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

When you delete someone from Snapchat, they can no longer see your Stories or send you Snaps directly — but they can still search for you and add you again. The person you delete does not receive a notification that you removed them, though they may notice they can no longer view your content. If you want to block someone instead (which prevents them from finding you at all), that is a separate, stronger action.

Deleting is the right choice when you want to clean up your friends list, stop seeing someone's Stories, or create distance without making a dramatic statement. Blocking is better if someone is harassing you or you want to prevent them from contacting you entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleted friends can still search for you and add you again, unlike blocked users.
  • The person you delete will not see a notification, but they will notice they cannot view your Stories anymore.
  • You can delete someone in two taps from your friends list or from inside a conversation.
  • If you delete someone by mistake, you can add them back the same way you add any new friend.
  • Blocking is permanent until you unblock; deleting is temporary and reversible.

Delete someone from your friends list on iPhone or Android

Open Snapchat and tap the friends icon at the bottom left of the screen (it looks like a person with a plus sign). This opens your friends list. Scroll down until you find the person you want to remove.

Press and hold their name for about one second. A menu will pop up with options. Tap Remove Friend. That is it — they are now deleted from your friends list.

If you do not see the friends icon at the bottom, you may be on the camera screen. Swipe left or tap the menu icon in the top left corner to navigate to the friends section.

Delete someone from a conversation

If you have been messaging back and forth with someone, you can delete them directly from that chat. Open Snapchat and go to the Chat tab (the speech bubble icon at the bottom). Find the conversation with the person you want to remove.

Press and hold the conversation name. A menu will appear. Tap More (the three dots), then select Remove Friend. The conversation will stay in your chat list, but they will no longer be on your friends list and cannot send you new Snaps.

What happens after you delete someone

Once you delete someone, they lose the ability to view your Stories or send you Snaps. Any Snaps you sent them before the deletion remain on their phone — deleting someone does not erase past messages. If they try to send you a Snap after you delete them, it will not go through.

The person can still see your username if they search for you, and they can add you again whenever they want. If you want to prevent them from finding you at all, you need to block them instead. Blocking is stronger: a blocked person cannot search for you, cannot see your profile, and cannot add you unless you unblock them first.

The difference between deleting and blocking

Deleting removes someone from your friends list but leaves the door open for them to add you again. Blocking prevents them from finding you, viewing your profile, or contacting you in any way. A blocked person will see an error message if they try to add you or search for your username.

Use delete when you straightforward want to stop seeing someone's content or reduce your friends list. Use block when someone is bothering you, you want to cut off all contact, or you need to prevent them from viewing anything about you. You can block someone by pressing and holding their name and selecting Block instead of Remove Friend.

Add someone back if you deleted them by mistake

If you delete someone and change your mind, adding them back is straightforward. Open Snapchat and tap the friends icon. Tap the Add Friends button (the plus sign). Search for their username or scan their Snapcode, then tap Add.

They will not know you deleted them in the first place — from their perspective, you straightforward removed them and then added them again. There is no record of the deletion, and your chat history will still be there once you add them back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will they know I deleted them?

No, they will not receive a notification. However, they may notice they can no longer view your Stories or send you Snaps. If they try to message you and the Snap does not go through, they may figure it out.

Can I delete someone without them seeing it?

Yes. Snapchat does not send notifications when you delete someone. The deletion is silent — they only discover it if they notice they cannot view your content or if they try to send you a message that fails.

What is the difference between deleting and unfriending?

On Snapchat, deleting and unfriending mean the same thing. Both remove the person from your friends list and prevent them from viewing your Stories or sending you direct Snaps.

If I delete someone, do my old messages disappear?

No. Any Snaps or messages you sent before the deletion stay on their phone. Deleting someone only stops future communication — it does not erase the past.

Can I delete someone and then add them back later?

Yes, you can add them back anytime by searching for their username or scanning their Snapcode. They will not be notified about the deletion or the re-addition.