Privacy, Safety, and Policy Hub

Privacy Through Security

It’s hard to have a sense of privacy if you don’t also feel safe and secure. That’s why we take considerable efforts to secure our own infrastructure. Snapchat also provides you with features like two-factor authentication and session management to help secure your account. But there are also a few extra steps you can take to keep your Snapchat account more secure:

Use a Secure 💪 Password

Pick a long, complex, and unique password, which will help prevent bad actors from guessing your password or using lists of compromised passwords to access your account. 

  • You want a long password, because the ability to crack passwords increases every year, making short passwords especially vulnerable;   

  • You want a unique password, because reusing passwords from other applications and services means if any of those passwords get compromised, your Snapchat account is at risk; and

  • You want a complex password, because adding numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and symbols to your password increases significantly the time it takes to crack your password. 

So try flexing your creative muscles to come up with a password sentence like “I l0ve Gr@ndma’s gingerbread c00kies!” — and no, “Password123” isn’t going to fool anyone. If you have trouble remembering passwords, consider using a password manager to generate secure passwords that you don’t have to memorize! Whatever your method, remember: never share your password with anyone.

If you learn that your account on another website, application, or service has been compromised, and you used the same password on your Snapchat account, make sure you change your password!

Verify ✅ Your Phone Number & Email Address

Make sure you add your phone number and email address to your account and verify both. That way we have more than one way to reach you, and more than one way to verify that it's you (and not someone else!). This is especially important if you change your phone number, lose access to your email account, or want to change your password. Go here for instructions on how to verify your phone number and email.

On the flipside, don’t add a phone number or email address to your Snapchat account that isn’t yours. Doing so could give others access to your account. If anyone asks you to add their phone number or email address to your account, let us know.

Use 2️⃣-Factor Authentication

Turn on two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication (or 2FA for short) adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide a code in addition to your login/password. We recommend using a trusted authenticator app, like Google Authenticator or Duo for 2FA, but you can also set up 2FA via SMS.  Setting up 2FA may help prevent someone who has obtained (or guessed) your password from accessing your account. 

  • You should never provide the code you receive from Snap or from a trusted authenticator app to anyone else—they may be able to use this to login to your account!

  • If you lose your device or it is stolen, or if you suspect someone has used a device you do not control to log into your account, don’t forget to remove that device as a verified device. 

Manage Your Sessions 🔑

You can use Snap’s Session Management Center to see all of the sessions logged into your account. If you’re not familiar, a “session” represents an individual device or browser signed into your account.  It’s important to keep an eye on the Session Management Center for your account security, especially if you suspect someone may have gained unauthorized access to your account. If you see a device or browser you do not recognize, you should immediately terminate that session and change your password. If you lose access to your account, please contact us.


❌ Don’t Use Unauthorized Third-Party Apps

Don’t use unauthorized third-party apps. Unauthorized third-party applications and plugins (or tweaks) are created by software developers not affiliated with Snapchat and often claim to add additional features or functionality to Snapchat. But, these unauthorized third-party apps and plugins are not supported or permitted by Snapchat because they can sometimes compromise the security of your and other Snapchatters’ accounts.

🔒 More Tips To Keep Your Account Secure 🔒

You are the best line of defense against bad actors! Here are more tips to help keep your account secure:

  • Don’t respond to any unsolicited messages claiming to be from Snap or our Support team, especially if they are asking you to provide your password, any code or pin, or any other information that would allow access to your account. We would never ask you for your password, codes or pins, or any other sensitive information that could be used to access your account.

  • Don’t log into Snapchat on someone else’s device. If you do this, you could give them access to your account. If you do log in on a device that isn’t yours, always remember to fully log out and click “Remove account” afterwards!

  • Add a strong passcode or passphrase to your mobile device or, better yet, use biometric authentication that uses your fingerprint or face to unlock your device. If you don’t have these additional controls in place to secure your device and it is lost, stolen, or left unattended, someone may be able to access  your Snapchat account.

  • Watch out for suspicious messages (via email, SMS, or otherwise), especially those that try to get you to click on questionable links—they could lead to malicious websites or trick you into entering your password on a fake website. You should access Snapchat solely through our App or on the web at our official Snapchat domains. Think before you click!

For more tips on staying safe on Snapchat, go here and subscribe to Safety Snapshot.