How can I pause or hide my Snapchat location from friends?

This topic has 7 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 1 week ago by Emma Pond.

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- September 23, 2025 at 11:30 am
Matthew Mobley
Participant

Hey folks, I’ve been using Snapchat’s Snap Map a lot, but sometimes I don’t really want people knowing exactly where I am. I know there’s a “Ghost Mode,” but I’m not sure if that’s the same thing as pausing my location. Basically, I want to stop sharing my location for a while without having to mess with settings every single time. Is there an easy way to just pause it temporarily, and does Snapchat notify my friends if I turn it off? Also, are there other tricks like disabling location services on the iPhone or Android to stop it from updating in the background? I’d love to hear how others handle this, especially if you switch it on and off often. Thanks in advance!

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

Replies

- September 23, 2025 at 11:31 am
April Gray
Participant

Friends won’t know you paused sharing, but your map presence just freezes. If privacy is your goal, Ghost Mode is enough. If battery saving is the goal, then disabling GPS from your device settings might be smarter, since it prevents constant background updates.
- September 23, 2025 at 11:33 am
James Steele
Participant

Hi! Just use Ghost Mode from the Snap Map—it hides you instantly. I use it all the time when I want downtime without questions.
- September 23, 2025 at 11:33 am
Aaron Smith
Participant

Snapchat makes it straightforward: Ghost Mode is basically the “pause” button. Choose your duration and you’re invisible. If you want total control, turn off phone location services. Just know this stops all Snap features that need GPS, not just the map.
- September 23, 2025 at 11:34 am
Timothy Price
Participant

You can pause Snap Map sharing with Ghost Mode—select it for 3 or 24 hours. No notifications go out. It’s the simplest way if you don’t want to mess with system settings.
- September 23, 2025 at 11:35 am
Miriam Duckett
Participant

When I first figured this out, I felt relieved. I didn’t want my friends asking why I was at work late! I used Ghost Mode for a 3-hour break, and it worked perfectly. Later, I discovered that turning off location permissions in my iPhone settings also blocks updates. Ghost Mode is easier because you don’t have to keep switching permissions on and off. Plus, it’s flexible—you can pick how long you want to disappear without committing to turning it off completely.
- September 23, 2025 at 11:36 am
Frances Rowden
Participant

Hey, I totally get where you’re coming from! Sometimes it’s nice to be social without literally broadcasting your every move. The easiest way is to use Ghost Mode. Open the map, tap the gear icon (top right), and switch on Ghost Mode. You can choose a time frame: 3 hours, 24 hours, or until you turn it off. That’s basically Snapchat’s “pause” option. No one gets notified when you go ghost—it just quietly hides your location. Another quick way is to toggle off Location Services in your phone’s settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Snapchat, and switch it off. On Android, it’s under Settings > Apps > Snapchat > Permissions. The catch with this method is that Snap Map won’t work at all until you switch it back. I use Ghost Mode when I’m out and don’t want people checking in, and it’s super handy.
- September 23, 2025 at 11:36 am
Emma Pond
Participant

Just flip on Ghost Mode from Snap Map’s settings. You can pause for 3 hours, 24 hours, or indefinitely. Snapchat doesn’t notify anyone, so your friends won’t know. Disabling phone location also works if you want a hard stop.