Have you received a message from Snapchat stating that your account has been locked? You’re not alone if you’re wondering why your Snapchat account got locked suddenly.
Many Snapchat users have reported that their accounts have been permanently or temporarily banned. This matter can be frustrating, as nobody wants to lose their account, friends, or memories.
In this article, I’ll talk about your Snapchat account getting locked, what you can do, and what you should not do to avoid getting your account locked again.
Why did My Snapchat Account get Locked?
Snapchat is pretty restrictive regarding violating its community guidelines and terms of service. So, your account may have been locked because Snapchat detected a violation.
Violation of any kind usually results in a temporary ban that lasts 24 hours, with a warning message warning the user about a permanent lockdown. Typically, a user is warned three times before their account gets locked permanently.
Suppose the user continues to violate the community guidelines. In that case, similar warnings are given until their account is permanently locked, and they can no longer get it back even after 24 hours. Hence the term “permanent lock.”
If you don’t know why your Snapchat account was banned, here are some of the potential reasons why Snapchat might have locked your account:
- Spamming
- Not verifying your email address or phone number
- Using Third-Party Plugins
- Bullying or Harassing
- Uploading Prohibited Content, etc.
If you think Snapchat falsely locked your account, consider submitting a locked account appeal that I will discuss below.
How to Unlock a Permanently Locked Snapchat Account?
A permanently locked Snapchat account cannot be unlocked anymore. In this case, you can only submit a locked account appeal to Snapchat. Only Team Snapchat can help you unlock a permanently locked Snapchat account.
A locked account appeal can be submitted through the login screen of the Snapchat app. However, it’s possible that you may not get the option to appeal.
To submit a locked account appeal, follow these steps:
- Open the Snapchat app.
- Try to log in from the login screen.
- A pop-up will appear. Tap on the “Appeal Decision” option to submit an appeal.
The submitted appeal can be either successful or unsuccessful.
- A successful appeal means that Snapchat reconsidered its decision and unlocked your account. Snapchat will notify you through an email message.
- An unsuccessful appeal means that Snapchat does not consider your appeal valid and will delete your account. Snapchat will notify you through an email message.
Be Alarmed!
“Some people on social media claim to be able to unlock Snapchat accounts. Whether somebody claims to be an expert hacker or a Snapchat employee, they only lie to scam you and will eventually ask for money.”
Suppose they don’t ask you for money. In that case, they can steal your information, blackmail you, sell your account or information to somebody, or even commit a cybercrime using your account. So avoid giving them your account details.
Because only Team Snapchat can help you unlock your account, sharing your account information with somebody else is always a risky decision, no matter who asks.
What Should You Do If You Can’t Unlock Your Snapchat Account?
Suppose your account is now permanently locked, and the locked account appeal you submitted was also rejected. What should you do now? The only thing you can do now is create a new account or log in to another one.
You can always create a new account on Snapchat if the current one gets locked. But before you jump to creating a new account, you need to understand a number of crucial things. Make sure you read the following guidelines to avoid getting into trouble again.
- Change Your Device
Snapchat may have also banned your device if they locked your account permanently. A device ban by Snapchat means you can no longer use the Snapchat app on that particular device. It doesn’t matter which account you are trying to log into.
So, even if you try to log in to a different account or create a new one, you will not be able to do so. To check whether or not your device is banned, try logging in to or creating a new account on Snapchat and see if you can log in successfully.
If you cannot log in to or create a new account, your device is banned, and you can no longer use Snapchat on it until the ban is lifted. You can do two things in this case: either wait for the device to be unbanned or change your device.
- Wait for the device to be unbanned: A Snapchat device ban is not usually permanent and lasts up to a month or more. You can wait for the device to be unbanned before using the Snapchat app again.
- Change your device: If you don’t want to wait, use another device to continue using the Snapchat services. Just be extra careful with the terms and community guidelines this time.
- Use a Different Username
While creating a new account, you cannot use the username associated with the banned account. Otherwise, you won’t be able to proceed with the account creation process. Choose a username for yourself that doesn’t violate the community guidelines.
- Get Rid of the Third-Party Snapchat Plugins
Snapchat prohibits the use of third-party Snapchat plugins. People who use these plugins are likely to get banned. That’s why removing all the third-party plugins is essential before you create a new Snapchat account or log in to an existing one.
How to Unlock a Temporarily Locked Snapchat Account?
Snapchat usually locks an account temporarily before locking it permanently. If your account was locked temporarily, you can unlock it after 24 hours of ban.
