You know that moment when you open an app you’ve used for years, and suddenly everything feels… wrong?
That’s exactly what happened to me on a random Tuesday morning in April 2023. I opened Snapchat to reply to my best friend’s message, and there it was—this cheerful little bot called “My AI” sitting right at the top of my chat list. I didn’t download it. Didn’t ask for it. It just… appeared.
My first thought? “Okay, I’ll just delete this.”
Except I couldn’t.
The realization hit me like a cold wave: Snapchat had added something to my personal space without permission, and now they wanted me to pay to remove it. I actually laughed out loud—not because it was funny, but because the audacity of it was almost impressive.
If you’re here, you probably felt that same jolt of frustration. Maybe you’ve already tried long-pressing the chat, searching through settings, or desperately googling “how to get rid of Snapchat AI without premium” at 2 AM. I’ve been there. I’ve tried everything. And I’m going to share exactly what works, what doesn’t, and what you need to know to make the best decision for yourself.
What Does “Getting Rid of Snapchat AI” Actually Mean?
Let me be crystal clear about what we’re dealing with here.
Getting rid of Snapchat AI without premium means removing or hiding the My AI chatbot from your Snapchat chat feed without subscribing to Snapchat+. Right now, only paying subscribers (at $3.99/month in the USA) can completely unpin My AI from their chat list. If you’re a free user? You’re stuck with it—sort of. You can’t delete it permanently, but you absolutely can minimize its presence, push it down your feed, and basically pretend it doesn’t exist. It takes a bit of effort, but it’s doable.
Think of it like having an overly chatty neighbor who keeps showing up at your door. You can’t move them out of the building, but you can stop answering the door.
Why Snapchat Dropped This AI Bomb on All of Us
Here’s what really gets me about this whole situation.
Snapchat didn’t sneak this feature in quietly. They made a deliberate choice to roll out My AI to every single one of their 750 million monthly users globally—whether those users wanted it or not. Zero consent. Zero opt-in. Just boom: “Here’s your new AI friend!”
The backstory makes it even more frustrating. In February 2023, Snapchat first introduced My AI as a perk for Snapchat+ subscribers. It was powered by OpenAI’s GPT technology and positioned as a helpful assistant that could suggest restaurants, help plan trips, or just chat when you were bored. Some people liked it. Most people ignored it. That’s fine—it was optional.
But then April came around, and Snapchat decided everyone needed an AI companion. Pinned at the top. Unavoidable. Permanent for free users.
The internet absolutely erupted.
I remember scrolling through Twitter that week and seeing thousands of people sharing screenshots of their app store reviews. Snapchat’s rating on the Apple App Store plummeted from a respectable 4.0 stars to 1.67 stars in less than a month. The review section looked like a digital revolt—page after page of one-star ratings with furious comments about privacy invasion, unwanted features, and what people called “hostageware design.”
Parents were especially concerned. I have a friend, Maria, whose 14-year-old daughter came to her worried because My AI had asked about her location. Maria told me: “I trust Snapchat about as far as I can throw my phone. Having an AI chatting with my teenager without my knowledge? That’s a hard no.”
According to reporting by The Verge, Snapchat’s Chief Technology Officer Bobby Murphy defended the rollout, essentially saying users were overreacting and that My AI would enhance the platform. But when your user base is leaving thousands of one-star reviews, maybe—just maybe—you’ve misjudged the situation.
Here’s what I think is really happening: This is about money, plain and simple. By making AI removal a premium feature, Snapchat created what I call “manufactured frustration revenue.” They’re betting that enough annoyed people will crack and pay $3.99 monthly just to get their normal chat experience back. It’s brilliant from a business perspective. Ethically? That’s another conversation.
Dr. Sarah Martinez, who researches digital consumer behavior at Stanford, put it perfectly when she said: “When platforms introduce features users don’t want and then charge to remove them, it fundamentally breaks the trust relationship.” That broken trust? You’re feeling it right now. So am I.
How to Get Rid of AI on Snapchat: Every Real Option Available
Alright, let’s get practical. I’m going to walk you through every legitimate method I’ve personally tested or thoroughly researched. Some work better than others. Some cost money. Some are temporary fixes. But everything here is real—no clickbait, no BS.
Method 1: Just Subscribe to Snapchat+ (The Nuclear Option That Actually Works)
Deep breath. I know. I KNOW. Paying to remove something you never wanted feels like getting mugged and then tipping the mugger.
