Why is my Snapchat not working?

So your Snapchat stopped working? No problem. We've researched the most common issues and came up with the best ways to fix those issues.

Aug 19, 2019

Snapchat malfunctioning can be a huge hindrance particularly if you are a frequent user of the app. It may disorient your lifestyle and diminish some of your relationships. If it persists, the effects will be even worse. You will have to rectify the situation as soon as possible. However, in order to do that, you will be required to know exactly what is wrong with your Snapchat app.

If Snapchat stops working, it is commonly one of two issues. The first issue is that the app fails to send chats or snaps and is a serious problem for Snapchat users. The second issue is a matter of Snapchat not being able to 'Refresh.' If the app cannot refresh, then users can neither send chats or snaps nor receive them. Luckily you can fix it if you are facing any of these issues.

Fix: Snapchat failing to send snaps

Snapchat may allow you to receive and see snaps but you may be unable to send a message or snap. The app will display either of two messages if this happens: "Failed to send. Tap to try again" or "Could not send. Please try again". If Snapchat is not working you will see the above messages repeatedly. To fix it, try the following:

1. Switch 'Airplane Mode' on and off. Snapchat may refuse to send snaps if you have an unstable network connection. The connection to Wi-Fi or mobile data should be strong and stable.

2. Log out of Snapchat then log back in. follow these steps:

i. Open the Snapchat app, click on the ghost icon and select 'Settings.'

ii. Scroll to the bottom of the 'Settings' page and select 'Log Out.'

iii. A confirmation tab 'Are you sure?' will appear. Click 'Yes.

iv. Log in to Snapchat once more and see if you can send messages and snaps.

3. Force close the Snapchat app and reopen it. Go to the recently open apps menu on your phone which will vary depending on the device. Swipe the app to force close it. Open it again and see if the issue is fixed.

4. Clear your Snapchat app cache. It will delete all the unnecessary information from the app. This is achieved by the following steps:

  1. Open the Snapchat app.
  2. Click on the ghost icon and select 'Settings.'
  3. Click 'Clear Cache' and select 'Clear All.'

5. Alter storage location. Changing the default storage of your device from your phone's internal memory to external memory may cause your Snapchat to malfunction. Changing it back should remedy it.

6. Uninstall then reinstall the app. If the above steps don't work, the last troubleshoot option is to

  1. Delete the app from your phone. How you do this will differ according to the device you own.
  2. Go the iTunes Apple Store or Google Play Store and reinstall the app.
  3. Open it to see if Snapchat functions properly.

Fix: Snapchat not Refreshing

Not being able to refresh the app when you are viewing stories on Snapchat is a huge inconvenience that can luckily be remedied. This problem typically arises when Snapchat is having difficulty connecting to its servers. To fix the issue you can try

Checking your network connection. Ensure you have a strong Wi-Fi or Cellular data connection. You should also check if your device is having network connection issues and fix them if present.

2. Restart your device. This is the most common troubleshooting solution out there and you should do it as it usually works.

3. Sign out of Snapchat which is done via the following process

    1. Open Snapchat
    2. Go to 'Settings' and select 'Sign Out'
    3. Open the Snapchat app and log in again

4. Uninstall then reinstall Snapchat.

Snapchat may also stop working because the app is down. In this case all you can do is wait for Snapchat's technical support team to solve the issue.

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Jeff truly believes that all customers deserve good service. He’s been building tools, inventing phone tree hacks and helping customers since before his days at GetHuman. He's also a Google GDE and involved in the Angular community.
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Why does GetHuman Write How-to Guides for Snapchat Problems?

GetHuman has been working for over 10 years on sourcing information about big organizations like Snapchat in order to help customers resolve customer service issues faster. We started with contact information and fastest ways to reach a human at big companies. Particularly ones with slow or complicated IVR or phone menu systems. Or companies that have self-serve help forums instead of a customer service department. From there, we realized that consumers still needed more detailed help solving the most common problems, so we expanded to this set of guides, which grows every day. And if you spot any issues with our Why is my Snapchat not working? guide, please let us know by sending us feedback. We want to be as helpful as possible. If you appreciated this guide, please share it with your favorite people. Our free information and tools is powered by you, the customer. The more people that use it, the better it gets.

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