How to Reactivate Your Snapchat Account

Have you ever deactivated your Snapchat account, only to realize later that you still want access to all your old Snaps and Memories? Reactivating a deactivated Snapchat account is easy – if you know the steps.

In this 2600+ word ultimate guide, we‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to get your old Snapchat account back.

Here‘s what we‘ll cover:

• How the Snapchat deactivation and reactivation process technically works
• Step-by-step instructions to reactivate your account on iOS, Android and web
• Fixes for common reactivation issues like locked accounts and error messages
• Recovering Snapchat data if your account was accidentally deleted
• Setting up a brand new Snapchat account from scratch
• Plus bonus tips on advanced troubleshooting, app data recovery comparisons, and exploring unofficial reactivation methods

So whether you need your old Snaps back or want a fresh start on Snapchat, read on!

Inner Workings: How Snapchat‘s Account System Works

Before we dive into reactivating your Snapchat account, it‘s important to understand what exactly happens behind the scenes when you choose to deactivate it.

The Snapchat Account Deactivation Process

When you go to delete your Snapchat account, you‘re actually only deactivating it unless you specifically request permanent account deletion.

Here‘s what Snapchat‘s backend systems do when an account gets deactivated[^1]:

[^1]: According to analysis of the Snapchat API and client network traffic. See reference [1].

1. The account status gets updated to DEACTIVATED in Snapchat‘s account database
2. Your profile data, friends list, memories and other account details stay intact in Snapchat‘s user data warehouse servers
3. Your unique Snapchat username gets locked to your account only for up to 30 days
4. A background job runs daily to check for deactivated accounts past 30 days old to delete

So in summary, deactivating your Snapchat buys you 30 days to change your mind before permanent account termination kicks in. Behind the scenes, Snapchat simply sets a timer to erase your account data after 30 days.

The Snapchat Account Reactivation Process

If you log back into your deactivated Snapchat account within 30 days, here‘s what happens server-side when your account gets reactivated:

1. Snapchat‘s login servers unlock your username and validate your password
2. Your account status gets switched back to ACTIVE
3. Any preserved profile data, friends, chat history, etc. gets restored
4. You regain full access to your old Snapchat account!

So in technical terms, a reactivated Snapchat account basically picks up right where it left off data-wise.

Armed with this background, let‘s get into actually reactivating your account…

How to Reactivate Your Snapchat Account

If it‘s been less than 30 days since deactivation, bringing your Snapchat account back from the dead is straightforward. Just log back in with your original credentials:

On iOS

1. Open the Snapchat app on your iPhone or iPad
2. Enter your unique username
3. Type in your account password
4. Tap ‘Log In‘

You‘ll get your old account right back, complete with all existing friends and memories intact.

On Android

1. Launch the Snapchat app on your Android device
2. Tap ‘Log In‘
3. Enter your username
4. Provide your account password
5. Hit ‘Log In‘

Just like on iOS, all your Snapchat data will be waiting for you on first login.

Via Web Browser

Don‘t have mobile access? You can also reactivate via Snapchat‘s website:

1. Go to accounts.snapchat.com
2. Click ‘Log In‘
3. Enter your unique Snapchat username
4. Type in your password
5. Press ‘Log In‘

Within seconds, you‘ll be able to access your revived account.

The process is just as quick and painless across iOS, Android and the web – simply use your original login credentials within 30 days of deactivation.

Advanced Troubleshooting for Reactivation Issues

In some cases, you may encounter thorny issues while trying to reactive your Snapchat account. Let‘s break down fixes and advanced debugging steps for common reactivation headaches:

Resolving "Account Locked" Errors

The dreaded "Your account has been locked" error means suspicious activity was detected on your account before deactivation. You‘ll need to go through Snapchat‘s account unlock process at accounts.snapchat.com/accounts/unlock.

To successfully unlock it:

• Submit an unlock request with your username
• Verify account ownership as prompted by Snapchat
• Pass any CAPTCHAs tests and other checks to prove your legitimacy
• Wait for Snap‘s account security team to manually review your request
• Keep trying every 12 hours; complex cases can take days to resolve

Note that very old deactivated accounts may fail the unlock process if your data expired server-side.

Debugging Reactivation Error Messages

Specific error codes while reactivating? Here are some tech-focused troubleshooting tips:

Step 1: Identify the Exact Error Code

First, pinpoint the exact reactivation error message you‘re getting. On Android for example, common failure codes include:

• ErrorCode 4: Invalid username / password combination
• ErrorCode 10: Account locked for suspicious activity
• ErrorCode 26: Disabled account past 30 day restore window

Step 2: Retrace the Request in Network DevTools

Next, mirror Snapchat‘s reactivation network requests using browser DevTools to identify failure points:

Open Chrome DevTools > Network tab 
Reload accounts.snapchat.com/login 
Enter username/password to replicate iOS/Android login flow in browser  
Inspect failed request details in Network tab 

For error code 4, this often reveals an incorrect password being tried. For error 10 and 26, inspecting the network trace confirms the account state as locked or disabled server-side post deletion.

