Snapchat combines a lot of amazing features helping its users stay engaged with their friends or family. Snap map is one of them which helps you figure out where your friends are. However it raises privacy concerns, especially when you have other plans and don’t want to let other friends know. That’s why many people like you are wondering how to pause Snapchat location.
In this guide we’ll explore effective methods to freeze location on Snapchat while keeping the features active. Moreover we’ll share the alternative reliable way to track your kids location. Keep reading!
What are Snapchat’s location features?
Snapchat is a multimedia messaging platform popular among teens and adults for keeping them updated about their loved ones. However some of its features use mobile location to allow users to share their real-time location with friends and explore places nearby. For instance;
- Snap Map: Lets you see your friends locations only if they have enabled location sharing. You can also view the public stories from different places.
- Location Stickers: Allow you to add a location sticker to snaps or stories showing viewers where the photo or video was taken.
- Ghost Mode: Privacy feature that hides your location from others ensuring your presence on Snapchat is visible on to you.
- Live Location Sharing: Enable you to share your live location to your selected friend for a specific time period like 15 minutes or hours.
Snapchat indeed uses the GPS of your phone to track your location. Its important to note that your location gets updated only when you open features like snap map or live location. Once its gets updated Snapchat shows your Bitmoji on the map to your selected friends. However, if a friend hasn’t shared their location, you won’t see them either.
In short, by knowing the location of your friends you can meet them up easily. Moreover, you would remain updated about the concerts, parties, or celebrations nearby via public snaps.
Can you pause your location on Snapchat?
Absolutely yes, Snapchat allows you to pause your location instead of turning it off on your mobile phone. By doing so, your Bitmoji wouldn’t get updated on the snap map, as a result your friends aren’t able to see your current status. However, you can use Snapchat normally like send snaps and use its other features.
Furthermore, you can continue using other location-based apps like maps or ride-sharing apps without notifying your Snapchat contacts that you’ve paused your location. This way it gives you full control over your privacy letting you decide when to share the location and when to keep it hidden.
Use parental controls to know your teens locations anytime any where.
How to pause location on Snapchat?
Now you might be wondering what methods are available to help you freeze your location on Snapchat? If yes, be happy as we have found almost 5 different ways to do so. This way you’ll choose the one that best suits your privacy needs. Lets dive in!
Enable Ghost Mode
Ghost mode is your Snapchat’s built-in feature that prevents the app from showing your location to anyone else. Let’s see how you can use this feature to pause your location!
Step 1: You’ll first launch the Snapchat app and tap on your profile icon usually located at your screen’s top left corner.
Step 2: Under your profile section, you’ll see the gear icon at the top right corner. Just go for it to access Snapchat’s settings.
Step 3: Next scroll down the settings menu until you find the “Privacy Control” section. Once found, click it and select the “See My Location” option.
Step 4: After this, turn the Ghost Mode toggle on and set the duration for how long you want to hide your location. For extended privacy, choose the “Until Turned Off” option.
Although your friends aren’t able to view your location on the Snap Map, they might observe that your Bitmoji isn’t moving or updating. Any snaps you submit to Snap Map will still be visible, even in Ghost Mode. In addition, location-based filters/stickers might still indicate your location if you use them while in Ghost Mode.
Hide Live location
Step 1: Open Snapchat and click on the Maps icon from the bottom toolbar.
Step 2: Now under the Snap Maps section, tap on the settings icon in the top right corner. Here you’ll turn on the toggle for Hide My Live Location.
Step 3: Once you trun the toggle on, a pop-up menu appears allowing you to choose the the time you don’t wish to share your location. You can pick Until Turned Off if you want to disable live location indefinitely.
However, one point to note is that turning it on will still share your last active location on Snap Map with your friends.
Alternatives to pausing location
Instead of pausing the location, Snapchat also allows its users to control who can view their location. This way, you can share it with only trusted people, keeping you free from fears of strangers interaction.
Step 1: Navigate the settings menu on your Snapchat by tapping your profile icon. Once done search for the See my Location option here.
Step 2: Here, you have to choose from two options either My Friends or Only These Friends. By choosing the 2nd option, you can only pick specific people.
Disable location service
Furthermore, use your mobile phone’s main settings to completely disable Snapchat from accessing your location. As a result none of the location services would work on your device.
