Snapchat is one of the most popular social media apps, allowing users to send disappearing photos, videos, and messages. While Snapchat has fun features like lenses, filters, and Bitmoji, it also has some limitations around chat expiration times. Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks to unlock longer chat times and increase your overall Snapchat visibility.
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Increasing Chat Time Limits
By default, Snapchat messages disappear after they are viewed. However, you can change settings to allow chats to remain visible for up to 24 hours after viewing:
- Open a Snapchat conversation and press and hold the contact’s name
- Tap the ⋮ icon in the upper right corner
- Select “Delete Chats”
- Choose “24 Hours after Viewing”
This will make all messages with that contact remain visible for 24 hours after opening them.
Note: Group chats always remain visible for 24 hours by default.
Saving Individual Messages
You can also save specific messages indefinitely, even if your default setting is to delete chats after viewing:
- Open the Snapchat conversation
- Tap and hold the message you want to save
- A pop-up will appear – select “Keep in Chat”
The selected message will now stay in your chat history unless manually deleted.
Increasing Overall Visibility
In addition to chat settings, there are some tips to make your Snapchat content more visible to friends:
Pin a Best Friend
Snapchat+ subscribers can pin one friend to the top of their best friends list so that friend always remains at the #1 spot. This gives that friend prime placement in your Snapchat friend list.
Post View Emojis
Snapchat+ shows small icons next to snaps and stories based on how many friends viewed them. This allows you to see who is engaging with your content.
Story Timer
Also for Snapchat+ subscribers – you can determine how long snaps posted to your story remain visible, anywhere from 1 hour up to 1 week. This keeps your best stories circulating longer.
Story Boost
If you want to give a particular story extra visibility, use the Snapchat+ Story Boost feature. This pushes your story higher in friend’s feeds.
Unlocking a Locked Account
Sometimes Snapchat locks accounts if it detects suspicious activity like using third-party apps or sending spam. Here is how to get back into a locked account:
- Uninstall any third-party Snapchat apps or plugins
- Avoid behaviors that violate Snapchat’s terms like spamming
- Verify your email and phone number for added security
- Reset your password if you can’t remember it
- Submit an unlock request and wait for Snapchat’s response
Note: You cannot unlock an account through third-party services – Snapchat has to review and unlock accounts themselves.
Staying Safe on Snapchat
While having fun on social media, it’s important to use safe practices:
- Don’t share personal details publicly in your profile or snaps
- Be selective with who you choose to friend or chat with
- Customize your privacy settings appropriately
- Use a strong password and enable two-factor authentication
- Report any abusive behavior directly to Snapchat
Review Snapchat’s safety policies and tools to learn more about protecting yourself online.
Conclusion
Snapchat has great ways to customize your experience, increase chat time limits, and control content visibility. Just be aware of the app’s rules to avoid account locks or bans. Implement these Snapchat tips to unlock features, troubleshoot issues if they arise, and safely expand your Snapchat presence.
