The quickest way to add your location
To add a location to a Snap, open the camera and take a photo or video. Before you send it, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Tap the location icon — it looks like a pin — and search for the place you want to tag. Once you find it, tap it to add the location to that Snap. Your friends will see the location name when they open the message.
The location appears as a sticker on your Snap, so you can move it around or resize it before sending. You can also add a location to a Snap you've already taken by opening it in your camera roll, tapping the edit icon, and following the same swipe-up process.
Key Takeaways
- Swipe up from the bottom of the camera screen and tap the location pin icon to search for and add a location to any Snap.
- Location stickers appear on your Snap and can be moved or resized before you send the message to friends.
- You can add a location to a Snap after you've taken it by editing it from your camera roll.
- Turning on location services in your phone's settings lets Snapchat suggest nearby locations automatically.
- Adding a location to a Snap does not share your real-time location with Snapchat or your friends unless you turn on Snap Map.
How location services affect what Snapchat suggests
If you turn on location services for Snapchat in your phone's settings, the app can suggest nearby places as you take Snaps. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services, find Snapchat, and choose "While Using the App". On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Snapchat > Permissions > Location, and toggle it on.
With location services on, Snapchat will show you a list of nearby restaurants, landmarks, and businesses when you swipe up to add a location. Without it, you can still search for any location by name, but you won't see the automatic suggestions. Turning location services on or off does not change whether your friends can see where you are — that depends only on Snap Map settings, which are separate.
The difference between location stickers and Snap Map
Adding a location sticker to a Snap is not the same as sharing your location on Snap Map. A location sticker is just a label you put on a photo or video before you send it — it tells your friends where you were when you took that Snap, but only if they open that specific message. It does not tell Snapchat where you are right now.
Snap Map, by contrast, shows your real-time location to friends you choose, and it updates as you move. You turn Snap Map on or off separately in Settings > See Me. Many people use location stickers without ever turning on Snap Map, because they want to tag where a photo was taken without sharing live location data.
Adding a location to a story instead of a direct message
You can add a location sticker to your Story the same way you add one to a Snap you send to friends. Take a photo or video, swipe up, tap the location icon, search for the place, and tap it. The location sticker will appear on your Story for 24 hours along with the photo or video.
Story locations work the same way as Snap locations — they show where you were when you posted, not where you are now. Anyone who views your Story will see the location sticker. If you want to remove a location sticker from a Story post after you've uploaded it, you can edit the post by holding down on it and tapping the pencil icon, then removing the sticker.
What happens if Snapchat can't find the location you're looking for
If you search for a location and Snapchat does not show it in the results, the place may not be in the app's location database yet. Snapchat's location list includes most major cities, landmarks, restaurants, and businesses, but smaller or newer places sometimes don't appear.
If a location is missing, you have two options: search for a nearby major landmark or neighborhood instead, or skip the location sticker and just describe the place in text on your Snap. You can also try searching for the business name or street address — sometimes results appear under a different name than you expected.
Removing or changing a location after you've added it
Before you send a Snap, you can tap the location sticker to change it to a different place, or tap and hold the sticker and swipe left to delete it. If you've already sent the Snap, you cannot remove the location from that message — it will stay there for as long as the Snap is visible to your friend.
If you posted a location to your Story and want to remove it, hold down on the post and tap the pencil icon to edit it. Then tap and hold the location sticker and swipe left to delete it. The updated version will replace the original post in your Story.
Why some locations show up as sponsored stickers
Some location stickers on Snapchat are branded or sponsored by businesses — they may include a logo, special design, or promotional text. These stickers work the same way as regular location stickers: you tap them to add them to your Snap, and they show your friends where you were. The difference is that Snapchat or the business may have created a custom design for that location.
You are not required to use a branded sticker if you don't want to. You can always search for the location by name and use the plain version instead. Snapchat shows sponsored stickers to encourage people to tag certain popular places, but the choice is yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does adding a location to a Snap tell Snapchat where I am in real time?
No. A location sticker only labels where you were when you took that specific photo or video. It does not send your real-time location to Snapchat or activate any tracking. Only Snap Map shares your live location, and you have to turn that on separately in your settings.
Can my friends see my location if I add it to a Snap?
Yes, but only in that Snap. When your friend opens the message, they will see the location sticker you added. They cannot see where you are now or track your movements — they only see the place you tagged in that one photo or video.
What if I don't want to share my location at all?
Simply don't add a location sticker to your Snaps. You can also turn off location services for Snapchat in your phone's settings if you don't want the app to suggest nearby places. Make sure Snap Map is turned off in your Snapchat settings so your friends cannot see your live location.
Can I add a location to a Snap after I've already sent it?
No. Once you send a Snap, you cannot edit it or add a location to it. You would have to take a new Snap and add the location before sending. If you posted to your Story, you can edit the post to add or remove a location sticker.
Why is the location I'm looking for not showing up in the search?
Snapchat's location database includes most major places, but smaller businesses, new locations, or very specific addresses may not appear. Try searching for a nearby landmark, neighborhood, or the business name instead. If it still doesn't show up, you can describe the location in text on your Snap instead.