Step 1: Access your settings app on your mobile phone. Next you’ll scroll down and go for the Apps section. However, in case of an iPhone, you’ll first tap the Privacy & Security > Apps.
Step 2: Now just search for Snapchat from the apps list. Tap on it and choose the Permissions or Location there. Choose Don’t Allow, Never or While Using the App – Off (depending on your device).
Using Airplane mode
Airplane mode or flight mode is your phone’s built-in feature letting users to temporarily diable all wireless connections, whether it’s wifi, cellular, Bluetooth or location updates. Let’s see how you can activate this to pause your location service on Snapchat.
Step 1: Take your phone and swipe down the home screen to open the control panel.
Step 2: Here you’ll find the Airplane (✈️), just tap on it. That’s all! Now you’ll open the Snapchat and see that your location isn’t updated on SnapMap.
Why might you want to pause your location on Snapchat?
Let’s have a look at some logical reasoning instilling you to pause your location on Snapchat.
Privacy concerns: It’s important to note that when your location is visible on Snap Map anyone you’ve allowed can see where you are in real time. However if you are protective of your whereabouts, this may make you feel uncomfortable. By pausing your location you can maintain personal boundaries and share less about your daily movements.
Security: Furthermore, if you share your location away from home it may signal the burglars to target your empty home. This may threaten your security at all. That’s why pausing location reduces the risks of unwanted tracking, helps you control gets to know about your live movements.
Managing your online presence: Constant location sharing may make you accountable for where you are, who you’re with, or why you’re in a certain place. That’s why by pausing your location you can comfortably manage your online presence. You may make use of Snapchat free of getting judged or watched.
Does pausing your location affect other features?
Pausing your location only affects the GPS-based features, and all other features continue to work normally. Let’s have a look at which features get affected!
Effects on Snap Map and location-based filters
SnapMap as the name suggests is a customized map that makes people aware of your live moments. However it’s only possible if you allow Snapchat to access your location and even share it with friends. Once you pause your location, your Bitmoji no longer gets updated. Moreover, the location-based features like geofilters may not be available since Snapchat cannot detect your current location.
Impact on friends’ ability to see your location in shared snaps
Similarly, if you have paused your location and share snaps or stories with friends. They are able to open or see it, however they can’t see your location in these shared snaps. Normally, Snapchat can attach a location tag to your snaps or show where you are when sharing with friends. Freezing location prevent this while your content still remain visible.
How Ghost Mode impact your interactions with friends and geotags?
Ghost mode doesn’t have any effect on your chatting or snap sharing with friends. As mentioned earlier it only affects the location-based features like geotags which become invisible. This helps you stay connected with your friends while maintaining your privacy.
How to check your teens location online?
Honestly speaking! You know, Child safety organizations like Cybertip! CA has actually warn parents that real‑time location sharing can make teens vulnerable to emotional distress, and targeted exploitation. This is because predators can use that information to track or locate users. That’s why disabling location may help teens to stay private and remain safe from any strangers interactions.
However, for parents its important to stay informed of their teens’ physical whereabouts. This way in any emergency, they may reach out instantly. To help you in this regard, we would recommend using parental control tools.
Pro tip: Use of FlashGet Kids parental control app
Among all FlashGet kids is the most parents’ favorite becasue this app stealthily runs in the phone’s background and keeps you informed of kids digital and physical whereabouts in real-time. Let’s see how it would prove effective in tracking your teens location online!
- Location tracking: Lets you track your kids live location on the map and also check their route history.
- Geofencing: Allows you to set specific zones like your teens school, park, home, etc. When your kids try to get out of such a place, you’ll get an instant alert.
Conclusion
In a nutshell you can indeed pause your Snapchat’s location and maintain control over your privacy. The best thing is that it doesn’t affect any other features on Snapchat except the loaction based like geotags. When it comes to teens, its totally okay to prevent them sharing their live location on any app.
However at the same time it’s equally important to monitor them to ensure their safety. Happy to share with you that leveraging FlashGet kids would be a smart move helping you live monitor their physical whereabouts with real-time alerts.
FAQs
Absolutely No Snapchat doesn’t notify you about how many time a person has checked your location there.
There is a clear difference between Ghost mode and live location features of Snapchat. Ghost mode is a privacy-centred feature allowing you to hide your location from everyone. While the live location keeps everyone informed about your live whereabouts.
Definitely, by enabling the ghost mode you can hide your location from others without notifying. While they still sees your snaps or stories.