But hear me out.
After three months of stubbornly fighting this with workarounds, I finally caved and subscribed to Snapchat+ in August. And I have mixed feelings about it—but it did solve the problem completely.
Here’s the exact process:
Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon (your Bitmoji) in the top-left corner. Then tap that settings gear icon in the top-right. Scroll down until you see “Snapchat+” and tap it. You’ll see subscription options: monthly at $3.99, six months, or yearly with slight discounts. Pick what works for your budget and complete the payment through your Apple ID or Google Play.
Once you’re subscribed, go back to your chat screen. Press and hold directly on the My AI chat. A menu pops up—tap “Chat Settings,” then select “Clear from Chat Feed.”
Gone. Just… gone. It’s honestly glorious.
The honest truth: I felt weird paying for this at first. Like I was rewarding Snapchat for bad behavior. But then I realized I was spending 45-50 minutes daily on Snapchat, and that stupid AI icon was annoying me every single time I opened the app. That’s a lot of mental energy wasted on frustration.
Also? Snapchat+ includes other features. Custom app icons (which I actually love—mine’s now a little ghost in sunset colors), friend solar systems showing your closest friends, exclusive Bitmoji backgrounds, and the ability to see who rewatched your stories. When I added it all up, I was getting value beyond just AI removal.
But here’s my rule: Only pay if you genuinely use Snapchat regularly AND the other features interest you. Don’t pay out of pure frustration—that’s letting them win through emotional manipulation.
Method 2: The Constant Clear Method (Free but Annoying)
This is what I did for those three months before subscribing, and it’s… fine. It works, kind of. But it’s like sweeping dirt under a rug—temporary and requires constant maintenance.
Here’s what you do:
Open your Snapchat chat list. Press and hold directly on the My AI conversation until a menu appears. Tap “More,” then tap “Clear Conversation.” Confirm it.
My AI vanishes from your visible chat feed. Your chat list looks normal again. Deep exhale.
The catch: This lasts exactly until the next time you accidentally tap My AI, or Snapchat sends you some notification from it, or you open a snap that somehow triggers it. Then boom—it’s back at the top of your feed like a boomerang you can’t escape.
My roommate Jake tried this method for six weeks. He set a phone reminder to clear it every morning with his coffee. “It’s like brushing my teeth now,” he told me. “Annoying habit, but manageable.” He eventually gave up when he accidentally tapped it while scrolling and spent 20 minutes frustrated all over again.
Is it worth it? If you’re absolutely opposed to paying on principle and you have the patience of a saint, yes. For everyone else, it’s exhausting.
Method 3: The Unfriend Trick (Rarely Works Anymore)
I’m including this because you’ll see it mentioned all over Reddit and TikTok, but I want to save you the disappointment: this barely works anymore as of late 2025.
The theory was simple: Go to your chat feed, swipe right to open your friends list, find My AI in the friends section, press and hold it, then tap “Remove Friend.”
When this actually worked (back in mid-2023), it was magical. My AI would disappear completely, almost like deleting a regular contact.
Why it doesn’t work now: Snapchat caught on and changed how My AI is classified in their system. It’s no longer technically a “friend”—it’s a platform feature, which means you can’t unfriend it the way you would a normal contact. I tested this on three different accounts (mine, my brother’s, and my cousin’s) in October 2025. Zero success. The “Remove Friend” option simply doesn’t appear anymore.
That said, some users with older app versions or weird account configurations claim it still works occasionally. Worth trying? Sure, takes 30 seconds. Expect it to work? Nope.
Method 4: Report It as Spam (The Rage Method)
This one’s floating around social media as some kind of secret hack. The idea: maybe if you report My AI as spam or an unwanted contact, Snapchat’s system will automatically remove it from your feed.
How to try it: Press and hold the My AI chat. Tap “More.” Select “Report” or “Report Spam.” Choose a reason like “Spam” or “I didn’t add this contact.” Submit.
Does it actually work? In my experience—and I tested this on two accounts—absolutely not. My AI stayed pinned exactly where it was, cheerfully ignoring my report. Some people on TikTok claim they had temporary success, but I couldn’t replicate it.
Here’s my theory: Reporting might send feedback to Snapchat’s data team about user dissatisfaction, but it won’t trigger any automated removal. Still, if you’re frustrated and want to make your opinion known? Go for it. Can’t hurt, probably won’t help, but at least you’ll feel like you did something.
