Snapchat, like Instagram, Whatsapp, and Facebook, is a widely used social media platform. But what sets it apart from the rest is that you may transmit films and photographs to other users that will vanish shortly after you send them.
Furthermore, the Snapchat app provides an intuitive and simple experience, and people generally enjoy using it— they can interact with each other in a variety of ways, keep streaks, send each other pictures and videos, create creative content using the app’s various filters, and even share snaps and stories outside of the app.
As a result, when hundreds of Snapchat users began receiving messages stating that their accounts had been temporarily or permanently locked a few months ago, it sparked fury on social media, as viewing this message is far from pleasant.
Indeed, we realize how aggravating it is to discover that your Snapchat account has been locked!
So, if you’ve been in this circumstance and you’re a frequent Snapchat user, being locked out of your account will definitely irritate you a little more than it will people whose Snapchat game is embarrassingly poor. This is because it may detract from your enjoyment of life, and in the worst-case situation, you may lose all of your hard-won streaks.
But don’t be concerned! There are several options available to you for resolving this issue. While it may be reassuring to know that Snapchat users are frequently locked out of their accounts for only a few hours, it is still possible to be locked out of Snapchat for a lengthy amount of time or even permanently.
So, cross your fingers, hope for the best, and be ready for the worse!
Let’s jump right into everything you need to know and do if your Snapchat account has been locked:
What Causes a Snapchat Account to Be Locked, and How Can You Tell What Type of Snapchat Account Is Locked?
First and foremost, if your Snapchat account has been locked, it is most likely because Snapchat has discovered some conduct on your account that is in violation of Snapchat’s Terms of Service | Community Guidelines.
So, if you disobey the rules, Snapchat can lock your account either momentarily, permanently, or for a specific length of time if your account appears to be compromised, as indicated above.
In brief, the goal of locking a Snapchat account in any of the areas listed below is to maintain the service exciting and safe for all users.
Your Snapchat Account Has Been Temporarily Locked—Category 1
If you see a message that says “your Snapchat account has been temporarily locked so, please wait for at least 24 hours and then try logging in again” or this full error message, “Oh No! Your Snapchat account has been temporarily locked so, please wait for at least 24 hours and then try logging in again,” or if you see a message saying “your Snapchat account has been temporarily locked so, please wait for at least 24 hours and then trying to log in again,” or if you see a message that says ” You have been temporarily locked out of your account. If you go to https://www.snapchat.com/locked for more information on why this happened, it implies you’re temporarily locked out of your account.
Your Snapchat Account Has Been Permanently Locked—Category 2
If you go to the Snapchat login page to log in and instead get a message that says “Snapchat support staff will not be able to unlock it for you,” it means it’s been permanently locked.
Category 3: Your Snapchat account has been disabled due to a security breach—
When you try to log in to your account but get a notice saying “contact our support team here and complete out the form,” you should contact them. We’ll contact you via email,” you should be aware that your account may have been compromised, which is why it has been locked.
You’re probably wondering why my Snapchat account gets locked now that you’ve identified the type of your restricted Snapchat account.
If that’s the case, know that because some users are notified that their accounts are temporarily restricted, while others are notified that their accounts are permanently locked, it’s impossible to pinpoint the specific reason why this occurs.
There are, however, a slew of frequent reasons why a Snapchat account can be locked— that is, why a user might be unable to access the app.
What Happens If Your Snapchat Account Is Locked?
The following is a list of causes for a temporarily or permanently locked Snapchat account, based only on Snapchat:
Using Third-Party Plugins and Apps
The first reason for this is that you may have accessed Snapchat or Snapchat services through an unauthorized third-party program, plugin, or tweak.
Some apps and plugins are approved by Snapchat, while others are not. If you use unapproved Snapchat programs or plugins, such as “SCOthman, Phantom, Sneakaboo, SnapTools, Emulator, and Snapchat++,” your account may be compromised, and you may receive the message “We are sorry, we were unable to process your request” when attempting to log in.
Spam, Abuse, Adult Content, and Other Unsolicited Messages Involved
If you send spam, upload adult content, or abuse the platform or another Snapchat user, this undesirable, unexpected, and unaccepted behavior may result in your account being temporarily frozen or, in severe cases, permanently banned.
