In the heat of competition, social media companies develop their mobile platforms regularly. Snapchat is keeping up with the race dominated by Facebook and Twitter, thanks to its advancements in features. However, its platform also experiences hurdles that some of its rivals have already gone through in the past. Some users complain that Snapchat keeps crashing and can only speculate that it is due to a glitch.
Fortunately, there are fixes available to get the app running again while waiting for an update from the Snapchat team. If you are encountering the problem, too, this article is for you. Here we will shed light on why Snapchat keeps crashing and provide you with solutions to fix the issue like a pro.
Also Read: What Is Snapchat: Everything You Need to Know
Causes and Fixes When Snapchat Keeps Crashing
Snapchat is not perfect. Problems on the mobile app can emerge along the way. This is a common scenario in the social media sphere – platforms crash because of server failure or glitches despite rolling out an update. However, it’s not the end because there are always backdoors applied on the platforms that would allow you to bring back the app’s performance to normal. Below are some of the problems and their corresponding fixes.
Lack of Memory to Perform
Mobile applications use Random Access Memory (RAM) – storage where apps running in the background keep their data. Sometimes, we get caught up in downloading applications that we forget how limited RAM can be. This results in poor device performance and apps crashing at worst. Hence, if you find that your Snapchat keeps crashing, your RAM may be overcompensating and failing in the process.
Here are our tips to avoid or solve the problem:
1. Before going into an app-downloading spree, check how much RAM you have.
2. Try to get rid of apps that you seldom use. Snapchat is a big app and might require more RAM to perform.
3. Once you have deleted apps, clear your cache by going to Settings > Storage > Internal Storage > Cached Data. Confirm the action by tapping OK.
The third tip will help you reduce the use of RAM on your device as cache data are often considered junk files from deleted apps. You can try to relaunch Snapchat and compare its current and past performances afterward.
DisclaimeriPhone users will not find Tip #3 a viable option. They can view how much data the Snapchat app is using by opening Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Snapchat. However, there is no option to clear cache for Snapchat on iOS. If you are an iPhone user, restart your phone instead to clear RAM.
Device Needs a Restart
So, you just downloaded the latest version of Snapchat or just got the latest update from the Google Play Store or App Store. That’s cool! You now have access to the new features of the app.
If your Snapchat app keeps crashing after the update, though, you need to do something else. Before the dawn of smartphones, computer experts always advise users to restart their PCs after installing an app. The same is true for smartphone apps. A restart is required. That is because file replacements from an update may not be fully operational if the operating system is still using the app.
App Service Is Down
There are times when the system maintenance of an app requires a total but temporary shutdown of the service in a specific region or country. This can be a reason why Snapchat keeps crashing or not working when you try to launch it from your smartphone.
No need to panic. That happens because it is a routine action performed by a platform’s company. However, if you suspect that it’s an app service failure, you can download a down detector app from App Store or Play Store to check. There are also websites like Downdetector that you can visit to confirm whether the service is down or not in your region or country.
No WiFi or Cellular Data Connection
Snapchat is famous not only for its chat features but also for its quirky and fun camera filters. Your screen might get stuck at loading and eventually return an error because the WiFi or mobile network is not available.
Here are our tips for handling the issue:
1. If you are on a cellular data plan, make sure you still have credits or balance left.
2. Make sure you have your mobile data turned on.
3. Go to Settings and check whether you are connected to a WiFi network. If not, connect your home WiFi network.
If you still have data credits or you are connected to your home WiFi network, it might be a provider issue.
Here are things you can do to confirm that:
1. Try connecting to a different WiFi network at a cafe or a friend’s network.
2. Connect to a mobile hotspot from a different provider.
If you find that it’s a provider issue, it might be the best time to contact your provider’s customer service for advice.
For more tips, we have in-depth tutorials for when your mobile data is not working, or your device won’t connect to WiFi.
App-Device Incompatibility
If you own Samsung Galaxy phones that have outdated Android OS or iPhones or iPads that cannot switch anymore to iOS 14, it might be high time to upgrade your gadget. Many of the latest mobile phone apps are no longer supported by old smartphones because of compatibility issues. There are developments in mobile phone apps that are just too much for old units to handle.
If you are using an Apple device, you will get a notification upon download that the unit you are holding no longer supports the app you are downloading. Even if you jailbreak your device, the app wouldn’t be performing at its best. The same is true for old Samsung Galaxy phones because the apps usually crash.
Snapchat Still Keeps on Crashing: There’s Still Hope
You might have tried everything, have a working WiFi or cellular data connection and the latest version of the app, and are sure that servers are running in your region but you still can’t pin down why Snapchat keeps crashing. At this point, it is best to keep your hopes up, wait for Snapchat to push out another update, and see whether that solves the problem. Of course, this is the worst-case scenario and it might not even lead to this. If you managed to fix the issue through any of our recommended methods, that’s good. You can now troubleshoot Snapchat like the experts whenever the hiccup happens again.
