You can remove Best Friends from Snapchat by unfriending them or by using the app's settings to hide the list entirely

Snapchat's Best Friends feature shows your closest contacts based on who you message most. If you want to change who appears on that list, you have two main options: remove individual people by unfriending them, or turn off the Best Friends list so it stops showing to others. The method you choose depends on whether you want to stay friends with someone but remove them from the list, or whether you want to cut contact entirely.

Removing someone from Best Friends does not automatically unfriend them — they can still message you and see your public stories. Unfriending them removes them from your friends list entirely and stops them from seeing your private stories or sending you snaps. If you only want to hide the Best Friends list from view without removing anyone, you can do that through your privacy settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Unfriending someone removes them from your Best Friends list and prevents them from seeing your private stories or sending you snaps.
  • You can hide your entire Best Friends list from other people through your privacy settings without removing anyone as a friend.
  • Best Friends updates based on who you message most, so the list changes automatically over time as your messaging patterns shift.
  • Removing someone from Best Friends does not notify them, but unfriending them may be visible if they try to message you afterward.

How to unfriend someone to remove them from Best Friends

Open Snapchat and go to your Friends list. Find the person you want to remove and press and hold their name. A menu will appear with options including "Remove Friend" — tap that option. The person is now unfriended and no longer appears on your Best Friends list.

Once you unfriend someone, they cannot send you snaps or see your private stories. They can still see your public stories and your username, but they will not appear in your friends list anymore. If they try to send you a snap, it will show as a message from a non-friend, and you can choose whether to accept it.

How to hide your Best Friends list from others

If you want to keep your current friends but prevent others from seeing your Best Friends list, you can turn off the visibility of that list. Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left corner. Tap the settings icon (the gear) in the top right. Scroll down and find "Who Can See My Best Friends" under the Privacy section.

You will see three options: "Everyone," "My Friends," or "Nobody." Select "Nobody" to hide your Best Friends list completely. This means no one can see who your closest contacts are, even if they view your profile. The list still exists and updates based on your messaging, but it remains private.

Understanding how Best Friends updates automatically

Snapchat calculates your Best Friends list based on who you message most frequently over time. The list typically shows your eight closest contacts and updates automatically as your messaging patterns change. If you stop messaging someone regularly, they will eventually drop off the list and be replaced by someone you message more often.

This means you do not have to manually manage the list constantly — it adjusts on its own. However, if you want to remove someone immediately rather than wait for the list to shift naturally, unfriending them is the fastest way. You can also use the "Block" feature if you want to prevent someone from contacting you at all.

What happens when you unfriend someone on Snapchat

When you unfriend someone, several things change immediately. They can no longer send you snaps or view your private stories. Any existing conversation between you will remain in your chat history, but they cannot add new messages to it. If they try to send you a snap, it will appear as coming from a non-friend, and you will have the option to accept or reject it.

The unfriended person may notice they can no longer message you or see your stories, but Snapchat does not send a notification saying you unfriended them. They might figure it out by trying to contact you and seeing the message fail, or by noticing your stories are no longer visible to them.

The difference between removing Best Friends and blocking

Removing someone from Best Friends (through unfriending) is different from blocking. When you unfriend someone, they can still see your public stories and your username — they just cannot send you private snaps or see your private stories. When you block someone, they cannot see your profile, your stories, or any of your activity on Snapchat.

Use unfriending if you want to reduce contact but keep things neutral. Use blocking if you want to prevent someone from contacting you or viewing your activity at all. You can block someone by pressing and holding their name in your Friends list and selecting "Block" from the menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does someone know if I remove them from Best Friends?

Snapchat does not send a notification when you remove someone from Best Friends through unfriending. However, they may notice over time that they can no longer see your private stories or send you snaps. There is no way for them to see a list of who removed them.

Can I remove someone from Best Friends without unfriending them?

Not directly. The Best Friends list updates automatically based on messaging frequency, so the only way to remove someone immediately is to unfriend them. If you want to keep them as a friend but remove them from Best Friends, you can stop messaging them regularly and they will eventually drop off the list naturally.

What if I unfriend someone by mistake?

You can add them back by searching for their username or scanning their Snapcode. Open Snapchat, tap the add icon, and search for their name or username. Once you find them, tap "Add Friend" to restore the friendship. Your chat history will still be there.

Will hiding my Best Friends list affect my friendships?

No. Hiding your Best Friends list only changes who can see the list — it does not change your actual friendships or messaging. Your friends can still message you and see your stories normally. Only the visibility of your closest contacts list changes.