Alexis Kestler
Want to update your birthday on Snapchat to fix an error or display your real age? I‘ve got you covered!
Changing your birth date on Snapchat is totally possible, but there are some limits. Follow along as I walk you through exactly how to update your birthday, who can change it, why Snapchat restricts changes, and some clever workarounds if you need more than your allotted birthday updates.
I‘ll also fill you in on how the Snapchat birthday feature works so you can customize your special day. Let‘s dig in!
A Quick Overview on Changing Your Birthday on Snapchat
Before we get into the step-by-step process, here‘s a quick rundown of what to know:
- Only Snapchat users over 18 can change their birthday
- You get 1 or 2 chances to change your birth date
- Attempting to make yourself under 18 is prohibited
- If you hit the limit, you‘ll have to wait months before changing it again
- Some workarounds include creating a new account or hiding your birthday
Now that you know the basics, let‘s go through the entire process from start to finish.
Who Can Change Their Birthday on Snapchat?
Snapchat‘s policy only allows users over 18 years old to update their birthday. The specific requirements are:
- You must be 18 years old or older to change your birth date
- You need to have genuinely made a mistake when originally setting your birthday
Snapchat does not permit users under 18 to alter their birthday for safety and compliance reasons.
And you cannot tweak your birth year in a way that would make your age show up as under 18 on Snapchat if you are actually older. This is strictly prohibited.
The limit of only those over 18 being allowed to change their birthday is consistent with other major social platforms like Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
So in summary – only adult users over 18 can modify their birth date, and just once or twice due to additional restrictions outlined below.
How Many Times Can You Change Your Birthday on Snapchat?
This is a key detail…
While Snapchat does permit changing your birthday, there are limits:
- Most users seem to be allowed 1 or 2 birthday changes total
- The option to change your birthday again may reappear after 6-12 months for some accounts
- But changing your birth date an unlimited number of times is prohibited by Snapchat
So why does Snapchat restrict how often you can update your birthday?
According to Snapchat, the limit of 1 or 2 birthday changes is meant to "maintain trust and safety" on the platform.
Without any restriction, minors could potentially adjust their birthday non-stop to appear older, or other users could modify their age for inappropriate reasons.
So this limit is Snapchat‘s method of balancing flexibility while preventing potential abuse.
Now let‘s walk through exactly how to change your birthday within these confines…
Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Your Birthday on Snapchat
Ready to update your birth date on Snapchat? Follow these simple steps:
1. Open the Snapchat App and Tap on Your Profile
First, launch the Snapchat app on your iPhone or Android device. Once it‘s open, tap on the icon in the top left corner to access your profile:
This will bring you to your main Snapchat profile screen.
2. Tap the Gear Icon to Access Settings
From your profile, tap on the gear icon in the top right corner to open your Settings menu:
This will open up your app Settings.
3. Go to "Birthday" Under the Account Section
In Settings, select the "Account" option along the top. Then tap on "Birthday" to open the menu where you can modify your birth date.
You‘ll immediately be able to view and change your birthday.
4. Enter Your New Birth Date and Tap Confirm
On the Birthday screen, tap on your current birthday to open the selector. Here you can update the month, day and year to your actual birthday:
When finished, tap "Confirm" to save your updated birthday!
And that‘s it – after following those steps your Snapchat profile will now display the correct birth date.
Pretty straightforward, right? Now let‘s cover why you may run into issues changing your birthday again down the road…
Why Can‘t I Change My Birthday Again on Snapchat?
As explained above, Snapchat typically limits users to changing their birthday once or twice total. So if you already changed your birth date in the past, here are the likely reasons you can‘t do it again:
You Already Reached the Limit of Birthday Changes
The most common reason is that you already used your 1 or 2 allotted birthday changes. Most accounts are limited to just 1-2 times total, even if a long period has passed.
Until your change counter resets (which may take 6-12 months), you‘ll be stuck at the limit.
You‘re Under 18 Years Old
Snapchat does not permit users under 18 to alter their birth date at all based on their age policy. So if you‘re not yet 18, you simply won‘t have the option to tweak your birthday.
You‘re Trying to Appear Younger Than 18
Finally, Snapchat prohibits changing your birthday in a way that would make you appear under 18 if you are already over 18. So you can‘t roll back your birth year to seem younger.
