My Eyes Only is one of Snapchat’s most popular privacy features, allowing users to hide photos and videos in a password-protected vault. According to Snapchat’s 2021 transparency report, over 1.5 million users have set up My Eyes Only galleries.
As a social media privacy expert, I’m often asked – how do you change your My Eyes Only password when needed?
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share:
- What My Eyes Only is and how to use it
- Step-by-step instructions to change your My Eyes Only passcode
- What to do if you forget your old passcode
- Expert tips for creating a strong new password
- Additional FAQs about Snapchat’s private gallery feature
By the end, you’ll be able to update your My Eyes Only password with confidence, securing your private Snapchat memories. Let’s get started!
What is My Eyes Only on Snapchat?
My Eyes Only is Snapchat’s ultra-private, password-protected gallery for storing your most sensitive snaps.
Introduced in 2017, My Eyes Only allows Snapchatters to hide photos, videos, and messages in a locked vault. The content stored in your My Eyes Only gallery cannot be accessed anywhere else in your account. It’s completely hidden from friends, family, and anyone else snooping in your Snapchat app.
Your My Eyes Only gallery is secured with a custom 4-digit numeric passcode or passphrase that you create. You need to enter it each time you access your private snaps. This extra layer of security makes your My Eyes Only memories extremely difficult for others to access, even if they gain entry to your main Snapchat account.
What can you store in My Eyes Only? Here are some examples:
- Private conversations and photos not meant for others’ eyes
- Personal selfies just for yourself
- Sensitive, embarrassing, or risqué media
- Confidential documents like your passport, SSN card, etc.
- Any media you want double-protected from prying eyes
My Eyes Only is similar to Snapchat’s regular Memories, but far more locked down. Your My Eyes Only gallery is end-to-end encrypted for maximum privacy. Once saved there, snaps can only be viewed again after entering your exclusive passcode.
Now let’s look at how to update that all-important passcode.
Step-by-Step: Changing Your My Eyes Only Passcode
Changing your My Eyes Only passcode takes just a few taps once you‘re inside your private gallery. Follow these simple steps:
Access Your My Eyes Only Gallery
First, you need to access your secret gallery:
- Open Snapchat and login to your account
- Tap the camera icon to open the camera screen
- Swipe up from the bottom of the camera or tap the photo icon in the top left
- This will open your Snapchat Memories
- Tap “My Eyes Only” on the tab bar to launch your private gallery
You‘ll then be prompted to enter your existing 4-digit or passphrase My Eyes Only unlock code.
Tap “Options” in the Corner
- Once you‘ve entered your current code and accessed your gallery, tap the “Options” link at the bottom right corner of the screen
- This opens your My Eyes Only settings menu
Select “Change Passcode”
- In the Options menu, tap on “Change Passcode”
- This begins the process of changing your old My Eyes Only passcode to a new one
Enter Your Current Passcode Again
- On the “Enter Current Passcode” screen, re-enter your existing My Eyes Only code
- This confirms your identity and that you know the current code
- Tap “Confirm” when done
If you‘ve forgotten your current passcode, you‘ll need to reset your gallery entirely, deleting all past snaps saved there. We’ll cover what to do if you forget your code later in this guide.
Create and Confirm a New Passcode
- On the “Create New Passcode” screen, enter your new 4-digit passcode
- For security, make it unique and not easily guessed by those who know you
- Tap “Confirm” to save your newly created code
That‘s it! Your My Eyes Only passcode is now updated to your new one. Going forward, you‘ll need to enter this new code to access your most private memories.
Below are some pro tips for setting a secure new My Eyes Only passcode that won‘t be compromised.
Expert Tips for a Strong My Eyes Only Passcode
When creating a new My Eyes Only passcode, keep these professional recommendations in mind:
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Avoid personal dates or repeated digits – Don’t base it on your birthday or other special dates that could be guessed. Also avoid overt patterns like “1111”.
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Mix up number types – Use a combination of low and high numbers, odd and even digits for maximum entropy.
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Change it periodically – Update your My Eyes Only passcode every so often in case it has been inadvertently revealed.
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Write it down securely – Physically record your passcode somewhere very private in case you forget it later. Do not store it in your phone.
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Use a passphrase if preferred – You can opt to use an alphanumeric passphrase instead of a 4-digit code. Make sure it‘s 16+ characters, includes letters/numbers, and is random.
Following these tips will help ensure your My Eyes Only vault remains locked down and the content inside is kept private long-term.
What If I Forgot My Old My Eyes Only Passcode?
Here is critical advice to follow if you‘ve forgotten your existing My Eyes Only passcode:
Unfortunately, Snapchat cannot retrieve or restore forgotten My Eyes Only passcodes. They are not stored on Snapchat‘s servers.
Your only option is to reset your My Eyes Only by creating an entirely new passcode. However, resetting will permanently delete all old snaps stored in your gallery.
If you must reset due to a forgotten passcode, here are the steps:
- In My Eyes Only, tap "Options" then "Forgot Passcode"
- You will be prompted to create a brand new passcode, resetting the vault.
- All previous snaps in your My Eyes Only will be wiped from existence with no recovery.
- You can then set a new passcode and start saving private snaps again.
As you can see, resetting your passcode is risky business and means losing your gallery‘s contents forever. That‘s why it‘s absolutely critical to:
- Remember your My Eyes Only passcode
- Store it somewhere very secure in case you forget it
- Never reset your passcode unless you have no other choice
Common My Eyes Only Security Questions
Here are answers to some other frequently asked security questions when using Snapchat’s My Eyes Only:
What happens if I logout of Snapchat on my device?
Logging out of Snapchat does not affect your My Eyes Only gallery or passcode. Your private snaps will still be accessible with your existing code when you log back in.
Can someone hacking my Snapchat see my My Eyes Only snaps?
My Eyes Only has additional security protections even if your main Snapchat is compromised. A hacker would need your specific My Eyes Only passcode to gain entry, which is not stored anywhere they can access.
Is there a limit to how many snaps I can store in My Eyes Only?
There is no strict limit, but My Eyes Only is designed for temporary storage. Snaps may be automatically deleted from your gallery after a period of time by Snapchat. For long-term keeping, download snaps you want to retain permanently.
Can I recover a forgotten My Eyes Only passcode?
Unfortunately no, Snapchat has no ability to recover or reset forgotten My Eyes Only passcodes. You must create an entirely new one, wiping your gallery in the process.
In Summary
I hope this guide has shed light on how to update your My Eyes Only password on Snapchat when needed. Here are the key takeaways:
- My Eyes Only is Snapchat’s ultra-private, password-protected photo vault
- Change your passcode by accessing your gallery, tapping “Options”, then “Change Passcode”
- Create a new 4-digit passcode or passphrase and confirm to update it
- Set a strong, secure code and save it somewhere safe in case you forget it
- Never reset your passcode unless absolutely necessary, as it wipes your gallery forever
With some prudence, My Eyes Only lets you secretly save your most personal Snapchat memories for your eyes only. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!