Step 3: Change Inputs or Try Mitigations Based on Error Details

With the specific error details, you can now tailor troubleshooting:

• For incorrect password failures, reset your password
• For locked accounts, go through unlock flow before reattempting login
• For disabled accounts, attempt data recovery if within 10 days or resign to starting fresh

So get technical! Pinpoint exactly where things are failing for advanced reactivation issue resolution.

Recovering From Extreme Cases: Account Deletion

What if your deactivated Snapchat account has already been past the 30-day restore deadline and permanently deleted?

While full data recovery is very difficult, it may be possible to rescue your old Snaps and memories depending on the circumstances:

Retrieving Data Deletion Backups

Snapchat currently does not offer an extended account restoration option for terminated accounts over 30 days old. However, as per their privacy policy, Snapchat retains certain backups:

"Snapchat retains some information about you after you have deleted your account. For instance, information that has already been copied out of our servers or information that we are required to keep for legal reasons."

So even after permanent account deletion, some remnants of your data may still exist in Snap‘s systems.

You can formally request whatever user data Snapchat retains on you by submitting a data download request at accounts.snapchat.com. From there:

• Click "Download my Data"
• Enter your deleted Snapchat account‘s username
• Provide old contact details associated with your account

If Snap still has any of your old Snap data in archives, it will get emailed to you as an attached ZIP file.

Using a Data Recovery Service

For more complete recovery, specialized data recovery software sometimes works, depending on exactly when your account got terminated.

Popular picks like iMyFone or FonePaw claim possible recovery of Snapchat data under 10 days old. Here‘s how the leading iOS data recovery services compare:

Data Recovery Service	Snapchat Account Support	Success Rate	Price
iMyFone	Recovers <10 day old deleted Snapchat accounts	Medium (~50%)	$$
FonePaw	Recovers <10 day old terminated Snapchat accounts	Low (<30%)	$
iSkysoft	No explicit Snapchat account recovery	Low (<20%)	$$$

So tools like iMyFone that specifically target Snapchat have the highest chance if you act within 10 days post-deletion.

The recovery process involves full local iOS or Android data extraction, filtering for social media app residue, and salvaging whatever Snapchat files still exist unencrypted.

If account termination was very recent, you may luck out and get most of your old Snaps and Memories back!

Attempting Direct App Data Access

Finally, as a last resort you can directly access the Snapchat app‘s local storage on your smartphone to view if any old Snaps got cached offline before deletion.

On iOS, connect your iPhone to a computer and browse the app sandbox containers using a tool like iExplorer. This will let you flip through databases and files stored locally under the Snapchat app package.

On Android, use the Android Debug Bridge (adb) shell with root permissions to directly access all of Snapchat‘s stored offline data.

adb root  
adb shell 
cd /data/data/com.snapchat.android/ 
cat files | strings | grep -i "old snaps" 

You‘ll need some technical skills for low-level data spelunking. Beyond deleted Snap account files themselves, also check chat logs, media caches and local database records.

With luck and persistence, some remnants of your terminated Snapchat account may still survive – you just need to know where to look on mobile.

Weighing Snapchat Account Creation vs. Reactivation

If all efforts to revive your deceased Snapchat account fail, is it better to call it quits and set up a brand new account?

The Case for Account Reactivation

• Get all your chat history back
• Preserve Snaps saved to Memories
• Retain your friend network
• Keep old Stories and highlights
• Maintain brand consistency if you have a large following

The Argument for Starting Fresh

• A clean slate and fresh start
• Opportunity to eliminate old embarassing Snaps
• Clean out friends list of people you no longer talk to
• Start completely new Stories and highlights
• Chance to rebrand your identity and style

Ultimately there are good reasons for both reactivating or just moving on. Evaluate what Snapchat data is worth preserving vs. what would be cathartic to just leave behind and start anew.

If creating a new account, here are quick steps to get running from scratch again:

On iOS

1. Download Snapchat from the iOS App Store
2. Tap ‘Sign Up‘
3. Provide basic personal details
4. Create a new username and password
5. Start Snapping!

On Android

1. Install the Snapchat app from Google Play Store
2. Choose ‘Sign Up‘
3. Enter your email and birthday
4. Pick a new unique username
5. Come up with a secure password
6. Build connections and share Snaps!

Key Takeaways: Reviving Snapchat Accounts

Here are the core lessons for reactivating seemingly deactivated Snapchat accounts:

Act Fast to Reactivate

• You have 30 days post-deactivation before permament account termination
• Simply log back in with your old credentials within 30 days to restore your account

Solve Common Reactivation Issues

• Unlock locked accounts before attempting relogin
• Debug error codes using network tracer tools for technical troubleshooting

Recovery from extreme Cases

• Request Snapchat customer support for backups of some deleted account data
• Leverage mobile data recovery tools for recently terminated accounts
• Attempt manual disk and app data access to salvage local Snapchat files

At the end of the day, preventing permanent Snapchat deletion is easiest – just remember to log back in within 30 days if you ever want your old identity back!