In nearly all cases, hitting the 1 or 2 change limit is the reason you can no longer modify your birthday. Here are your options when you reach that point…
What to Do When You Can‘t Change Your Birthday Anymore on Snapchat
Okay, so Snapchat isn‘t allowing you to change your birthday again. What now? Here are a few potential workarounds:
Wait 6-12 Months to See If It Resets
Once you reach the change limit, the first option is to simply wait patiently. According to some Snapchat users, the ability to change your birthday may become available again 6-12 months after you last changed it.
But this reset is not guaranteed after a set time period. You‘ll have to wait and see if it happens.
Create an Entirely New Snapchat Account
If you absolutely need your correct birth date on Snapchat, starting fresh with a brand new account is an option.
Just be sure to enter the right birthday when signing up, and you‘ll have to find and re-add all of your friends again.
Hide Your Birthday Entirely
Another workaround is hiding your birthday display from your profile. This way friends won‘t be able to see the incorrect date at all.
I‘ll explain how to hide your birthday in more detail below.
Unfortunately aside from the steps above, there is no way to change your birthday again until Snapchat decides to reset the limit.
Bottom line – enter the correct date the first time around!
Now let‘s explore…
How Does the Snapchat Birthday Feature Work?
In addition to simply displaying your birthday, Snapchat has some special birthday features you can take advantage of:
Custom Birthday Filters
In Settings under the "Birthday" menu, you can design a custom filter with stickers and effects that will show on your Snap story on your birthday. Friends will see your birthday geofilter when they view Stories.
Birthday Stickers & Zodiac Signs
Snapchat automatically enables fun birthday-themed stickers and your zodiac sign stickers around the time of your birthday based on your birth date.
Birthday Countdown
Leading up to your birthday, friends who check your profile will see a countdown announcing how many days until your special day.
Birthday Party Emoji & Story Ring
On your actual birthday, a birthday party emoji and story ring appear around your Bitmoji on your profile. This alerts friends it‘s your birthday!
Viewing Your Birth Date
By default, friends can view your birth date on your profile page. This allows them to remember your birthday and send you greetings.
No Automatic Notifications
Unlike Facebook, Snapchat does not send notifications to friends about your birthday. The only way they‘ll know is if they physically check your profile.
Now let‘s dive into…
How to Hide Your Birthday on Snapchat
Want to entirely conceal your birthday from your profile? Here‘s how to disable it:
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Open your Snapchat profile and tap the gear icon to access settings.
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Select "Birthday" under the Account section.
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Switch the toggle next to "Show on My Profile" to the off position.
And that‘s it! Your birthday will now be hidden from your profile and friends won‘t be able to see it.
This is handy if you‘re over the limit and can‘t change your incorrect birth date – just hide it entirely.
Workaround Idea: Create a Snapchat Alt Account
Here‘s one clever idea I wanted to mention…
If your main Snapchat account is stuck with the wrong birthday, you could create an "alt" second account with the correct info.
Add your close friends to this other account and use it for your important Snap chatting. You won‘t lose your main account‘s history, but can start fresh birthday-wise on your alt.
Just an idea for a workaround if you have no other way to fix your birthday!
FAQs About Changing Your Birthday on Snapchat
Let‘s wrap up by answering some commonly asked questions about changing your birth date on Snapchat:
Can I reset the birthday change limit on Snapchat?
Unfortunately there is no way to manually reset the birthday change limit yourself – you‘ll have to wait for Snapchat to lift the restriction.
What happens if I enter the wrong birthday again?
If you use both your 1 or 2 chances to change your birth date and enter the wrong date again, you‘ll just have to wait months for Snapchat to reset the limit before being able to change it again.
Is there any way to bypass the birthday change limit?
There is no way to bypass the limit imposed by Snapchat. Creating a new account or hiding your birthday are the only workarounds until the change counter resets.
Why doesn‘t Snapchat notify my friends about my birthday?
Snapchat intentionally does not send notifications about friends‘ birthdays for privacy reasons. The only way to know is by manually checking their profile.
Can someone else change my birthday on Snapchat?
No, only you can modify your own birth date. Friends or outside parties cannot alter your birthday.
I hope this guide gave you a full overview of how to update your birthday on Snapchat! Let me know if you have any other questions.
