Snapchat username, deactivation and deletion: what you can and can’t change

What to do first

Decide what you’re trying to achieve. If you want a different public name, change your display name, which is free to edit. If you want a new username, check the yearly limit. If you want a break from Snapchat, deactivation is the same as deletion on Snapchat, so save your memories first.

Step 1: Username versus display name

The display name is what friends see and can be changed whenever you like. The username is the unique handle, and Snapchat’s help page says it can be changed once a year. Check the current limit in help before you commit.

Step 2: Change the username

Open your profile, go to Settings, choose Username and follow the prompts. If the name you want is taken, you’ll need another. Friends and snaps stay with the account when you change it.

Step 3: How deactivation and deletion work

Snapchat’s help page says when you delete your account it’s deactivated first, and is permanently deleted after 30 days. Logging in during that period with your username and password can reactivate it. Use the accounts portal to start the process.

Step 4: Save what you care about

Before deleting, download your data from the Accounts Portal, including memories and chats, and tell friends how else to contact you. After permanent deletion, there’s no way to get the account back.

Which change is right for you?

• Want a different name that friends see: change your display name. It doesn’t affect your username or friends.
• Want a new handle: change the username, once, if the yearly limit allows.
• Want a break: log out and delete the app, or mute notifications. Deletion is not a pause.
• Want a fresh start: download your memories, delete the account and wait out the 30 days before creating a new one.

What not to do

• Don’t log in during the 30 days if you want deletion to proceed.
• Don’t delete to escape a lock. It doesn’t remove it and ends your chance of recovery.
• Don’t pay for username swaps or “premium” usernames. That’s a scam, and selling or buying is not allowed.