How to Make a Snapchat Account (Step by Step)

It takes a couple of minutes. The choices that matter come up quickly, and a couple of them are hard to undo, so it's worth knowing what each screen is asking before you tap through.

Below are the steps from Snapchat's own support pages, plus the rules on second accounts and the error codes that stop some phones signing up at all.

Steps to create your account

1. Download Snapchat from the App Store on iPhone or Google Play on Android.
2. Open the app and tap Sign Up.
3. Enter your name and tap Sign Up and Accept, then enter your birthday.
4. Create your Snapchat username.
5. Choose a secure password.
6. Enter your phone number and verify it, or tap sign up with email instead.
7. Allow access to your contacts if you want help finding friends.

That's it. Once you're in, you can send Snaps, post Stories and start chatting.

Choosing your username

Snapchat's advice is to choose wisely, and it means it. You can only change your username once a year. Your display name, the one friends see on your profile, is a separate thing from your username, so the once-a-year rule is about the handle.

A few things I'd think about:

• Keep it close to your real name or business name if you want people to find you.
• Avoid numbers or dates you might regret in a year.
• If it's for a business, match the handle you use elsewhere.

Picking a password

Snapchat recommends a password of 10 characters or longer so it's stronger. Use one you don't use anywhere else. If another site you use gets breached, a reused password is the easiest way into your Snapchat.

Phone number or email?

Sign up with	Good to know
Phone number	Snapchat asks you to verify it for account security
Email	Tap sign up with email instead on the phone number screen
Either one	Only one email and one mobile number can be verified per account

Whichever you use, verify it. A verified email or number is how you reset your password later, and without one Snapchat can't help you get back in.

Making a second Snapchat account

You can have more than one account. The catch is contact details. Snapchat only allows one unique email and mobile number to be verified per account, and if you verify the same email on a newer account, it's removed from the older one. Give each account its own email to keep both safe.

Once you've got two, you don't need to log out and in every time. My guide to switching accounts on Snapchat shows the quicker way.

Why some phones can't make an account

If you see an error code when you try to sign up, Snapchat's support pages explain what it means:

Error	What it means
SS18 or SS06	Snapchat has banned the device because of abuse or repeated breaks of its Community Guidelines
SS07	The device is banned from logging in because too many accounts have been linked to it

Snapchat says you can't create new accounts on a banned device. The only route it recognises is the appeals process inside the app. It also says people whose accounts have been terminated aren't allowed to create a new account.

If you've bought a second-hand phone and hit one of these codes on your first try, the ban is tied to the device itself, not to your new account.

Before you start: age

Snapchat asks for your birthday during sign-up, and there's a minimum age to use the app. I've covered the details in how old you have to be to have Snapchat, so check that first if you're setting up an account for a younger family member.

After you've signed up

• Verify your email as well as your number, so you have a backup way back in.
• Check your privacy settings, especially who can contact you and see your Story.
• Add a profile picture so friends recognise you.
• Find friends through contacts or by username.

If you forget your username later

Your username is the name you picked at sign-up, and it isn't the same as your display name. If you're ever logged out and can't remember it, Snapchat suggests:

• Logging in with the phone number or email linked to your account instead.
• Checking whether your phone saved your Snapchat login details.
• Asking a friend to open your Friendship Profile and read the username shown there.

Snapchat says it can't look up or confirm your username for you based on other account details, which is one more reason to verify an email and number on day one.

Taking a break instead of starting again

If you deactivate an account rather than delete it, you have 30 days to reactivate it by logging in with that username. After that it's permanently deleted and can't come back.

My advice

Slow down at the username screen, use a strong password you don't use anywhere else, and verify both an email and a phone number as soon as you can. Those three choices decide how easy your account is to find, and how quickly you can get back in if something goes wrong.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a Snapchat account?

Download the Snapchat app, open it and tap Sign Up. Enter your name and birthday, create a username and password, then verify a phone number or email.

Can I make a Snapchat account with an email instead of a phone number?

Yes. On the phone number screen, tap sign up with email instead.

Can I change my Snapchat username later?

Yes, but only once a year, so Snapchat advises choosing carefully when you sign up.

Can you have two Snapchat accounts?

Yes, but only one email and one mobile number can be verified per account, so give each account its own contact details.

Why can't I create a Snapchat account on my phone?

If you see SS18 or SS06, the device has been banned. SS07 means too many accounts have been linked to it. Snapchat says you can't create new accounts on a banned device.