Snapchat error SS06: Device banned

SS06: Device banned

SS06 means Snapchat has banned the phone or tablet you are using, not only one account. Snapchat's support pages say it follows abuse or repeated breaks of its Community Guidelines, and that support cannot lift it. If you also see a pop-up with "Appeal Decision", that is your route. If you live in the EU, you have extra free options.

What SS06 means

Snapchat shows SS06 (and SS18) when it blocks a device. It is stricter than a normal account lock: no account can log in on that device, and you cannot create a new one there. Snapchat says it will not tell you what triggered the ban, to keep its systems effective.

Often the device ban comes together with a lock on your own account. Snapchat says that in those cases a successful account appeal also removes the device ban. Sometimes the device ban stands on its own, for example on a used phone.

First, find out which case you are in

Try your account on another phone or tablet. Snapchat says if it works there, your account is fine and only the first device is blocked.
Look for an "Appeal Decision" pop-up when you try to log in. If it is there, your account was locked too and the lock can be appealed.
Check your email for a message from Snapchat about a lock or removed content.

What to do now

Screenshot the error and note the date, the device and your username.
Update Snapchat from the App Store or Google Play. Snapchat suggests this first.
Appeal in the app if you see "Appeal Decision". Snapchat says this is the only legitimate route and you can appeal a lock only once. Explain briefly what happened and why the decision is wrong. Snapchat says the review may take up to 30 days and it emails you the result.
Download your data on a computer at accounts.snapchat.com, under My Data.
Do not try new accounts on the banned device. They will not work, and a new account can be treated as getting around a ban.

If the appeal was turned down, read Snapchat appeal denied. If someone else used your account or device, read Snapchat banned by mistake.

Bought the phone used?

Snapchat admits a device ban can hit people whose phone was used before by someone who broke its rules, and says it generally makes no exceptions. There is no appeal for a device alone. Keep your receipt and contact the seller. A phone that cannot run a common app may not be what you were sold.

The EU route

If you live in the EU, the Digital Services Act (DSA) may apply to a device ban, and it clearly applies to an account lock:

Snap must give a clear statement of reasons: the facts, the rule, whether automated tools were used, and how to challenge it.
You can file a free internal complaint for at least six months. Snapchat's help pages also give six months from the day you were told. It cannot be decided by automated means alone.
User Rights and Platform Control are certified dispute bodies that list Snapchat. Snapchat's own help points EU users to certified bodies. Decision within 90 days of the complete complaint. If you win, Snap pays the fees and your reasonable costs.
The GDPR gives you a free copy of your data within one month.
Court stays open.

Outside the EU, the in-app appeal is the main route. More on the Snapchat page.

Watch out for scams

Sites selling "SS06 fixes", device ID changers or unban tools are risky. Snapchat names unofficial apps and tweaks as a reason it locks accounts. Never give anyone your password or login codes.

Questions people ask

What does SS06 mean on Snapchat?

Snapchat's support pages say SS06 and SS18 both mean Snapchat has banned the phone or tablet you are using, due to abuse or repeated breaks of its Community Guidelines. The ban sits on the device, not only on one account.

Can Snapchat Support unban my device?

Snapchat says its support team cannot unban a device. If the device ban came with an action on your own account, the in-app Appeal Decision option is the only route, and a successful appeal also removes the device ban.

I bought my phone used and get SS06. What now?

Snapchat says this can happen when someone who used the phone before triggered the ban, and that it generally does not make exceptions. Check whether your account works on another device. Keep your receipt and talk to the seller, since the phone does not work as you expected.

Is SS06 the same as SS07?

No. Snapchat says SS07 means the device was banned because too many accounts were linked to it. SS06 points to abuse or rule breaks.

Checked against: help.snapchat.com, help.snapchat.com, help.snapchat.com, help.snapchat.com