Given how many people carry smartphones in their pockets these days, it’s not a surprise that the plethora of apps we use each want to keep us logged in, all of the time. Whether you’re using an iPhone or and Android device, you’ll eventually find the need to logout of a given app. Kik Messenger is a chat platform used by millions that also features an “always logged in” system so that you’ll constantly be able to receive incoming messages from the Kik servers. For users that like to logout of apps when they’re done using them, this can present a quandary.
While navigating Kik Messenger is an easy task thanks to the app’s intuitive interface, logging out of it can be tricky. It occasionally confuses users because it’s not as easy as tapping a simple button, and it also carries several consequences for your chat experiences. There are several reasons for this, and they all tie into the basic functionality of the Kik app, as well as the user profile that you’ve created in order to chat with your contacts. It also ties into Kik’s read notification system. While the little symbols that designate message status are mightily handy (we’ve written a guide about them, here!), they also contribute to the Kik platform’s desire to keep you logged in at all times.
We’ll go into it in greater depth below, but never forget how important those little letters (S, D, and R, for sent, delivered, and read, respectively) are for keeping control of your messaging experience. It’s useful to know if your messages have found their way to a recipient, and more so to know if they’ve been read, right? Well, if it were a cinch to sign out of Kik, it would certainly make it harder for your messages to get where they need to go.
On mobile, what are the core apps? It’s basically messaging, mapping and review data.- Jeremy Stoppelman
Log Out of Kik Messenger on iPhone or Android
I’ll delve into the reasons that you might not want to sign out of Kik further below. For readers who are simply looking for the solution, however, I’ll describe it here. Technically, while you’re “logging out” of Kik when you follow these steps, you’re also resetting the Kik application on your mobile device. When you logout of an app, your history within that app is typically saved in its data. This includes chat history, browser history, and local settings.
How do we go about doing this? It’s easy, actually, and just requires a short foray into Kik’s “Settings” menu.
You can find the gear icon for the Settings menu in the top left or bottom left of the Kik home screen. From there, simply select “Your Account” to get to the section of the app’s settings that you need. From here, you can view or change all of the information tied to your unique Kik account. The option that you’re looking for is at the bottom of the list: “Reset Kik.” After selecting it, you’ll be presented with a notification screen, informing you that resetting Kik will “clear your conversation history” and that you’ll “need to login again.”
If you’re all right with both of these stipulations, then simply select “Yes,” and you’ll be logged out of Kik Messenger. All in all, it’s a fairly easy process!
When you decide that you want to log back into Kik Messenger, you’ll quickly find that the offered warnings were legitimate. Your chat and message history will be gone, and all that will be left is your assembled contact list. While this may not be a drawback for many users, I would recommend taking note of anything you might find important or significant from your chat history before it’s deleted! There’s no way to get it back once you’ve reset the app, after all.
Also, it should be stated again for significance: you will not receive messages while you’re logged out of the Kik Messenger application! For those trying to chat with you, each of their messages is going to have the S for “Sent” alongside it until you sign back into Kik with the receiving username.
What Happens When You Reset Kik Messenger
With Kik Messenger, none of the local information–such as those three listed above–will be saved when you choose to reset the app. Why on Earth would Kik choose to do this?
There’s a fairly good reason, actually, and it begins with user safety and privacy.
Kik Messenger wants you to keep using its platform, and it also wants you to keep using the same unique profile while on your mobile device. This is no different from other chat applications. However, it’s certainly possible to have multiple usernames to chat with. You simply have to deal with the reset history of your chats and browsing. This means that any messages you had within Kik Messenger will essentially disappear and while you’re not logged in, you won’t be able to receive further messages. Your contact list, however, will be waiting for you when you decide to log back in.
Imagine that you’ve lost your mobile device. Whether you’re using an iPhone or an Android phone, all that you need to do to log yourself out of Kik on the lost device is log yourself in from a different device. Kik does not allow you to be signed in on two devices at once. This is a great way to keep the precious privacy of your chat history safe, isn’t it? Do note, however, that when you login from a separate device, you still will not have access to your chat history.
Your browsing history and chat history are tied to the Kik application on your mobile device. Once more: if you want to save your messages, it’s recommended that you take note of them elsewhere, in addition to keeping them on Kik Messenger!
Extra Tips and Tricks
While some of this may be rehashing what was already said above, I feel that there are several less common practices that users like you could put into use, which will enhance your Kik experience. These will also make it easier to login and out of the app, no matter your reason for doing so!
- Use a third-party app to save your messages!
Numerous free apps exist that will allow you to paste in copied messages so that you can save them should anything unexpected happen. Though resetting the Kik application can only be done intentionally, it’s certainly possible to have a device stolen, or to lose it. From hardware damage to software glitches, anything can happen that might suddenly result in lost data that you previously thought was secure. Expect the unexpected, and back up important messages by simply copying and pasting them from Kik Messenger.
- Tell important contacts of your plans!
Most of us use Kik Messenger to keep in touch casually with friends, but even your most casual of friends might wonder what happened to you if you should suddenly choose to disappear. Logging out of Kik for a prolonged hiatus? Those people that you chat with the most frequently may well deserve to know so that their messages aren’t stuck in the limbo of never being delivered. Remember, while you’re logged out of Kik, you’ll no longer be able to receive any messages at all. They’ll remain with the Kik server, waiting for you to login.
- Consider turning off Kik’s notifications
If you want to logout of Kik Messenger in order to escape from the incessant pings of arriving messages (especially in group chats!), you may find it beneficial to simply turn off Kik’s ability to send you notifications. This can be done while remaining logged in, without any need to reset the app itself. From the “Settings” menu, simply tap “Notifications.”
From there, adjust your settings and preferences to your liking. How notifications function will differ between Android devices and iPhones, but the principle is the same–you can turn off sounds, vibrations, and pop-up notifications from Kik, to give yourself some peace and quiet. Do note, however, that any of these settings can be reverted back to default if you choose to reset the Kik Messenger app. However, adjusting these notifications may very well give you a reason to avoid that process in the first place!
Closing
Kik Messenger is a rock-solid chat platform that has many unique benefits over its competition. Among these is the ability to logout at all, and no matter the stipulations that accompany it (no received messages, wiped chat history, etc.) it’s still a valuable feature. If you find the need to reset the app, let the reasons be your own, but always consider the consequences that it will have for your own experience as well as that of the people you frequently chat with.
If your mobile device is ever lost or stolen, be grateful for this feature! It can help to keep your messaging private. The logout process for Kik on Android devices and iPhones is a relatively simple one, but accompanied by several tricks. Share your own experiences in the comments below!