Deleting someone on Snapchat removes them from your friends list and stops them from seeing your Stories and messages

When you delete someone on Snapchat, they can no longer send you messages, see your Stories, or view your location if you share it. They won't receive a notification that you deleted them, but if they try to message you afterward, they'll see that the message didn't go through. If they check your profile, they'll notice you're no longer on their friends list.

The person you delete can still add you again later, and you can delete them again if needed. Deleting is different from blocking — blocking prevents someone from contacting you at all, while deleting just removes them from your active friends.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleted contacts won't be notified, but they'll see the change if they try to message you or view your profile.
  • You can delete someone in two taps from your friends list or from within a conversation.
  • Deleting is reversible — the person can add you again, and you can delete them again anytime.
  • Deleted messages and Snaps remain deleted; removing someone from your friends list doesn't recover old conversations.
  • If you want to hide content without deleting, you can hide your Story from specific people instead.

Delete someone from your friends list

Open Snapchat and tap the Friends icon at the bottom of the screen (it looks like a person with a plus sign). Find the person you want to delete and press and hold their name until a menu appears. Tap "Remove Friend" from the options that pop up.

That's the entire process. The person is now removed from your friends list. If you change your mind, you can add them again by searching for their username or Snapcode, just as you would with any new friend.

Delete someone from a conversation

If you're already chatting with someone, you can delete them without going to your full friends list. Open the conversation, then press and hold their name at the top of the chat. A menu will appear with the option to "Remove Friend." Tap it, and they're deleted.

The conversation itself stays in your chat history, but they won't be able to send you new messages. If they try to message you, the message will fail to send on their end.

The difference between deleting and blocking

Deleting removes someone from your friends list, but they can still search for you and add you again. Blocking is stronger — a blocked person cannot find your profile, cannot add you, and cannot see your Stories or location. Blocking is the right choice if you want to prevent someone from contacting you entirely.

To block someone instead of deleting them, press and hold their name and select "Block" from the menu. You can unblock them later from your blocked list in Settings.

What happens to old messages and Snaps

Deleting someone does not delete your message history with them. The conversation stays in your chat list, and you can still read old messages and view old Snaps you sent to each other. However, the person you deleted can no longer send you new messages or see your Stories.

If you want to erase the conversation entirely, you can swipe left on the chat (on iPhone) or press and hold it (on Android) and select "Delete Chat." This removes the conversation from your list, but the other person will still have their copy of the messages.

Hiding your Story from someone without deleting them

If you want to keep someone as a friend but prevent them from seeing your Stories, you don't have to delete them. Open your Story settings by tapping your profile icon, then tap the Settings gear. Go to "Who Can..." and select "View My Story." Choose "Custom" and toggle off the people you want to hide your Story from.

This way, the person remains on your friends list and can still message you, but they won't see your Stories. This is useful if you want to limit what someone sees without fully removing them.

What the other person sees

When you delete someone, they don't get a notification saying you removed them. However, they'll notice the change if they try to message you — their message will fail to send, and they'll see an error. If they visit your profile, they'll see that you're no longer on their friends list.

Some people check their friends list regularly and will notice you're gone. Others may not realize for a while. If they ask why you deleted them, you're not obligated to explain, but you can simply say you're cleaning up your friends list or that you wanted to limit who sees your content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I deleted them?

They won't get a notification, but they'll see the change if they try to message you or check your profile. Some people notice right away; others may not realize for weeks or months.

Can I delete someone and then add them back?

Yes. You can delete someone, and they can add you again later, or you can search for them and add them back yourself. There's no waiting period or limit to how many times you can delete and re-add someone.

Does deleting someone remove old messages?

No. Your conversation history stays in your chat list even after you delete them. You can still read old messages and view old Snaps. The person you deleted can also still see their copy of the conversation on their end.

What's the difference between deleting and blocking?

Deleting removes them from your friends list, but they can still search for you and add you again. Blocking prevents them from finding your profile, messaging you, or seeing your content. Use blocking if you want to prevent someone from contacting you entirely.

Can I hide my Story from someone without deleting them?

Yes. Go to Settings, tap "Who Can..." next to "View My Story," select "Custom," and toggle off the people you want to hide from. They stay on your friends list but won't see your Stories.