Tips to Prevent Snapchat Account from being Hacked

‘Snapchat’, the most popular image-based social media site is interactive by nature. Therefore, youngsters and teenagers use and like it more than other social services available these days. Snapchat is one of the top social platforms with 319 million daily active users around the globe. This is the reason; the huge user base of this social website is a tempting target for cybercriminals and hackers. Their team of professionals works hard to keep users’ details and accounts protected from any third parties. However, you as a user have a significant role to play in securing your Snapchat account. If you are new to Snapchat and want to enjoy the exciting social features of this platform, here is how to make a public profile on Snapchat and start sharing snaps with your friends.

Hackers and cybercriminals are continuously practicing new tactics to compromise users’ details and accounts. Here in this piece of writing, we will discuss some proven tips to prevent your Snapchat account from being hacked. 

Use Strong and Hard to Guess Unique Password

The use of strong and hard-to-guess passwords should be an important aspect of securing your Snapchat account. When creating a password for your Snapchat account, make sure to keep it long for at least 8 characters using a mix of numbers, letters, and special characters. Also, make sure you are not using the same password for any other app or online account. 

Turn Snapchat 2FA (2-factor authentication) On

After creating an account on Snapchat, the first important thing is to make sure two-factor authentication is activated on your profile. When turned on, 2FA requires the Snapchat users to access a specific app or device to log in. Whenever you want to log in, Snapchat sends an OTP or code to your mobile number to add an extra security layer. 2FA makes the login process less convenient but keeps your account secure and protected. 

To Turn 2-factor authentication on, you need to head to:

• Settings by clicking on the Ghost in your Snapchat App
• Tap on the Settings or ‘Gear’ icon
• Find the ‘Login Verification’ options
• Scroll down to the bottom in the new screen and tap on ‘Continue’
• Here you can select to verify account login via text or an app. 

Set Privacy to Friends Only

It is important to protect what you share on social media even if you are doing it for a few seconds. To make your Snapchat account secure, make sure you are sharing posts only with friends and contacts you trust and are associated with you outside the social media also. Privacy of new Snapchat accounts is set as ‘friends-only’ by default. This means you can only share or see photos of people you have added back. But most users like to share their posts with the public. As a result, anyone can access and see their posts anytime they want. Setting your Snapchat account privacy to ‘friends-only’ is the only way to protect yourself from prying eyes in the world of social media. 

Hide From “Quick Add”

‘Quick Add’ section on Snapchat allows users to connect with the contacts in their phone list. It seems like ‘Suggestions’ feature on Facebook. This feature can open your account to so many individual you may not want to add them into your contacts. You can turn the ‘Quick Add’ feature off on your account to hide yourself from your phone list’s contacts.

To hide yourself from ‘Quick Add’, just go to Settings>See Me in Quick Add> Uncheck the box.

Ignore Random Unknown Requests

As a new user, you may receive add requests from unknown friends. Those add requests can cause serious privacy and security issues. Because when you add someone, he/she can see your posts and stories. Make sure to ignore all unknow and random requests and delete them immediately when you receive them. If you are getting add requests repeatedly from a user, you can block that account on your profile. 

Don’t Interact and Share Personal Information with Strangers on Snapchat

It is always the best idea not to interact with anonymous and strange users. If someone unknown adds you on Snapchat or tries to send you a message, they may be trying to build a bond with you to gain and compromise your personal info later on. Social engineering is a common tactic used by cybercriminals and hackers to divulge your personal and confidential information. If a stranger is trying to get frank with you, simply ignore them and block on Snapchat. 

Download Latest App Updates

Using the latest version of the Snapchat app is very much important to keep your account and information protected from cybercriminals. Software and apps are updated by companies on a regular basis to fix bugs and security flaws. Installing the latest Snapchat app update can help you prevent hacking attacks and credential compromising so you can enjoy a better experience without facing security and privacy issues.

Final Words

Above mentioned tips can help you stay safe and protected when using Snapchat to connect and communicate with your family and friends. You should also limit the information and details you share with other users using Snapchat. Also make sure to keep your personal details up-to-date and accurate on your account so you can recover it conveniently in case anything unexpected happens.