How to configure Snap Map, Ghost Mode and the Family Centre on Snapchat so your child's location is not shared with strangers or wider friend groups.
Snapchat's Snap Map shows the live location of friends on a public-style map view. Defaults vary by account age and region, and have changed several times — so checking is more reliable than assuming. The simplest safe state for under-16s is Ghost Mode on, location sharing off, and Family Centre linked.
Walk through the steps below in order. Each takes under a minute.
From the camera screen, swipe down or tap the map pin icon to open Snap Map. Tip: If your child is already on the map, their Bitmoji and last-seen location are visible to whoever they share with. That is the situation we are about to lock down.
Snap Map → settings cog (top right) → Ghost Mode → On. Tip: Ghost Mode hides your child's location from everyone on the map. Choose Until turned off rather than a timed expiry.
Profile → Settings → Privacy controls → See My Location → Only Me (Ghost Mode). Tip: This is the master switch behind the Snap Map setting. Confirm both screens agree.
Profile → Settings → Privacy controls → See me in Quick Add → Off. Tip: Quick Add can suggest your child to strangers based on shared phone contacts. Disabling it reduces the chance of unknown friend requests appearing.
Family Centre → Set up Family Centre. A parent and teen both need Snapchat accounts; the teen accepts the invite. Tip: Family Centre lets you see who your teen is friends with and who they have messaged in the last 7 days, without seeing the message content.
iPhone: Settings → Privacy and Security → Location Services → Snapchat → Never. Android: Settings → Apps → Snapchat → Permissions → Location → Don't allow. Tip: Belt and braces. Even if an in-app setting is changed, the OS still refuses to give Snapchat a location.
Snap Map settings can reset after app updates. Re-check Ghost Mode and See My Location every school holiday. Tip: Set a reminder. Snap has changed these defaults multiple times.
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.