Download Snapchat from your phone's app store
Snapchat is a messaging and photo-sharing app that you get the same way you get any other app — through the store built into your phone. On an iPhone, that's the App Store. On an Android phone, that's Google Play. Open whichever one your phone uses, search for "Snapchat," and tap the button to download it. The app is free.
The download usually takes less than a minute on a normal internet connection. Your phone will show a progress bar while it installs. When it finishes, the download button changes to "Open" — tap that to start Snapchat for the first time.
If you don't see an "Open" button and instead see "Install" still, wait a few seconds. Sometimes the button takes a moment to update after the download finishes.
Key Takeaways
- Snapchat downloads free from the App Store on iPhone or Google Play on Android phones.
- The download takes about a minute on a normal internet connection and requires no payment.
- After downloading, you create a new account with an email address, username, and password.
- You can start using Snapchat immediately after creating your account — no waiting period or approval process.
Create your account when you open Snapchat for the first time
When you tap "Open," Snapchat starts and shows you a sign-up screen. You'll need to enter your email address, create a username (this is what other people see), and create a password. Snapchat also asks for your birthday and full name, though the name you enter doesn't have to be your real name — it's just what appears in your account settings.
After you fill in those fields, Snapchat sends a confirmation email to the address you provided. Open that email and click the link inside it to confirm your account. This step takes a few minutes because you have to wait for the email to arrive.
Once you confirm your email, you're done. You can start using Snapchat right away. You don't need to wait for approval or complete any other steps.
Give Snapchat permission to use your camera and contacts
The first time you try to take a photo or video in Snapchat, your phone asks whether you want to let the app use your camera. Tap "Allow" so Snapchat can access it. The same thing happens with your contacts — Snapchat asks permission before it can see who's in your phone's contact list, which it uses to suggest people you might want to add as friends.
You can change these permissions later if you change your mind. On iPhone, go to Settings, scroll down to Snapchat, and toggle the camera or contacts permission off. On Android, go to Settings, tap Apps, find Snapchat, tap Permissions, and toggle off what you don't want Snapchat to access.
Check your phone's storage space before downloading
Snapchat takes up about 300 to 400 megabytes of space on your phone, depending on whether you use an iPhone or Android. If your phone is almost full, you might not have enough room. Check how much free space you have before you start the download.
On iPhone, go to Settings, tap General, then tap iPhone Storage. You'll see how much space is free at the top. On Android, go to Settings, tap Storage, and look for "Available" space. If you have less than 500 megabytes free, delete some old photos, videos, or other apps first to make room.
Make sure you have a strong internet connection
Snapchat downloads faster on Wi-Fi than on cellular data. If you're on a weak Wi-Fi signal or a slow cellular connection, the download might stall or fail partway through. If that happens, close the app store, turn Wi-Fi off and back on, and try downloading again.
If the download keeps failing, try moving closer to your Wi-Fi router or switching to a different network. You can also wait until you're somewhere with faster internet — the download will pick up where it left off if you try again within a few hours.
Troubleshoot if the download won't start or finish
If you tap the download button and nothing happens, restart your phone. This clears out temporary files that sometimes block downloads. Hold down the power button until you see "Power Off" or "Slide to Power Off," slide it, wait 10 seconds, then hold the power button again until the phone turns back on.
If the download starts but gets stuck partway through, check whether your phone's date and time are set correctly. Go to Settings and look for Date and Time. If it's wrong, fix it and try downloading again. An incorrect date can confuse the app store and cause downloads to fail.
If you've tried restarting and checking the date and the download still won't work, uninstall any partial version of Snapchat that's on your phone. On iPhone, press and hold the Snapchat icon on your home screen and tap "Remove App." On Android, go to Settings, tap Apps, find Snapchat, and tap "Uninstall." Then try downloading from scratch.
Update Snapchat after you install it
Snapchat releases updates regularly. A few days or weeks after you download it, you might see a notification that an update is ready. Go back to your app store, find Snapchat, and tap the update button. Updates usually take a minute or two and happen in the background — you can keep using your phone while it installs.
Keeping Snapchat updated makes sure you have the latest features and security fixes. You can also turn on automatic updates so your phone updates Snapchat without asking you. On iPhone, go to the App Store, tap your profile picture in the top right, scroll down to Snapchat, and toggle on "Auto Update." On Android, open Google Play, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, tap Network Preferences, and turn on "Auto-update apps."
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a phone number to download Snapchat?
No. You need an email address to create an account, but not a phone number. Snapchat can send you a code by text message if you want to add two-factor security later, but that's optional and comes after you've already downloaded and set up the app.
Can I download Snapchat on a tablet or computer?
Snapchat is designed for phones and works best on iPhone or Android. There is no official Snapchat app for iPad or Android tablets. You can use Snapchat on a computer through a web browser, but it has limited features — you can't take photos or videos the same way you can on a phone.
What if I get an error message during download?
Error messages usually mean either your internet connection dropped, your phone ran out of storage space, or there's a temporary problem with the app store. Try restarting your phone and checking your internet connection first. If the error mentions storage, delete some apps or photos to free up space. If it keeps happening, wait an hour and try again.
Is Snapchat safe to download?
Snapchat is a legitimate app made by a real company and is safe to download from the official App Store or Google Play. Only download it from those two places — don't download it from any other website or link, as those could be fake versions with malware.
Can I use the same email for Snapchat that I use for other apps?
Yes. You can use the same email address for Snapchat, Instagram, Gmail, or any other service. Each app has its own separate account and password, so using the same email doesn't connect them.