How to Make Your Snapchat Account Private

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 4, 2025 Fact Checked

This wikiHow teaches you to change your privacy settings in Snapchat so that only friends you’ve added can communicate with you, receive your snaps, and see your Story.

Steps

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1
Open Snapchat. It’s a yellow app with the outline of a ghost.
- If you aren’t logged into Snapchat, you’ll be prompted to do so.
This will open your profile page.

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It’s in the top right corner of the screen and will open Settings.
It’s under Who Can…
5
Tap My Friends. This ensures only friends you’ve added on Snapchat will be able to contact you with photo and video snaps, chats, and calls.^{[1]
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- If someone you’re not friends with sends you a snap, you’ll get a notification. If you add them as a friend, you’ll be able to see their snap.
It’s in the top left corner of the screen.
It’s under Who Can…
8
Tap My Friends. This ensures only friends you’ve added on Snapchat will be able to see your Story.^{[2]
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- You can also tap Custom to create a list of friends who can see your Story.
It’s under Who Can…^{[3]
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11
Slide the Show me in Quick Add button to the “Off” position. It will turn white. This ensures you won’t be added to the Quick Add section of your friends’ friends.^{[4]
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- With these three settings configured, you’ve set your account to private and only your friends will be able to contact you, view your Story, and add you using Quick Add.^{[5]
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Community Q&A

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Question

How can I prevent people from adding me?

Community Answer

To prevent others from adding you on Snapchat, you should disable Quick Add. Go to your settings, find the "Privacy Controls" or "Who Can..." section, then select "See Me in Quick Add" and toggle it off.

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Question

Can I create an account just for the filters without anyone seeing any of my info?

Community Answer

Yes, just don’t add anyone on a Snapchat and you’ll be fine. Take a picture with filters and save, then you’ll be good to go!

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Question

Is it possible to read people's messages without them knowing?

Community Answer

Yes, you can just press the name and slide across without actually opening the message.

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Tips

Before you join a Group Chat, check who’s in the group by pressing and holding the name of the group in the Chat screen. Even if you choose My Friends in the privacy settings, anyone you’re in a group with will be able to communicate with you in a Group Chat.

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Warnings

If you post snaps to your Story before you change your privacy settings to My Friends, others can still see the snaps you posted before the change.

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