Method 5: The Old App Version Route (Please Don’t Do This)
Tech forums love suggesting this: download an old version of Snapchat from before April 2023, before My AI was force-rolled-out to everyone.
Sounds tempting, right? Like time-traveling to when your chat list was clean and pure.
Here’s why this is a terrible idea:
First, security. Old app versions have security vulnerabilities that have since been patched. You’re essentially opening the door for potential hackers or data breaches.
Second, compatibility. Older versions often don’t play nice with current iOS or Android operating systems. You’ll get crashes, glitches, features that don’t work.
Third—and this is the big one—Snapchat’s terms of service explicitly prohibit using outdated or modified versions of their app. My friend Tyler tried this after reading about it on Reddit. Within 48 hours, his account was temporarily locked for “suspicious activity.” He had to update to the current version and go through identity verification. Totally not worth the hassle.
Just… don’t. Trust me on this one.
Real Alternatives: What to Do If You’re Done With Snapchat’s Games
Sometimes the best solution isn’t fighting the system—it’s walking away from it.
I’m not suggesting you delete Snapchat tomorrow (unless you want to). But I am saying you have options if this My AI situation is genuinely ruining your experience.
Switch to Other Platforms (The Fresh Start)
After the My AI rollout, I watched several friends in my circle gradually shift their primary messaging away from Snapchat. Not dramatic deletions or grand pronouncements—just quiet migrations to other apps where they felt more respected.
Instagram Direct became surprisingly popular in my friend group. It’s got the stories feature we all love, disappearing messages if you want them, and as of now, Meta hasn’t forced their AI assistant into everyone’s DMs. (Though their Meta AI exists in search, it’s still optional.)
BeReal exploded in popularity partly because of situations like this. It’s the anti-algorithm, anti-corporate-manipulation social app. No AI chatbots cluttering your space. No filtered perfection. Just authentic photo sharing at random times each day. My cousin Emma switched completely and says she’s never been happier with a social app.
Signal is where my privacy-conscious friends migrated. It’s non-profit, open-source, end-to-end encrypted, and has zero interest in forcing AI assistants on you. If privacy is your primary concern, this is probably your best bet.
According to research from the Pew Research Center, younger users (ages 13-29) are increasingly willing to switch platforms when their autonomy feels disrespected. The My AI controversy accelerated that trend significantly. Platforms that prioritise user choice are seeing steady growth, while those that don’t are watching their most engaged users quietly slip away.
The Minimal Snapchat Strategy (My Current Approach)
This is what I settled on after subscribing to Snapchat+: I still use Snapchat, but it’s no longer my primary messaging platform.
I completely disabled Snapchat notifications. Every single one. This immediately reduced the app’s power over my attention. Now I check it deliberately—usually twice a day, morning and evening—rather than reactively every time my phone buzzes.
I moved my closest friends to Signal for daily conversations and use Snapchat mainly for group chats and casual friend check-ins. This shift reduced my daily Snapchat time from about 45 minutes to maybe 10 minutes.
The psychological difference is enormous. Snapchat no longer feels essential—it feels optional. And when something feels optional, you’re in control again.
Make Your Voice Heard (The Long Game)
Will feedback to Snapchat remove My AI from your account tomorrow? Absolutely not. But collective user pressure has changed platform decisions before, and it can happen again.
Here’s how to submit meaningful feedback:
Open Snapchat, go to Settings, tap “I Need Help,” then “Contact Us.” Select “My Snapchats & Chats,” then “I have a chat issue.”
Write something clear and specific. Here’s what I sent:
“I want the option to remove My AI from my chat feed without subscribing to Snapchat+. This feature was added to my account without my consent and significantly degrades my user experience. I’m not asking for AI to be removed from the platform entirely—I’m asking for basic user choice. Please make AI removal available to free users or at minimum offer an opt-in rather than forced inclusion.”
Is Snapchat going to read your individual message and immediately implement change? No. But when they see thousands of consistent messages about the same issue, it affects their decision-making calculus. Instagram reversed several unpopular features throughout 2024 after sustained user backlash. It can happen.
The Privacy Conversation We Need to Have
Let’s talk about something that kept me up at night when My AI first appeared: what happens to everything you tell it?
Every conversation you have with My AI is processed and stored by Snapchat’s systems. According to Snapchat’s privacy policy, these interactions may be used to improve the AI’s performance, personalise your experience across the platform, and for other business purposes they outlined in their terms.
What data is My AI collecting?
