Snapchat Privacy Settings: Who Can Contact You, See Your Story, and How to Control Ads

Does this match what you see?

• People you haven’t added are sending you Snaps or Chats.
• The “Everyone” option for who can contact you has disappeared.
• You want to hide your Story from certain friends.
• Ads seem to know what you did on other apps or websites.

iPhone & iPadAndroid

Based on Snapchat Support privacy, contact, Quick Add, ads and in-app browser articles supplied by the site owner. Some menu names differ between iPhone and Android.

Why this happens: the possible causes

Each setting and where Snapchat puts it.

• They’re in your phone’s contactsCheck this first

  Snapchat says you may see messages from people in your phone’s Contacts if they reach out before adding you.

• You’re in a group with themCheck this first

  Snapchat says even on Friends-only, anyone in a group with you can still message you in that Group Chat.

How to fix it, step by step

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.

Every Snapchat privacy setting, explained

Snapchat lists these under Settings > App & Privacy:

• Who Can See My Location: who sees you on Snap Map. Snapchat says your location isn’t shared until you open the Map for the first time. See Snap Map and Ghost Mode.
• Who Can See Me In Find Friends (formerly Quick Add): Snapchat says changes can take up to 72 hours. See Find Friends.
• Who Can Use My Bitmoji Avatar: who can use your Bitmoji in Friendmoji stickers and Bitmoji Stories.
• Mutual Friends: whether to show your mutual friends list or appear in friends’ lists. See mutual friends.
• Who Can Generate with My Selfie (under My App > My Selfie): who can generate with your Selfie.
• Activity Indicator: whether others can see that you’ve been active on Snapchat recently.

Control how ads are targeted

Snapchat says turning these off won’t stop ads, but they may be less relevant. You may still get ads based on what you tell Snapchat and what you do in Snapchat, like which Stories you watch.

Ad Preferences

iPhone: Settings ⚙️ > My Account > under Manage My Account, Ad Preferences. Android: Settings ⚙️ > My Account > under Manage My Account, Ads > Ad Preferences. Then turn off (iPhone) or uncheck (Android):

• Audience-Based: ads targeted using audience lists advertisers and partners share with Snap, like a musician’s mailing list.
• Activity-Based: ads based on what you do outside Snapchat, like searching for a movie on a website that shares data with Snap.
• Third-Party Ad Networks: Snapchat says it shares limited data, such as your IP address, Mobile Ad ID and whether you saw or interacted with an ad, with other ad networks.

Lifestyle & Interests and Ad Topics

Snapchat says it tries to guess your Lifestyle Categories (for example “Automotive Enthusiast”), and you can turn them on or off. Ad Topics let you see fewer political, alcohol and gambling ads. iPhone: Settings > App & Privacy > My App > under Customize My App, Lifestyle & Interests. Android: Settings > My Account > Manage My Account > Ads > Lifestyle & Interests. Tap a category or topic to turn it on or off.

iPhone tracking prompt

Snapchat says it shows Apple’s App Tracking Transparency prompt before using your data in ways your choice affects, and you can turn tracking off any time in your iPhone settings. It notes Apple’s Tracking setting doesn’t cover third-party app and website data used on your device; to control that, turn off Activity-Based ads as above.

Report an ad: press and hold it (or tap the three dots while viewing) > Report Ad. See report on Snapchat.

US state privacy rights (including California)

• Snapchat says it doesn’t sell or “share” your data as those state laws define it.
• Opt out of targeted ads: Snapchat says everyone can do this by turning off Activity-Based ads (see ad preferences).
• California only, “Request to Limit”: to limit Snapchat’s use of sensitive personal information (such as precise location, if you allowed it) to basic, necessary services: Settings ⚙️ > Privacy Controls (Android: Privacy Control) > California Privacy Choices > turn on Limit the Use of Sensitive Personal Information. Snapchat says you’ll still see ads, but they may be less relevant, and you can turn it off again later.

Remove ads completely

Snapchat says the Snapchat+ Platinum monthly plan removes ads, though you may still see sponsored places and My AI responses. Our note: it’s a paid subscription; check the price in the app before you subscribe.

In-app browser: Recent Pages and saved cards

• Allow Recent Pages: Snapchat says when it’s on, it saves the pages you visit in Snapchat’s in-app browser so you can revisit them, and uses your activity on advertisers’ and partners’ websites to measure and personalize ads and content. It says the ad use doesn’t apply to under-18 accounts in the EEA, UK and Switzerland.
• Saved cards (iPhone): Snapchat says it doesn’t store card details; they’re kept in your iCloud Keychain for autofill, and you can manage them in the Snapchat app or in iOS Settings. In Snapchat: Settings > Browser Settings (under Additional Services) > Payment Info, then add a card or tap one to edit or delete it. If you’ve uninstalled Snapchat, Snapchat says you can delete them by erasing your iPhone’s content and settings (subject to Apple’s iOS changes).
• Our note: erasing an iPhone wipes everything, so back up first. It’s easier to remove cards while Snapchat is still installed.

How to know it worked

• Your choices show in Settings > App & Privacy and Ad Preferences.

Still not working? Your next steps

1. Someone is harassing you? See report someone on Snapchat and block someone. Worried about your location? See Snap Map and Ghost Mode.

Frequently asked questions