Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among young people. One of the app’s key features is Snapchat Stories, which allow users to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. By default, you can only view the Stories of people you are friends with on Snapchat. However, there are ways to view Snapchat Stories anonymously, without having to add someone as a friend first.
Why View Snapchat Stories Anonymously?
There are a few reasons why you might want to view Snapchat Stories anonymously:
- See someone’s public Story without them knowing: If someone has a public Snapchat account, you can watch their Stories anonymously to get a sense of their content without notifying them.
- View Stories of people you know without friending: You may want to check out the Stories of an acquaintance, celebrity, or someone else you know without sending a friend request.
- Privacy concerns: Some people prefer to browse Snapchat anonymously so their viewing activities are not tracked.
The main challenge is that Snapchat is designed with privacy in mind, so they make it difficult to view Stories without friending someone first. However, there are still a few workarounds.
Method 1: Use a Snapchat Viewer Website
There are third-party Snapchat viewer websites that allow you to view public Snapchat Stories anonymously. Here are the steps:
- Go to a Snapchat viewer site like Snapsnaps or SnapPeeper.
- Enter the Snapchat username of the account you want to view.
- Select the “View Story” option.
- The website will display the user’s public Snapchat Story without friending them on Snapchat.
The advantage of using these sites is convenience – you don’t have to download any additional apps. The disadvantage is some sites may have ads or not work reliably. Overall, Snapchat viewer sites are a straightforward option for anonymous Story viewing if you can find one that works.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Only public Stories can be viewed – private Stories of friends-only accounts cannot be seen.
- The owner will not be notified that you viewed their Story.
- Some sites do not work reliably and can go down often.
- Viewer sites may have ads – use an ad blocker.
- Use at your own risk – some sites seem shady.
Method 2: Use a Snapchat Viewer App
There are also apps you can download that allow anonymous Snapchat Story viewing. Here are some options:
Casper (iOS only)
Casper is a popular third-party Snapchat client for iOS that has a “Stealth Viewer” feature allowing anonymous Story viewing. Here’s how it works:
- Download Casper from the App Store (often not the official version).
- Open the app and tap “Stealth Viewer”.
- Enter the Snapchat username to view and tap “Watch Stories”.
- Casper will display the user’s public Snapchat Story anonymously.
Casper has access to more Snapchat data than viewer sites in some cases. However, it can also stop working if Snapchat blocks it.
Snow (Android only)
Snow is an Android alternative that works similarly to Casper. To use it:
- Install Snow from the Google Play Store.
- Open the app and tap “Anonymously view stories”.
- Type in the username and tap “View Story”.
- You can then watch their public Story anonymously.
The advantage of apps like Casper and Snow is they often work better than web viewers. However, they have more ads, can be unstable, and are against Snapchat’s terms of service.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Apps may stop working if Snapchat blocks them.
- Only public Stories can be viewed.
- The apps have intrusive ads.
- Apps are not supported by Snapchat and break Snapchat’s terms of service.
- Stories may load more slowly than the official Snapchat app.
Method 3: Use a Second Snapchat Account
You can also create a second “burner” Snapchat account to view Stories anonymously. Here’s how:
- Download the Snapchat app and sign up for a new account.
- Do not add any friends. Keep it anonymous.
- Search for the username whose Story you want to view.
- View their public Snapchat Story without sending a friend request.
The account owner will not be notified, since no friend request is sent. You can use the burner account to anonymously view multiple public Stories.
The main drawback with this method is it takes more effort to set up a second account. You also can’t view private Stories – only public accounts. But it is a native Snapchat approach to anonymous viewing.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Only works for public, non-friends-only accounts.
- Takes more time to set up a second account.
- You still need to search for each username manually.
- Can be inconvenient toggling between two accounts.
- The account owner will not be notified of views.
Conclusion
Viewing Snapchat Stories anonymously takes a bit more work than the default friend-finding process. However, with third-party apps and sites or a secondary account, you can view public Snapchat Stories discretely.
Each method has pros and cons to consider in terms of convenience, privacy, and reliability. Overall, anonymous viewing goes against Snapchat’s friend-focused design, so the experience will not be as smooth as the app itself.
However, if you need to view Snapchat Stories anonymously on occasion without friending, the above methods offer workable solutions while maintaining privacy.
Just keep in mind anonymous viewing is meant for public accounts. Private Stories from friends-only accounts should only be viewed with consent to respect people’s privacy and expectations on the platform.
With the above options, you can quietly keep up with public Snapchat accounts and trends with less social friction. While not a core Snapchat feature, anonymous Snapchat Story viewing fills a niche need for some users given the app’s popularity.
Method | Pros | Cons |
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Snapchat Viewer Websites |
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Snapchat Viewer Apps |
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Second Snapchat Account |
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In summary, each approach has advantages depending on your priorities and how much effort you are willing to put in. Casper or Snow offer the easiest anonymous viewing, while a secondary Snapchat account gives you access from within Snapchat without third-party tools.
For occasional anonymous Story spying, the extra steps are worthwhile to keep your activity private. Just be respectful of those you look at, stay focused on public figures and accounts, and don’t go overboard on anonymous watching.