- Working out why you can't get into your Snapchat account
- Recovering a Snapchat account when you've forgotten the password
- When you can't reach the email or phone on your Snapchat account
- Forgotten your Snapchat username?
- Getting back into a locked Snapchat account
- Reactivating a deactivated Snapchat account
- If your Snapchat account was hacked
- Using a Snapchat Recovery Code after losing your 2FA phone
- Avoiding Snapchat account recovery scams
- Frequently asked questions
To recover a Snapchat account, tap Forgot your password? on the login screen or go to accounts.snapchat.com, then reset by email or text. The catch is access: Snapchat says you can only reset if you can still reach the email or phone number linked to the account.
Getting locked out of Snapchat is stressful, especially if it's where you keep in touch with friends or reach your customers. The first thing to know is that the way back in depends on why you can't get in. A forgotten password, a locked account, a deactivated account and a hacked account all have different fixes.
I'll stick strictly to the routes Snapchat's own help centre describes. That matters here, because the internet is full of people offering to recover or reopen Snapchat accounts, and Snapchat is clear that you should ignore them. Find your situation below and follow those steps.
Working out why you can't get into your Snapchat account
| What you see or know | Where to start |
|---|---|
| You've forgotten your password | Reset it by email or text |
| You've forgotten your username | Log in with your phone number or email |
| A message says your account is locked | Check if it's temporary or permanent |
| You deactivated it yourself | Log in again with your username |
| Someone else got in | Use the Snapchat Support Bot |
| You've lost your 2FA phone or app | Use your Recovery Code |
Recovering a Snapchat account when you've forgotten the password
From the Snapchat login screen
- Tap Forgot your password?
- Choose email or SMS.
- For email, open the reset link Snapchat sends and enter a new password. If the link won't open, copy and paste it into your browser.
- For SMS, enter the code sent to your phone number and continue to log in, then update your password in Settings.
From the Snapchat Accounts Portal on the web
- Go to accounts.snapchat.com in your browser.
- Enter the phone number or email linked to your account.
- Select Forgot Password.
- Choose to get a one-time login code by text or email, then follow the instructions.
Snapchat's help says new passwords need at least 8 characters, and you should avoid your name, username, phone number or birthday.
When you can't reach the email or phone on your Snapchat account
This is the hard one, and I'd rather be honest than hopeful. Snapchat's help says you can only reset by email or text if the account has an email or mobile number linked to it, and you can access it. If you know your username but can't reach either, Snapchat says a reset isn't possible.
If you can access one of the two, use that one. And once you're back in, check that both your email and phone number are up to date and verified, so you never end up here again.
Forgotten your Snapchat username?
You don't need it to log in. Snapchat's help suggests logging in with your phone number or email instead, checking whether your phone saved your login details, or asking a friend to read your username from your Friendship Profile. Snapchat Support won't look it up for you.
Getting back into a locked Snapchat account
Snapchat separates locks into temporary and permanent ones:
- Temporary lock: log in at accounts.snapchat.com and choose the option there to lift the lock. If the lock came from using an unofficial third-party app, plugin or tweak, Snapchat says to check the lock length, remove those apps, update Snapchat and log in again once the lock ends.
- Too many login attempts: Snapchat says access can be temporarily disabled, and you should wait 48 hours before trying again.
- Permanent lock: this follows a breach of Snapchat's Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, and Snapchat says it can't be unlocked by the usual route.
Appealing a Snapchat lock
If you see an Appeal Decision pop-up when you log in, you can submit an appeal inside the Snapchat app. Snapchat says appeals are only possible through the app, reviews can take up to 30 days, and it will tell you the outcome by email or in the app. Raising extra support tickets won't speed it up. If no Appeal Decision option appears, the lock isn't eligible for appeal.
Reactivating a deactivated Snapchat account
If you deactivated your own account, log in through the app with your username to bring it back. Snapchat's help says you have 30 days before a deactivated account is scheduled for permanent deletion. Once it's permanently deleted, it can't be reactivated, so don't leave this too long.
If your Snapchat account was hacked
- Try resetting your password straight away using the steps above.
- If that doesn't get you back in, use the Snapchat Support Bot in the help centre.
- Give an email address you can access, and be ready to share your username and roughly when you lost access.
- Once you're in, change your password, check your linked email and phone, and turn on two-factor authentication.
Using a Snapchat Recovery Code after losing your 2FA phone
If you used two-factor authentication (2FA) and lost the phone or authenticator app, the way back is a Recovery Code you created in advance. Log in with your username and password, then enter the code when asked. Snapchat says logging in this way switches 2FA off, so turn it back on afterwards. It also says it can't help with lost Recovery Codes.
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If you're logged in now, make one: Settings, My Account, Two-Factor Authentication, Recovery Code, Generate Code. Snapchat suggests a password manager or a printed copy kept somewhere safe, not an email to yourself.
Avoiding Snapchat account recovery scams
Snapchat says to ignore anyone offering to lift the lock on your account for you. Its only legitimate routes are unlocking it yourself and appealing in the app. Never share your password or My Eyes Only passcode with anyone. Snapchat says its own team will never ask for them.
If Snapchat is part of how you run your business, it's worth treating your login like any other business asset. My Snapchat marketing strategy covers the bigger picture, and if you've had to start again on a fresh account, my tips for growing followers on Snapchat will help you rebuild.
Frequently asked questions
How do I recover my Snapchat account?
It depends on the problem. Forgotten password: tap Forgot your password? or use accounts.snapchat.com. Locked: lift a temporary lock on the accounts site or appeal in the app. Deactivated: log in with your username within 30 days.
Can I recover Snapchat without my email or phone number?
Snapchat's help says you can only reset your password if you can access the email or mobile number linked to the account. Without either, a reset isn't possible.
How long does a Snapchat lock last?
For too many login attempts, Snapchat says to wait 48 hours. For locks linked to third-party apps, check the in-app message or email for the end date. Permanent locks can't be unlocked except through an eligible in-app appeal.
Can someone get my locked Snapchat account back for me?
No. Snapchat says to ignore anyone offering this. The only legitimate routes are unlocking it yourself and appealing in the app.
Can I recover a deleted Snapchat account?
Only within the deactivation window. Snapchat says you have 30 days to log in and reactivate, and a permanently deleted account can't be brought back.
