One of the more popular social networks among the younger internet users, Snapchat also has community engagements rules, like other social media platforms, and if you’re breaking one or more of those rules, it’s possible that you might lose access to your account, either temporarily or permanently.

Snapchat usually locks accounts when they detect any activity in your account that doesn’t play by their community guidelines and terms of service and if you want to unlock your account, it’s important to understand why it might’ve been locked. You see, to find a solution, you first need to know the problem.

Now, we’re not going to go through the extensive list of rules that Snapchat has laid out, but only the most common ones that can get your account locked. So, here are four of the most probable reasons you got locked out of the social network and how to unlock your Snapchat account depending on your situation.

Also read: How to block and unblock someone on Snapchat? What blocking entails?

Why is your Snapchat account locked and how to unlock it ASAP?

As mentioned above, there could be a number of reasons your Snapchat account has been locked. Let’s go through them one-by-one and see which one fits your bill.

Spamming or sending unsolicited messages or snaps

Now, if you’ve been spamming someone for whatever reason or sending unsolicited messages and snap, or have been trolling or bullying users in any way that Snapchat considers ‘abusive behaviour‘, then you shouldn’t be surprised that your account has been locked — you deserved it; don’t be a bully.

If you’ve been abusive, your Snapchat account will only be temporarily locked and you can try logging back in after 24 hours. However, if you continue down on the same path that got you locked out of Snapchat in the first place (abusive behaviour/spam) then you might face a permanent ban from Snapchat and your account will be permanently locked.

In any case, if you feel that your account has been locked for an extended period of time and it shouldn’t be, you can try unlocking your Snapchat account here. Alternatively, you can also try going to this link to unlock your Snapchat account and click on the Unlock button as shown in the screenshot below.

Also read: How to change the language on Snapchat?

Using an unauthorised third-party app or plugin

While there are several authorised third-party apps that collaborate with Snapchat, there are dozens of others that are unauthorised and Snapchat will lock your account if you use any of them.

Most of these unauthorised third-party apps require users to input their Snapchat login credentials, instead of using Snap Kit to authenticate user account, and according to the social networking platform, this can put you and your friend’s data and account at risk.

Some of the unauthorised apps include SCOthman, Snapchat++, Sneakaboo, SnapTools and Emulator. There are several others and if you’re using any of them, your Snapchat account can get locked.

If your Snapchat account has been locked because you used an unauthorised app or plugin, then wait for 24 hours before you try to log back into your account. But before you try to log in, make sure that you’ve disconnected or uninstalled the third-party service as repetitive use of such apps and plugins can result in your account getting permanently locked.

You can check out Snapchat’s policy related to third-party apps and plugins here.

Also read: How to cancel Grammarly Premium (paid) subscription?

Account has been compromised and locked for security

Lastly, your Snapchat account can also be locked if the company feels that its security has been compromised.

If you’ve received a message suggesting that your account has been locked for safety because its security might be compromised, you can contact the Snapchat support team here to unlock your Snapchat account.

Unverified email or phone number

If you haven’t verified your email or phone number on your Snapchat account and have added a lot of friends, it’s possible that Snapchat will lock your account temporarily. As mentioned above, temporary lockdowns only last for about 24 hours.

So, you can wait for that period and verify your phone number and email address immediately as soon as you have access to your account and that should unlock your Snapchat account.

These were four of the major reasons that your Snapchat account might be locked and we hope we helped you find relevant information to enable you to unlock your Snapchat account. If you’re still confused and none of the aforementioned issues is impacting your account, you can go through Snapchat’s terms of service here for more details.

Also read: How to deactivate and delete your Snapchat account?