It’s always the worst when Snapchat won’t open or keeps crashing. The app is a fun way to keep in touch with your family, friends and loved ones. If it’s not working, you could be left out of the loop. Whether you use the app to share photos or messages that expire or depend on it for video chats, it can be frustrating when you’re stuck with the unholy Snapchat load screen or when the app doesn’t open at all.
If your Snapchat won’t open, worry not. You’re not the only one with this problem. Snapchat crashing is a normal yet unfortunate occurrence. Plus, if it does crash or it refuses to open, know that there are solutions!
Why Does My Snapchat Keep Crashing?
Since the launch of Snapchat, there has been a default error in its system. For iPhones, users claim that the newer version of the app is the reason behind the repetitive crashing episodes, despite the update being developed to maintain Snapchat. When the app crashes, it displays a message: “Something went wrong, please try again later.
Apart from this problem, Snapchat is also a victim of bugs often. The support team of the app confirmed that they are aware of the issue and are always working to create solutions. On top of that, the Snapchat team is always improving their updates to fix the bugs.
What Should You Do if Snapchat Won’t Open?
If your Snapchat keeps crashing, keep the following tips in mind.
Close and Re-Open Snapchat
If Snapchat is working for everyone but you, close the app and re-open it. If the app keeps crashing, log out of your account then log back in. Doing so will resync your local snaps with the server, which could address the problem.
In some cases, uninstalling and re-installing the app could also work. If you want to make sure, log out of your Snapchat then log back in.
Check if Snapchat is Down
If Snapchat won’t open, it might not be working for anyone. To see if Snapchat is down, check Snapchat’s Down Detector page, and it will tell you if the app is having issues or not. You can also use the Live Outage Map. It lets you know if the issue is restricted to a specific area or two.
Another option is the official Twitter account of Snapchat’s support team. The account always tweets the latest news concerning outages and how long they will last.
Restart Your Phone
Sometimes, the solution is the simplest one: restart your phone. If Snapchat won’t open, restart your device, and this could instantly solve your problem.
Check for Updates
Running an old version of Snapchat usually doesn’t cause problems, but it could cause your app to not happen, especially if developers implemented significant changes to their apps. So if your app crashed, check for updates. Open up the App Store or Google Play and see if Snapchat has any available updates. While you’re at it, make sure your phone’s software is also updated.
Check Your Internet Connection
If specific Snaps or the app itself aren’t loading, your internet connection might be the culprit. Verify this by testing other apps that use the Internet. If nothing else works, your internet might have a problem. If you are using data, switch to Wi-Fi and vice versa.
If the internet is the problem, try moving closer to your router. Resetting the router might solve the issue, even if your other devices have Internet. If you are using a VPN, disable it first while you use Snapchat. The app crashes when it detects third-party apps like VPNs.
Another thing to note: if you’re using Wi-Fi, check if your network administrator is blocking certain services or apps. This is often the case in libraries, schools and other public spaces that discourages the use of the Internet for entertainment purposes.
Clear the Cache
Most apps download media and other types of data onto your phone. If one of those files is corrupted, your Snapchat will crash. Clearing out the cache will not delete your snaps, so don’t worry about doing it! It’s not like you’re deleting Tweets!
To clear the cache:
- Open the app.
- Tap on your avatar to open your profile.
- Tap on the Settings icon located in the top-right corner.
- Clear your cache.
Check App Network Permissions
If your internet connection is fine, Snapchat might not have permission to function on your phone. This often happens when your display is a black screen instead of the usual camera view. Other necessary permissions can include Storage, Location and Phone.
To edit your phone’s permissions:
- Open the app and tap your avatar icon to open your profile.
- Hit the Settings option and tap Permissions.
- If your permissions are missing, you’ll see “Tap to enable.” This will open a window that allows you to adjust all the permissions.
- Give Snapchat special permission to work.
What Should I Do If My Snaps Won’t Send?
Apart from the app crashing, Snapchat users also experience Snaps not sending to their friends (even though the network is fine).
If this happens to you, restart your phone as mentioned above. If that doesn’t work, clear your Snapchat conversations. This removes all the messages you sent or received, so if you have unopened Snaps, you will lose them.
To clear a conversation on Snapchat:
- Open the app and go to your profile.
- Visit the Settings page and scroll down until you see “Clear Conversation.”
- Select the conversation you want to clear by hitting “Clear.”
If you’ve deleted the conversations and Snapchat still won’t send your snaps, you might have to remove your friends and re-add them. Similar to clearing Snapchat conversations, this move will delete the Snaps you send or receive, but it could fix the issue.
To remove a Snapchat friend:
- Open the app and visit your profile.
- Tap “My Friends” and long-press the friend you want to remove.
- Select “More” and tap “Remove Friend.”
It’s always a bummer when Snapchat stops working or crashes all of a sudden. But remember: you’re not the only one with this problem. And the best part: there are many ways to address this problem. Before you know it, you’ll be back to Snapping again.