Suspicious behavior, including the use of “bots”
You can also be blocked as a result of conduct that Snapchat deems suspect, such as adding too many friends in a short period of time or sending bulk direct messages without first verifying your email or phone number. This includes the use of third-party “bots” to take over your Snapchat account and do things on your behalf in an automated manner.
For An Unknown Location Or Device, Login to Snapchat
Last but not least, this cause for your account being locked out isn’t entirely awful. Snapchat ensures the security of all of its users’ accounts, and in doing so, it frequently keeps track of the device and location from which a user typically checks in.
As a result, whenever an unusual login attempt is made from a new (unknown) device or location, Snapchat is notified, and if it detects that an IP address or device has successfully logged into your account, it places a “protective lock” on the account on the user’s behalf to prevent any further damage or compromises.
So, these are the main reasons why a Snapchat user’s account could be locked.
Before attempting to unlock a locked Snapchat account, try these things first.
After reading the above arguments, you must believe that now is the time to understand how to unlock a locked Snapchat account when it occurs!
However, this isn’t the case because there are a few things you should do first before attempting to unlock your Snapchat account, which is as follows:
Remove all Snapchat plugins and apps from third-party websites.
If your Snapchat account has been temporarily locked due to the use of unauthorized plugins and third-party apps associated with Snapchat, you will receive a notification stating that your account has been temporarily locked and that you should uninstall these apps and plugins before attempting to unlock it.
[Note: If you don’t respond in a timely manner, you may receive another report, and if you send three reports in a row, Snapchat will unintentionally block your account.]
As a result, it’s best to avoid accessing your Snapchat account before removing any plugins or apps that haven’t been approved by the Snapchat platform.
Install Snapchat again.
You might also want to consider reinstalling the Snapchat app on your phone. Because doing so will also remove all of the data that you had no idea was prompting the app to display the ‘Locked Account’ notification when you try to log in to your Snapchat account.
It’s worth mentioning, though, that if Snapchat has suspended or locked your account because it believes you’ve broken its rules or Terms of Service, reinstalling the Snapchat app won’t assist you much.
Reset Your Phone Using Force
Because of a temporary issue, you may get the ‘Locked Account’ error message on your screen while seeking to log in to your Snapchat account. As a result, it is suggested that you execute a hard reset on your Android or iPhone to try to eliminate any such problem as a possible cause of your incapacity to access your Snapchat account.
Contact Snapchat’s Customer Service Department.
Undoubtedly, contacting Snapchat’s customer service is the quickest way to learn more about the reasons why your account was locked, as well as to determine whether you will be able to regain access to your account in the future and, if so, how long it will take, as well as the methods you can use to try to get your account unlocked again!
You’ve finally reached the point where you’re ready to reclaim your restricted Snapchat account. So, let’s get deeper into it—
How Do I Unlock A Snapchat Account That Has Been Temporarily Locked?
There are two ways to unlock your Snapchat account if it has been temporarily locked.
Method 1: Go to the Unlock Page
- If your account is temporarily locked, simply go to “https://accounts.snapchat.com/accounts/unlock” – “Unlock Page link” in your preferred web browser.
- When you get there, the first thing you’ll need to do is input your Snapchat account’s ‘Username or Email.’
- After that, you must also enter your account’s ‘Password.’
- After that, you must verify your identity by checking the ‘I’m not a robot checkbox.
- Tap the ‘Log-in’ button once you’ve done that.
- Finally, to gain access to your account, pick the ‘Unlock’ option.
- Alternatively, you can use the Snapchat app to log back in.
- If the period of the ban time that has passed is adequate, you will receive a confirmation notice that your Snapchat account has been unlocked; if not, you will have to try again in a few hours.
Method 2: Get in touch with Snapchat’s customer service team.
- If you’re unable to log back into your account after 24 hours using the aforementioned technique, go to “https://support.snapchat.com/en-US/i-need-help” and contact Snapchat to have your account unlocked.
- Click or press the ‘I can’t access my account’ option on the Snapchat Customer Support website. It’s the first choice, right beneath “How can we assist you?”
- Another set of alternatives will display under the “Oh no! Tell us more” area once you do so. You only need to select the ‘I believe my account has been hacked’ option from the list of alternatives.
- Then, click or tap the ‘Yes’ button next to the “Need Help with something else?” option at the bottom of the page. A ‘Form’ will appear on the screen, which you may fill out with your login, email address, and phone number.