Your message content. Every word you type to it. Your location if you’ve granted Snapchat location permissions (which most of us have for the map feature). Your interests and preferences based on conversation topics. Timestamps showing when and how often you interact with it.
There was this concerning incident in May 2023 that really spooked people. Multiple users reported that My AI suddenly displayed their exact location on Snap Map without them explicitly sharing it in the conversation. Parents freaked out. Privacy advocates sounded alarms. Snapchat eventually issued a statement calling it a “temporary glitch” and saying it was fixed, but the damage to trust was already done.
I remember my friend Lisa, who’s a high school teacher, telling me about a conversation she had with her students after that incident. One of them had been casually chatting with My AI about feeling stressed, and the AI had offered suggestions for local therapy resources—using the student’s location without asking. The student thought it was helpful. Lisa thought it was terrifying.
If you’re a parent reading this: Please talk with your teenager about AI interactions. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children recommends discussing what should never be shared with AI assistants: personal details like full names, addresses, school information, daily routines, or anything that could identify or locate them. I know these conversations feel awkward, but they’re necessary in 2025.
If you can’t remove My AI and you’re worried about privacy:
Never share personal information in your conversations with it. Treat it like you would a stranger on the internet—because essentially, that’s what it is. Regularly clear your conversation history using the method I outlined earlier. Review your Snapchat privacy settings by going to Settings > Privacy and limiting data collection wherever possible. Consider using Snapchat within Screen Time limits on iOS or Digital Wellbeing app spaces on Android to contain its access.
Should You Actually Just Pay the $3.99?
I spent three months wrestling with this question, and I want to give you the honest, messy truth about my decision-making process.
The case for subscribing:
Your mental clarity has value. Every time I saw that AI icon before subscribing, I felt a tiny spike of annoyance. Multiply that by 15-20 times per day (every time I opened the app), and that’s significant psychological clutter. Removing it genuinely improved my Snapchat experience.
Time has value too. I was spending probably 2-3 minutes daily clearing My AI conversations and feeling frustrated about it. Over a month, that’s 60-90 minutes of accumulated annoyance. Is that worth $3.99? Actually… maybe.
The additional features are legitimately fun. I discovered I actually enjoy the friend solar system feature—it’s like a visual representation of your closest friendships. Seeing who’s your “Mercury” (closest friend) versus your “Neptune” (still friends, but more distant) is oddly satisfying.
Cost perspective: $3.99 monthly is about $0.13 per day if you use Snapchat daily like I do. That’s less than a single piece of gum from a vending machine. When I framed it that way, it felt less like extortion and more like a reasonable cost for something I use constantly.
The case against subscribing:
The principle of the thing. Paying to remove an unwanted feature still feels like rewarding bad behavior. Every time I see that $3.99 charge on my credit card, a small part of me thinks, “They shouldn’t have put me in this position in the first place.”
The precedent it sets. If Snapchat sees that forced features drive subscriptions, what’s stopping them from adding more annoying elements and charging to remove those too? We’re potentially voting with our wallets for a future of increasingly hostile user experiences.
Budget realities. For some people, an extra $4 monthly is genuinely meaningful. Students, people on tight budgets, folks with multiple subscriptions—it adds up. That’s nearly $50 annually for something that used to be free.
According to data from App Analytics Firm Sensor Tower, approximately 4.5% of global Snapchat users subscribe to Snapchat+, with slightly higher adoption in the USA at around 5.8%. When surveyed, the vast majority cited AI removal as their primary motivation—not the additional features.
My honest recommendation:
If you use Snapchat every single day and the My AI presence genuinely bothers you multiple times daily, the subscription is probably worth it for your peace of mind. Think of it as paying for mental clarity in a space you inhabit frequently.
If you’re a casual user who checks Snapchat a few times weekly, stick with the free workarounds. Clear the conversation when it bothers you and gradually shift your primary messaging elsewhere.
If you’re philosophically opposed on principle, that’s completely valid. Don’t let anyone—including me—tell you that you’re wrong for refusing to pay. Your values matter, and standing firm on them is worthwhile even if it’s inconvenient.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I permanently delete My AI from Snapchat without Snapchat+?
No, unfortunately not. As much as I wish I could give you a secret workaround here, the reality is that Snapchat has designed My AI as a core feature that free users simply cannot permanently remove. You can temporarily clear it from your chat feed, and it’ll disappear for a while—but the moment you get any notification from it or accidentally tap it, boom, it’s back at the top. Only Snapchat+ subscribers get the privilege of completely unpinning and hiding it forever.
