What you can edit on your Snapchat profile
Your Snapchat profile is the page other users see when they tap your username. You control what appears there: your display name, avatar, bio, and whether people can contact you. Snapchat does not show your phone number, email, or location history on your profile — those stay private. What you change here affects only what other Snapchat users see when they visit your profile, not what Snapchat itself collects about your activity.
The profile editing screen is inside the app itself. You cannot change these settings from a web browser or computer. If you use Snapchat on multiple devices, changes you make on one phone sync to the others automatically.
Key Takeaways
- Open Snapchat, tap your profile icon in the top left, then tap the gear icon to reach settings where you can edit your display name, avatar, and bio.
- Your display name is what other users see; your username (the handle you log in with) cannot be changed and stays the same across your account.
- You can upload a custom avatar photo or use Snapchat's Bitmoji feature, and change it as often as you want.
- Your bio is a short text field where you can write anything — Snapchat does not moderate it for content, but other users can report profiles they find offensive.
- You can separately control who can contact you, send you snaps, and see your location through privacy settings in the same menu.
Step-by-step: editing your display name and avatar
Open the Snapchat app and tap your profile icon — it appears as a circle in the top left corner of the camera screen. This takes you to your profile page. Tap the gear icon in the top right to open Settings.
In Settings, tap "Username" to see your login handle (this cannot be changed). Below that, tap "Display Name" to edit what other users see. Type your new name and tap the checkmark to save. You can change your display name as often as you want, and the change takes effect when ready.
To change your avatar, go back to your profile page (tap the back arrow or swipe left). Tap the large circle showing your current avatar. Snapchat will ask whether you want to upload a photo from your phone or use Bitmoji. If you choose Bitmoji, you can customize a cartoon version of yourself; if you upload a photo, select an image from your camera roll. Tap "Done" to confirm.
Adding and updating your bio
Your bio is a short text field on your profile that other users see. From your profile page, tap "Bio" (or the pencil icon next to your display name). Type up to 150 characters — Snapchat will count down as you type. This can be anything: a joke, a quote, your interests, or nothing at all.
Snapchat does not review or filter what you write in your bio before it goes live. Other users can report your profile if they find the content offensive, and Snapchat will review the report. If you want to change your bio later, tap the same field and edit the text.
Controlling who can contact you and see your location
From Settings, tap "Who Can..." to see options for contact and visibility. You can set who can send you snaps, who can message you, and who can see your location. The options are usually "Everyone," "Friends," or "Nobody."
If you set messages to "Friends," only people you have added can message you; others will see a message saying you do not accept messages from them. If you set it to "Nobody," no one can message you at all. These settings do not affect whether people can add you as a friend — that is controlled separately under "Who Can Add Me."
Location sharing is off by default. If you turn it on, only people you have added can see your location, and only if they have also shared their location with you. You can turn location sharing on or off at any time.
What other users actually see on your profile
When someone taps your username or profile link, they see your avatar, display name, bio, and a "Add Friend" or "Message" button depending on whether you are already connected. They can see your Snapchat score (a number based on how active you are) and your best friends list if you have made that public. They cannot see your phone number, email, real name (unless you put it in your display name), or any snaps you have sent — those disappear after they are viewed.
If your account is set to private, people who are not your friends cannot see your story or send you snaps, but they can still see your profile page and your display name. Snapchat does not have a "private account" toggle the way Instagram does; instead, you control access through the "Who Can..." settings.
Removing or hiding your profile information
You can delete your bio by opening the Bio field and clearing all the text. You can change your avatar back to a default image by tapping your avatar and selecting "Remove Avatar" (the exact wording varies by Snapchat version). You cannot delete your display name entirely, but you can change it to a space or a single character.
If you want to hide your profile from specific people, you can block them. Blocked users cannot see your profile, send you snaps, or message you. To block someone, go to their profile, tap the three dots in the top right, and select "Block." You can unblock them the same way if you change your mind.
What happens if you delete your Snapchat account
If you delete your Snapchat account, your profile disappears entirely. Snapchat gives you a 30-day window to change your mind and reactivate the account; after that, the account and all associated data are permanently deleted. During those 30 days, your profile is hidden from other users, but the account still exists in Snapchat's system.
Deleting your account does not remove snaps you have already sent to other people — those remain in their inboxes until they delete them. It also does not remove stories you posted to your story, though they become inaccessible to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my Snapchat username?
No. Your username is the handle you use to log in, and Snapchat does not allow you to change it. You can change your display name (what other users see), but the username stays the same for the life of your account. If you need a different username, you would have to create a new account.
Will people know if I change my display name or avatar?
Snapchat does not send a notification when you change your display name or avatar. People will see the new version the next time they visit your profile, but they will not receive an alert about the change.
Can I make my profile completely private?
You can restrict who can contact you and see your location, but your profile page itself is always visible to anyone who has your username or a link to your profile. You cannot hide your profile from all non-friends the way you can on some other platforms.
What if someone is impersonating me on Snapchat?
Report the account to Snapchat by going to their profile, tapping the three dots, and selecting "Report." Describe the issue and provide details. Snapchat reviews reports and can remove accounts that violate its terms, though the process can take time.
Does editing my profile change my privacy settings with Snapchat itself?
No. Editing your display name, avatar, and bio only changes what other users see on your profile. Your privacy settings with Snapchat — what data the company collects, how it uses your location, and what it shares with advertisers — are controlled separately in Settings under "Privacy" and "Permissions."