Safety and Privacy at Snap
Safety and privacy features are built into Snapchat from the start – no setup needed. Here’s what’s already working behind the scenes, plus a few quick steps you can take to help ensure your settings are right for you.
You've got a head start
On from the start
Teen accounts are private by default
Your account is private by default.
Snap Map location is off by default
Your location on the Snap Map isn’t shared with other users until you turn it on — and even then, only the friends you pick can see it.
Public Profiles are off by default
If you’re 13–15, you’re not yet able to have a Public Profile. This means that the content you share on your Story or on Spotlight is only visible to your accepted friends. If you’re 16–17, you can choose to create a Public Profile and you control what’s public every time you post. See more information here.
Age-appropriate feed
We strive to filter Stories and Spotlight content to be age-appropriate for teen accounts.
Focus on friends
Snapchat is about connecting with your real friends who you know in real life. As a teen on Snapchat, you'll need to have someone in your phone contact book, or have mutual friends with them already in order to add them.
No popularity scoreboard
You won’t see how many people “favorited” content. Make content because you want to, not for a number.
Customize Your Experience
Muting, reporting, and blocking
Mute
Control your notifications
You can mute a friend without removing or blocking them. Three options, and you can undo any of them any time:
Chats and calls: no notifications when they message or call you
Stories: no notification when they post
Location: they won't show up on your Map, even if they're sharing their location with you
Here's how:
Swipe right from the Camera screen to go to the Chat screen, then press and hold on a friend's name.
Chats and calls: Tap 'Chat and Notification Settings' → 'Notification Settings' → toggle on 'Mute Chats' and/or 'Mute Calls'
Stories: Tap 'Story Settings' → toggle on 'Mute Story'
Location: Tap 'Location Settings' → toggle on to mute their location
Remove or Block
Control your friends list
Remove ends the friendship. They come off your friends list, they can't see your private Stories or Charms, and they can't see you on Snap Map anymore. They can still find you in Search and send you a friend request.
Block does all of that and shuts the door. They can't message you, see your Stories, find you in Search, or add you again. Unblock any time if you change your mind.
To remove a friend from your friends list or block them:
Swipe right to go to the Chat screen
Tap and hold on a friend's name
Tap 'Manage Friendship'
Tap 'Remove Friend' or ‘Block’
Controls you own
Your call
Comment controls
If you post to Spotlight, you control the comments. You can limit them to friends, or hold every comment for your approval so nothing shows until you say yes. You can also delete or report a comment, or turn off comment notifications altogether.
If you're 13–15, only your friends can see or comment on what you post. Find them in Settings → Privacy Controls → Comment Settings.
Group-add controls
You can only be added to a group chat by a friend. You’ll get a notification when it happens, and you can leave any group whenever you want. Your privacy settings control who’s allowed to add you in the first place. To leave a group chat:
Swipe right from the Camera screen to go to the Chat screen
Press and hold on a Group
Tap 'Leave Group'
See something concerning? Help protect yourself and the entire Snapchat community by letting us know. We want to help.
Here's how it works.
How to report
Press and hold on content such as a Snap, Story, Chat, Spotlight video or comment, or someone’s account — and tap the Report button. Follow the prompts to tell us what’s going on. See more information here.
It's confidential
We don’t tell the person you reported who reported them.
Track it
See the status of anything you've flagged under My Reports.
Bring in a parent or trusted adult
Family Center is the in-app hub for parental tools. Nothing switches on until you accept.
They see who, not what
They can see who you are friends with and who you have chatted with recently, but not the content of your conversations. They cannot read your chats or see your Snaps.
Screen Time
They can see how much time you spend on Snapchat and where on the app.
A safety net
They can confidentially report an account they're concerned about.
Want the full picture?
Parents and anyone who wants more detail on Snapchat's teen protections.