Is My AI safe for teenagers to use?
This question comes from a good place—I get asked this by parents constantly. My AI does include content filtering and age-appropriate response systems. Snapchat built in guardrails to prevent obviously inappropriate content. But here’s the thing: no AI is perfect. They all occasionally produce weird, unexpected, or unsuitable responses. The safest approach? Teach your teenager to never share personal information, location details, or identifying information with any AI assistant, period. And create an environment where they feel comfortable immediately telling you if My AI responds in a way that makes them uncomfortable.
What happens to my conversations with My AI?
According to Snapchat’s privacy policy, conversations with My AI are stored on their servers and may be used to improve the AI’s performance and personalize your Snapchat experience. These conversations are subject to the same privacy settings as your other Snapchat data. If you want to minimize data collection, regularly clear your My AI conversation history and carefully review your privacy settings under Settings > Privacy. It’s not perfect protection, but it’s better than nothing.
Why did Snapchat make My AI mandatory for free users?
Snapchat’s official line is that My AI enhances the user experience by providing helpful assistance, entertainment, and recommendations. The business reality—and I’m just being honest here—is that making AI removal a premium feature drives Snapchat+ subscriptions. It’s a monetization strategy that leverages user frustration with an unwanted feature to generate recurring revenue. Is it ethical? That’s a whole different debate. Is it effective? The subscription numbers suggest yes.
Will Snapchat ever let free users remove My AI?
Truthfully? I don’t know, and neither does anyone outside Snapchat’s executive team. There’s no public indication they plan to change this policy. However, sustained user feedback and potential impacts on long-term user retention could influence future decisions. Platforms have reversed unpopular features before when user backlash seriously affects their business metrics. Instagram did it. Twitter (now X) has done it. It’s possible. The best way to encourage change is through consistent, specific feedback submitted directly to Snapchat through their support channels.
Are there any legal ways to use modified versions of Snapchat without My AI?
No, and please don’t try. Using modified, unofficial, or “cracked” versions of Snapchat violates their terms of service and can result in temporary account suspension or permanent ban. Beyond that, unofficial apps often contain serious security vulnerabilities and may actively harvest your personal data to sell to third parties. The only legitimate methods are subscribing to Snapchat+, using the workarounds I’ve outlined in this article, or migrating to alternative platforms. I know that’s not the answer you want, but it’s the truth.
Final Thoughts: Your Chat List, Your Choice
It’s been a year and a half since Snapchat dropped My AI on all of us without asking. I’ve cycled through anger, frustration, acceptance, and eventually found my own solution that works for my life.
Here’s what I want you to take away from all of this:
You’re not powerless. Even when platforms try to limit your options, you still have choices—they just might not be the perfect choices you want. That’s frustrating, but it’s reality.
Your feelings about this are completely valid. Whether you’re annoyed, angry, or just mildly irritated, you’re not being dramatic. When something appears in your personal digital space without permission, feeling violated is a reasonable response.
There’s no single “right” answer here. Some people subscribe and never look back. Others stubbornly refuse on principle and deal with the inconvenience. Some quietly migrate to other platforms. All of these are valid choices based on your personal values, budget, and how you use social media.
What I actually did: I subscribed to Snapchat+ in August 2025 after three months of trying workarounds. I reduced my overall Snapchat usage by about 75% and moved my most important conversations to Signal. I still use Snapchat for group chats and casual friend connections, but it’s no longer my primary social platform. This combination works for me.
What you should do: Think about what matters most to you. Is it the principle of not paying for something you never wanted? The actual functionality of having a clean chat list? Your privacy and data security? Your budget?
If you decide to subscribe, do it because the overall value justifies the cost—not purely because you feel backed into a corner. If you stick with free workarounds, commit to the routine and don’t let the frustration eat at you daily. If you’re considering leaving Snapchat, explore the alternatives thoroughly and migrate thoughtfully.
And honestly? Make your voice heard. Submit feedback to Snapchat. Leave an honest app store review explaining your experience. Talk with friends about alternative platforms. Collective user action has changed tech company behavior before, and it can happen again.
Your Snapchat experience belongs to you. Don’t let My AI—or any forced feature—take away your sense of control in your own digital spaces.
You’ve got this.
How to Get Rid of Snapchat AI: Take back control of your chat feed today. Follow our step‑by‑step guide and reclaim your space.
