available 24/7!

If you’re not in the US, there are other organizations that can help you. Learn more about crisis resources worldwide.

Customize Your Location on the Map

Only the people you choose can see your location — you can choose to share your location with all your friends you’ve added back, just a group of select friends, or you can even turn on Ghost Mode when you want to go off the grid 👻 Snaps you submit to Our Story can still show up on the Map, though!

Learn more about how to customize Snap Map location settings.

Change Who Can View My Story 🕵🏻

The default privacy setting is that only Snapchatters you’ve added can view your Story 👀 The privacy settings you have when you send a Snap to your Story will remain for that Snap, even if you change the settings later.

Learn how to manage My Story.

Don’t Forget About Screenshots

Snaps are designed to disappear, but people that you send Snaps to can still take a screenshot or take a picture of the Snap with another device, so it’s a good idea to think before you share.