What blocking Snapchat means and why you might do it
Blocking Snapchat means preventing the app from running on your device or preventing specific people from contacting you through it. The method depends on what you want to stop: you might want to block the app entirely so it cannot open, block one person's messages, or prevent Snapchat from using your phone's camera and location. Each approach works differently and takes a few minutes.
Parents often block Snapchat to prevent children from using it unsupervised. Adults block it to reduce distractions during work or study. Some people block specific contacts after arguments or to stop unwanted messages. Understanding which type of block you need makes the process straightforward.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking one person on Snapchat prevents them from viewing your story, sending you messages, or seeing your location, but they can create a new account to contact you again.
- Deleting the Snapchat app removes it from your phone but does not prevent reinstalling it later unless you use parental controls.
- Parental control apps and device settings let you prevent Snapchat from opening at all, which works better for blocking access than deleting the app alone.
- On iPhone, Screen Time can restrict Snapchat; on Android, Family Link or third-party parental controls can do the same.
- Blocking someone on Snapchat does not delete your chat history with them, but they cannot see when you are online or view your Snapcode.
How to block one person on Snapchat
Open Snapchat and go to your chat list. Find the person you want to block, press and hold their name, and tap "Block" from the menu that appears. On some versions, you may see "More" or three dots — tap that first, then select "Block." The person is now blocked: they cannot send you messages, see your story, or view your location on the map feature.
A blocked person can still see old messages you sent before the block, but they cannot reply to them. They also cannot find your Snapcode (the unique code that lets people add you quickly). If they create a new account, they can add you again unless you block that account too. Blocking is not permanent — you can unblock someone by going to Settings, selecting "Blocked," finding their name, and tapping "Unblock."
Deleting the Snapchat app versus blocking it entirely
Deleting the app from your phone removes it from your home screen and stops notifications, but it does not prevent you or someone else from downloading it again later. If you delete Snapchat and then reinstall it, your account and chat history remain — Snapchat stores everything on its servers, not just on your phone.
If you want to prevent Snapchat from being installed or opened at all, deleting alone is not enough. You need to use parental controls on your device or install a third-party app blocker. This is especially important if you are trying to keep a child from using Snapchat, because a determined user can straightforward reinstall it from the app store.
Using iPhone Screen Time to block Snapchat
On iPhone, open Settings and tap "Screen Time." If you have not set it up, tap "Turn On Screen Time" and choose whether this is your device or a child's device. If it is a child's device, you will set a Screen Time passcode that they cannot change.
Once Screen Time is on, tap "App Limits" and then "Add Limit." Search for Snapchat and select it. Set the time limit to zero minutes — this prevents the app from opening at all. You can also go to "Allowed Apps" and uncheck Snapchat to remove it from the allowed list. Either method stops Snapchat from running, though the app itself remains on the phone and can be reinstalled if someone knows your passcode.
Using Android Family Link to block Snapchat
On Android, Google's Family Link is the built-in parental control tool. The parent sets up Family Link on their own phone, then adds the child's device. Open Family Link on your phone, select the child's account, and tap "Apps." Find Snapchat in the list and toggle it off. This hides the app and prevents it from opening.
Family Link also lets you set screen time limits and see which apps are installed. Unlike Screen Time on iPhone, Family Link requires the child's device to be linked to a Google Family account, which is set up during device setup or in Settings under "Accounts." If the child's device is not linked to a Family account, you will need to set that up first before Family Link can control apps.
Third-party app blockers and their limits
Apps like AppBlock, Freedom, and Cold Turkey let you block Snapchat on both iPhone and Android without using built-in parental controls. You set a schedule or time limit, and the app prevents Snapchat from opening during those times. Some let you block apps when ready with a single tap.
Third-party blockers work well for adults managing their own distractions, but they are less reliable for parental control because a determined user can uninstall them or restart the phone to bypass the block. They also require you to trust the app developer with access to your phone's activity. For parental control, the built-in tools (Screen Time and Family Link) are stronger because they require a passcode to disable.
Blocking Snapchat permissions on your device
Even if Snapchat is installed, you can prevent it from accessing your camera, location, contacts, and microphone. On iPhone, go to Settings, scroll to Snapchat, and toggle off the permissions you want to block. On Android, go to Settings, tap "Apps," find Snapchat, select "Permissions," and toggle each permission off.
Blocking permissions does not stop Snapchat from opening, but it stops the app from using your camera for video calls or stories, from tracking your location, or from reading your contacts to suggest friends. This is useful if you want to keep Snapchat installed but limit what it can do with your phone's hardware and data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone see that I blocked them on Snapchat?
Snapchat does not send a notification saying you blocked someone. However, they will notice they cannot message you, see your story, or find your profile. They may figure out they are blocked, but Snapchat does not explicitly tell them.
If I block Snapchat with Screen Time, can I still receive notifications?
No. If you set the app limit to zero minutes, Snapchat cannot open and will not send notifications. The app is completely blocked until you change the Screen Time setting or enter your passcode to override it temporarily.
Will blocking Snapchat delete my account or chat history?
Blocking the app or blocking a person does not delete your account or messages. Your account stays active on Snapchat's servers. If you want to delete your account entirely, you must go to snapchat.com, log in, and request account deletion — the app itself does not have a delete account option.
What happens if someone I blocked creates a new Snapchat account?
They can add you again with the new account unless you block that account too. Snapchat does not prevent someone from creating multiple accounts. If someone is harassing you, blocking each new account as it appears is the only option within Snapchat itself.
Does blocking Snapchat on my phone stop it from working on other devices?
No. Blocking Snapchat on your iPhone does not affect your iPad or computer. Parental controls and app blockers only work on the device where you set them up. If you want to block Snapchat across multiple devices, you need to set up controls on each one separately.