- You must also type an email message to describe your position, such as why your account was frozen, and to guarantee that you would now adhere to the Snapchat service’s terms of service more strictly.
- Finally, simply click or tap the ‘Send’ option to send an email to Snapchat pleading with them to unlock your account.
How Do I Unlock A Snapchat Account That Has Been Locked Because It Has Been Compromised?
- If your Snapchat account has been locked because you believe your account security has been breached, you should contact Snapchat’s customer service staff right once at https://support.snapchat.com/en-US/i-need-help?start=5145405817880576.
- When you get there, go to the “What can we help you with?” area and click or tap the ‘I think my account was compromised’ option.
- After that, Snapchat will prompt you to contact customer service by filling out the form on the screen with the following information:
- What information do we need to know? [In this section, you can go into as much detail as possible about your problem, such as why you believe your account has been hacked and so on.]
- Simply click or tap the ‘Send’ button once you’ve completed the form.
- Now, wait for a positive response from Snapchat customer service on unlocking your account and gaining access to it.
How Do I Unlock A Snapchat Account That Has Been Locked Forever?
Unfortunately, if your Snapchat account has been permanently locked by the platform, Snapchat will not be able to unlock it for you, no matter how many times you try.
Instead, if your old account was permanently locked, you’ll have to register a new Snapchat account with a new email address and/or phone number in order to use Snapchat again.
Make Your Own Snapchat Account
To establish a new Snapchat account, simply follow the procedures outlined below—
Step 1: First, launch the Snapchat app on your phone by pressing on its icon.
Step 2: Next, on the screen that comes in front of you, touch the ‘Sign up’ option.
Step 3: After that, you’ll be asked to fill in the blank spaces with your ‘First and Last Name.’ However, keep in mind that you can alter your first and last names whenever you choose.
Step 4: After inputting your name, simply tap the blue ‘Sign-Up & Accept’ button at the bottom of the screen.
Step 5: After that, you must also enter your ‘Birthday,’ since Snapchat will be tailored to commemorate your birthday every year.
Step 6: Once you’ve input your birthdate, go to the bottom of the screen and tap the ‘Continue’ option.
Step 7: You’ll now see your username if you continue. You’ll find that Snapchat has assigned you an automatically generated username, but you can alter it if you like.
To do so, go to the bottom of the screen and press the ‘Change my Username’ option.
Alternatively, if Snapchat does not make one for you, you can build one yourself.
Step 8: After that, tap ‘Continue’ once more to continue with the process.
Step 9: Now you must create a password for your newly created Snapchat account. Simply type a ‘Password’ (at least 8 characters) in the blank box provided and then press the ‘Continue’ button.
Step 10: Finally, you must provide your phone number. You’ll receive a verification code by SMS after providing your phone number, which you’ll use to confirm the establishment of your account.
If you prefer to use your email address instead, simply touch ‘Sign up with email’ and enter your email address to receive the verification code through email.
Step 11: After you’ve verified your account, simply tap the ‘Continue’ button at the bottom of the screen.
Before we wrap off this article, it’s worth noting that there are several precautions you may take to avoid having your Snapchat account locked, either temporarily or permanently.
How Can I Prevent My Snapchat Account From Being Locked in the Future?
You should consider satisfying these requirements to prevent your Snapchat account from being locked unnecessarily and suddenly.
To ensure that you are a real, authentic Snapchat user and to appear more trustworthy on the Snapchat platform, you should validate your email address and phone number.
Only use Snapchat-approved plugins and apps, not those that are most likely unapproved and in violation of Snapchat’s terms of service.
Never deviate from the platform’s laws and regulations.
Don’t participate in any questionable conduct that violates Snapchat’s community guidelines.
Last but not least, keep your Snapchat account’s password unpredictable and secure by using a passphrase and a mix of random characters so that no one can easily guess it and undermine the security of your account.
So, these are the best methods for avoiding potential problems and, of course, unneeded locks.
Final Thoughts
That concludes our discussion. If your Snapchat account was locked, maybe you obtained enough information on why it was locked and how to unlock a temporary and compromised locked account rather than a permanently locked account. Aside from that, remember the preventive actions we recommended because prevention is always preferable to cure.
