Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to share photos, videos, and messages that disappear after being viewed. One of Snapchat’s key features is Snapchat Stories, which allow users to post snaps that appear in a slideshow format and remain viewable for 24 hours.
What are Snapchat Stories?
Snapchat Stories are collections of snaps that are displayed in a slideshow format for 24 hours. When you post a snap to your Story, your friends can view it an unlimited number of times within a 24-hour period. Your Story captures the moments of your day that you want to share with your friends. Stories appear in a bar across the top of the app’s camera screen, organized by friend. Simply click on a friend’s name to view their Story.
Public Stories
In addition to viewing friends’ Stories, there are also public Stories that anyone can view. Public Stories capture events and places around the world. To view public Stories, click on the Discover section of the app and select the Story you want to see. Popular public Stories cover cities, events, holidays, and more.
Live Stories
Live Stories are a curated stream of user-submitted snaps about a specific event or topic. These Live Stories allow Snapchat users attending events to contribute photos and videos, providing a unique perspective into what’s happening. While Live Stories used to disappear after 24 hours like regular Stories, they now remain viewable for longer within the app.
How Can You See Someone’s Snapchat Story?
If you and a friend are connected on Snapchat, you can view your friend’s Story in a few simple steps:
- Open the Snapchat app.
- Tap on the Stories screen on the far left, indicated by a small circle.
- Tap on your friend’s name or Bitmoji to view their Story.
- Tap to advance through the snaps in their Story slideshow.
Your friend’s name will appear in a list on this screen with a ring around it if they have posted to their Story recently. If you do not see a specific friend’s name, it means they have not posted a Story in the past 24 hours.
Important Notes
- You must be friends with someone on Snapchat to view their Story.
- Stories disappear after 24 hours, so view them right away.
- Screenshotting or recording a Story will send a notification to your friend.
- You can replay a friend’s Story once per day.
How to See Someone’s Snapchat Story Without Them Knowing
Unfortunately, there is no secret way to view a friend’s Snapchat Story without them being notified. Here are some important things to keep in mind about Snapchat Stories:
- Screenshotting or recording a Story will send a notification to your friend.
- Replaying a friend’s Story also sends them a notification.
- There are no current workarounds that allow covert viewing of Stories.
- Snapchat expressly notifies people when others view their Stories to maintain transparency.
The only way to view a Snapchat Story without the creator knowing is to have another friend with access share the Story with you. But ultimately, Snapchat is designed as a sharing platform where users are notified of these interactions.
Setting Your Snapchat Story to Private
If you want to limit who can view your Snapchat Story, you can change your Story settings to Private in just a few steps:
- Tap your profile icon in the top left of the Snapchat app.
- Tap the gear icon to access your Settings.
- Scroll down and tap Privacy Settings.
- Under Who Can View My Stories, tap on Custom and choose the friends you want to exclude.
This will prevent the selected friends from viewing your Story. However, you can also limit viewing selectively when posting:
- When sharing to your Story, tap the arrow beside names of specific friends to exclude them.
- Type a name in the Search field to hide your Story from other friends.
Downsides of Private Stories
It’s important to note that setting your Story to Private or limiting viewers will exclude those friends from interacting with it. They won’t be able to view or screenshot any of the snaps in your Story. Think carefully about who you want to share with before limiting access.
Using Snapchat in Ghost Mode
Snapchat’s Ghost Mode lets you view Stories and Snaps discretely by hiding your status from friends. Here’s how it works:
- Tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
- Tap the gear icon to access Settings.
- Scroll down and tap Ghost Mode.
- Toggle on Ghost Mode – your profile icon will turn gray or “ghosted.”
In Ghost Mode you can:
- View friends’ Stories without your view being shown.
- Open Snaps without triggering the opened notification.
- Disable Snap Map location sharing.
Ghost Mode essentially allows you to operate in stealth mode. While useful in some cases, it’s still important to be thoughtful about trust and consent when using Ghost Mode to view Stories.
Downsides of Ghost Mode
Ghost Mode does have some downsides to consider as well:
- You cannot post Snaps or add to your Story in Ghost Mode.
- Friends can still see when you have joined Snapchat and are online.
- Chats operate normally without enhanced privacy.
Using a Second Snapchat Account
Another option is to create a second Snapchat account to view Stories more discreetly. Here’s how:
- Download Snapchat and sign up with a different email and password.
- Do not add close friends who will recognize your second account.
- When done viewing Stories, log out of your second account.
The benefits of a second account include:
- Your network won’t be visible or notified when you view Stories.
- You can toggle between accounts easily to post Snaps from your main.
- Peace of mind knowing your primary account and friends are separate.
The downside is that maintaining two accounts can be more involved. You need to log in and out to switch between them. It also doesn’t necessarily enable covert viewing without consent.
Third-Party Apps and Sites
Some third-party apps and sites claim they can let you view Snapchat Stories without the account owner knowing. However, most of these have limitations:
- Third-party apps often get banned or lose access as Snapchat updates its software.
- Unauthorized apps may compromise your privacy or security.
- Websites offering Snapchat content often involve leaked material without consent.
- There are legal concerns when using apps that violate Snapchat’s terms.
In general, it’s wisest to avoid these third-party services and stick to official Snapchat channels. While tempting, the risks likely outweigh the benefits.
Ethical Concerns
While you may want to discreetly view someone’s Story, it’s important to consider consent and ethics. Here are some concerns to keep in mind:
- Stories are intended to be shared only with approved friends.
- Circumventing settings breaches trust and good faith.
- Empathy – how would you feel if roles were reversed?
- Consider why you feel the need to hide your viewing.
Having an open, honest discussion with friends is better than viewing Stories covertly. And if you need distance from someone, unfriending is an option.
When Is It Okay?
There are limited cases where covert viewing may be justified, such as:
- Monitoring your child’s account and activity.
- Viewing a public figure’s Story as they aren’t your direct friend.
- Using an anonymous second account without impacting your primary friendships.
You have to evaluate your specific motivations and the implications involved. In general, discretion is advised.
Conclusion
Viewing someone’s Snapchat Story without them knowing ultimately goes against the transparent, intimate nature of the platform. While Snapchat does provide some tools to enable discreet viewing, these also limit your abilities.
The healthiest approach is to maintain open communication and consent with your friends. If you need to view Stories anonymously for genuine reasons, be thoughtful about your motivations and the potential impact on trust in your relationships.
Snapchat offers powerful ways to share your life and connect with friends. Focus on using the platform for its intended purpose – strengthening real relationships through temporary photo and video sharing.
| Method | Notification Sent? | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Viewing Friend’s Story Normally | Yes | Friend is notified when you view |
| Ghost Mode | No | Can’t post to Story in Ghost Mode |
| Second Account | No | Need to log in and out to switch accounts |
| Unauthorized Third-Party Apps | No | Often get banned, pose privacy risks |