Snapchat has a âone device at a timeâ Politics. It means that you cannot be logged into an account on two devices simultaneously. If the app frequently logs you out and you receive a lot of emails from Snapchat, chances are your account has been hacked. Another sign of an intruder is messages you haven't sent or friends you haven't accepted. Finally, you may need to reset your password when you know you are using the correct one. If so, here's what to do.
How to see the last active uses
Despite a fairly spartan main screen, Snapchat offers users plenty of account and activity information. Also, it has robust security and alert systems.
Unfortunately, you can't access much of the data, including your login history, through the app installed on your phone. The "Settings" section offers a standard pricing, including Account Settings, Additional Services, Privacy, Support, Feedback, More Information, and Account Actions sections. However, this has nothing to do with your activity.
As a result, the only way to see your last active status and other login information is to request your account data through the Accounts section on the app's official website. Luckily, you can access it from any device with a browser and an active internet connection.
You can find your login information in the "Login history and account information" section. This section also contains the time and date the account was created, information about your device(s), and a device history (all devices through which you accessed the application). Accepted terms and basic account information can also be found in this section.
Now let's see how to get Snapchat's report. It is important to note that the steps are the same regardless of the platform. Android, iOS, Windows, Linux and macOS users are covered.
How to Get Your Snapchat Login History and Device List
- Open a browser on your device and search for " Snapchat accounts without quotes. The search results include the accounts.snapchat.com login page as one of the top results. Click or tap account.snapchat.com.
- Then you will come to the account.snapchat.com/accounts page. There you need to enter the credentials used to create your account. Enter your username or email address in the top field and your password in the bottom field. After that, click or tap on the âConnectâ button.
- When logging in, Snapchat may ask you to fill in a Captcha. This is for added security and to verify that you are not a robot. Complete this step to access your account.
- If the connection fails and you know you entered the correct password, someone may have hacked your account. Click or tap the " Forgot your password " link and follow the password reset instructions.
- You should land on the account.snapchat.com/accounts/welcome page. Click or tap the " My data " button.
- Then you will be directed to the My Data page, where you can see what is included in the ZIP file. You cannot choose.
- After inspecting the list, scroll down the screen and click or tap the yellow " Send request " button.
- Snapchat will then notify you that it has received the request and is processing your data. You will receive an email when the download is ready.
- The report shouldn't take too long to compile unless you have a huge history of information. Open the email once you receive it. Note that it may take up to 24 hours to receive the email.
- Click or tap the " Click here " link that will take you to the account.snapchat.com/accounts/downloadmydata page.
- Click or tap the link to the ZIP file.
- Snapchat should start downloading immediately. You can track the progress in the download bar at the bottom of your browser if you're using Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or a similar browser.
- Once the download is complete, navigate to your default download folder. If you're on PC, it should be under "Downloads."
- Optional: To protect your downloaded Snapchat data from Windows maintenance or file cleaner apps, create and move the file to another folder, such as "D:Snapchat" or "C:BackupsSnapchat Bkup". A separate partition is preferable in case of a crash. Then you can still access the backup file if your OS partition fails.
- Finally, it's time to unzip your ZIP file. You will get the Html and JSON folders, as well as the index.html file. Unzipped, the ZIP file should look like this.
- After unpacking the "mydata" ZIP file, you need to double-click or press the « HTML » case. Inside the folder you will see a list of HTML documents containing all the information.
- You can double click on any of the files and it will open in your default browser. It doesn't matter what file you open. The "Login history and account information" tab remains the top entry on the left side of the browser window.
- Finally, click or tap the "Login History and Account Information" tab to see all your connections. The list is chronological and each entry includes device IP, country code, connection time/date and connection status.
- If you've noticed particular IP addresses or devices that you don't have listed, take action immediately. One of the first things to do is to sign out of all other devices.
How to Sign Out of All Other Devices Using iOS and Android
Disconnecting other devices will require the use of your phone app.
All you have to do is again, you cannot use the app on two devices simultaneously.
- Log in through your preferred device and Snapchat will automatically log out from other devices.
- To make sure unknown devices can't connect to your account, go to "Settings" and select "Forget Devices".
It is important to note that you will need two-factor authentication configured for the above steps to work. If you don't, configure it from the Two-Factor Authentication section in the Settings menu. If you have two-factor authentication, skip the next section.
The main benefit of this added security feature is that you will need to provide the verification code when logging in from a new device. This will make it much more difficult to access your account.
How to Use Two-Factor Authentication in Snapchat
First, you need to launch the Snapchat app on your phone. Once you land on the camera screen, tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
You will arrive on your profile page. All essential account information is there. However, you need to tap on the Settings cog in the top right corner of the screen. This will take you to the Settings page.
On this page, you should find the âTwo-factor authenticationâ section. You may need to scroll down a bit. Press it to enter the configuration page. It should look like this:
On this page you can select the preferred authentication method. The Text and Authentication application will be available to you. For this tutorial, we'll use the text verification option because it's easier.
Tap the Text Verification option. Snapchat will then text you with a six-digit code. Go to your messages and open the one with the code. Copy the code to the clipboard and open the Snapchat app again.
Return to the Two-Factor Authentication page and enter the code. After providing the code, you should be able to see two more options in the Two-Factor Authentication menu â Recovery Code and Forget Devices. We will need the latter for the second part of the tutorial.
Forget the devices
Now, let's forget about devices that don't belong to you. In this section, you will need your mobile phone and the Snapchat app.
First, open Snapchat. On the Camera screen, select your profile icon in the upper left corner. Once the app redirects you to your profile page, tap the Settings cog in the top right corner of the screen.
After that, find the Two-Factor Authentication entry and tap on it. Next, tap on the Forget Devices option. It should be the bottom one.
Snapchat will then show you a list of all the devices used to log into your account.
Here you have to press the X button next to a device that you want to remove from the list. Snapchat will then ask you if you are sure.
Press "Yes" to confirm deletion. Repeat the process for each device you want to get rid of.
Security measures
If you want to make your account bulletproof in the future, there are a few additional steps you can take. First, you need to change the password.
Change your password
There are two ways to change Snapchat password â via email and SMS. The two processes are very similar, so we'll cover them together. It is important to note that the steps are the same for mobile and desktop/laptop platforms.
First, you need to log out of Snapchat. Then launch the browser on your phone or go to the login page of the official site.
On the login screen, tap or click the "Forgot password" button. Snapchat will then ask you if you want to reset it via your phone number or email address. Tap or click an option and enter the required credentials. Click or tap the Submit button.
Enter the code in the field and click or tap Continue. Now enter your new password and confirm it.
Finally, click Save.
Run antivirus
For added security, you can run a virus scan. If you found suspicious IP addresses connected to your account, someone may have hacked into your computer or phone and obtained your Snapchat information.
Additionally, we recommend that you keep an antivirus active in the background on all devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Account security is a big deal in the digital age. There is always something new to learn. In this section, we will answer some of your most frequently asked questions.
Someone hacked my account and now I can't log in. What can I do ?
Unfortunately, some intruders want more than to snoop around your account. They can actually take over your account. You'll know this has happened because your login is down, your email address has changed, and you're sure you're using the correct password.
Luckily, we have a comprehensive article here that will help you recover your Snapchat account.
Be careful
The measures described in this tutorial should be enough to protect you from hackers and virtual pranksters. Now you know how to get your login details, set up two-factor authentication, remove unwanted devices, and reset your password.
Did these methods help you recover your account? Did you set up two-factor authentication and reset your password? Let us know in the comments section below.