Unlocking a temporarily locked account is simple. All you have to do is open the Snapchat app and tap the “Unlock” button. I advise you to evaluate why your account got locked in the first place before you unlock it.
By doing so, you will be able to avoid any further bans. Remember, the account ban is temporary only the first three times it is locked. After that, your account will be permanently locked.
Snapchat prohibits the use of third-party Snapchat plugins. People who use these plugins are likely to get banned. That’s why removing all the third-party plugins is essential before you create a new Snapchat account or log in to an existing one.
How to Protect Your Snapchat Account from Getting Locked?
There are many community rules that you are supposed to follow on Snapchat. Breaking these rules will get you into trouble. Though breaking a rule for an average user like me isn’t very common, reading the community guidelines at least once is worth the while.
I have prepared a summary of the things that can get your Snapchat account locked and how you can avoid them. You can just skim through it.
Things that Can Get Your Snapchat Account Locked
Not Verifying Your Credentials
Snapchat is known for banning people if their credentials, such as a phone number or email address, are not verified. Snapchat does this to make the community safer. Ensure your account is at least associated with a verified email address or phone number.
Uploading Prohibited Content
Uploading content that violates Snapchat’s community guidelines will get your account banned. While uploading content, make sure you fulfill the following criteria.
Never use, send, upload, or promote:
- Fabricated or False Content: This can include deceptive content about something or someone.
- Hateful or Violent Content: This can include spreading hate and violence towards any religion, race, or group.
- Graphic or Explicit Content: This can include blood, gore, and other graphic or explicit elements.
- Harassful or Threatful Content: This can include content containing someone’s personal information taken without their consent.
- Content containing Illegal or Regulated Activities: This can include illegal sale of drugs or regulated goods.
Logging in Repeatedly
Snapchat can lock your account if it detects any suspicious activity. One of the things that Snapchat considers suspicious is logging in to an account repeatedly over a short period of time.
This can happen if the user forgets the password or tries to log in via different devices. You can use a password manager such as Google Password Manager or save your passwords in a private file to avoid this problem.
Using Third-Party Plugins
As mentioned above, using third-party Snapchat plugins is against Snapchat’s terms. Using any third-party plugin can result in an account ban. Remove all the third-party Snapchat plugins from your device, even if you don’t use them.
Spamming
Spamming is one of the reasons your account can get locked on Snapchat. Spam can take several forms on Snapchat, including:
- Spamming Friend Requests: Spamming friend requests will get your Snapchat account locked. Only send a few friend requests at the same time.
- Employing Spam Bots: Employing spam bots will get you banned very quickly. Some people resort to spam bots to increase their snap score, which has caused much trouble.
Many people have expressed their annoyance at some people using spam bots to send them friend requests and spam snaps. Such people are very likely to get banned.
- Spamming Content or Links: Another kind of spam is sending a YouTube video or similar content (usually with a link) to too many people simultaneously. If you must send something, avoid sending it to a few people.
- Spamming Snaps: Many people don’t know that Snapchat bans people from spamming snaps. Still, most people are able to send hundreds, if not thousands, of snaps to their friends without ever getting penalized. However, it is better to be safe than sorry.
The goal is to avoid being reported by people. This is why you should always ask someone before sending them snaps daily. Otherwise, they can report you if they get irritated.
If you must send tons of snaps, send them only to those you trust, like your siblings or best friends. Otherwise, it is best to send only a few snaps, even if somebody agrees to exchange snaps with you.
Scamming People
Scamming people through any means is forbidden on Snapchat. Whether a user is trying to scam someone, promoting, or helping another user do this, they will be banned.
So avoid participating in any suspicious activities if somebody asks you to. Especially if it’s related to money, property, or someone’s private information, always be extra careful and seek help.
Conclusion
Snapchat can lock your account if it detects a violation of Snapchat’s community guidelines or Terms of Service. To unlock a permanently locked Snapchat account, you can submit a Locked Account Appeal to Team Snapchat. Upon submitting the appeal, Team Snapchat can unlock your account or permanently delete it. Alternatively, you can always create a new account if the older one gets locked forever.
To unlock a temporarily locked account, wait for 24 hours. After that, open the Snapchat app and tap on the unlock button to unlock it.
Make sure you get rid of all the third-party Snapchat plugins before you unlock your temporarily locked account. To avoid getting banned again, follow the community guidelines and terms. Refrain from using unverified credentials, uploading prohibited content, scamming people, or spamming.