It can be frustrating when Snapchat messages seem to be opening on their own without you actually viewing them. This can happen for a few different reasons:
You have previews enabled
One of the most common reasons Snapchat messages can open by themselves is if you have message previews enabled. With this setting turned on, a preview of messages will display on your lock screen or notification bar.
So if you glance at a message preview without meaning to, Snapchat will register that message as opened. To turn off previews:
- Open your Snapchat settings
- Go to the Notifications section
- Toggle off Allow Notifications
With message previews disabled, you’ll only see the name of the Snapchatter who messaged you until you intentionally open the app.
Your read receipts are on
Another setting that could be automatically opening your Snapchat messages is having read receipts enabled.
Read receipts let the sender see when you’ve opened their message. So if for some reason Snapchat is glitching and registering messages as read when they shouldn’t be, the sender will still see them as opened.
To turn off read receipts:
- Go to your Snapchat settings
- Tap Manage
- Select Friend Settings
- Toggle off Read Receipts
With read receipts disabled, senders won’t get confirmation when you view their messages. So if any are opening early, the sender won’t know.
Your screen timeout is short
If your phone screen turns off quickly, this could also lead to Snapchats opening accidentally.
For example, if you only have a 15 or 30 second timeout before your screen shuts off, Snapchat may still register the message as viewed even if you just glanced at the lock screen.
To adjust your timeout length:
- Go to your phone’s Settings
- Tap Display
- Select Screen Timeout
- Choose a longer timeout length like 2 minutes or 5 minutes
Giving yourself more time before your display shuts off can help ensure Snapchat doesn’t register messages as opened too soon.
You have accidental touch protection disabled
Some smartphones have a setting to prevent accidental touches from registering. If you have this disabled, it could lead to Snapchats opening when you don’t mean to tap them.
To enable accidental touch protection:
- Go to your phone’s Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Select Touch Sensitivity
- Turn on Touch Accidental Touch Protection
With higher touch sensitivity, light brushes against the screen won’t activate buttons or messages.
Your phone is glitching
In some cases, a phone glitch or software bug could also be to blame for Snapchat messages appearing opened early.
If you’ve already checked your settings and Snapchats are still opening untriggered, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Force close the Snapchat app
- Restart your phone
- Update the Snapchat app and your phone software
- Delete and reinstall Snapchat
- Contact Snapchat support if the issue persists
This may help clear out any glitches that are leading to premature message opening.
Someone else accessed your account
In rare cases, Snapchat messages can also appear opened if someone else accessed your account.
If you notice messages opening when your phone was unattended or you know your account has been compromised, change your password immediately and enable two-factor authentication for extra security.
Your phone opened Snapchat in your pocket
It’s also possible your Snapchat app launched and opened messages if your phone was moving around in a pocket or bag. The motion could have activated the app and triggered messages to open accidentally.
Making sure to close out of Snapchat before stowing your phone can help prevent this. You may also want to enable a screen lock to add an extra layer of protection against pocket openings.
Why Do Snapchat Messages Open Themselves – A Summary
To summarize, here are some of the most common reasons Snapchat messages may be opening untriggered:
- Message previews are enabled in your settings
- Read receipts are turned on
- Your screen timeout is short
- You’ve disabled accidental touch protection
- A bug or glitch with the app
- Someone accessed your account
- Your phone opened Snapchat in your pocket or bag
Adjusting your Snapchat, display, and touch sensitivity settings can help prevent unwanted openings in most cases. But if the issue persists, contacting Snapchat’s tech support is your best bet for troubleshooting further.
How to Prevent Snapchat Messages From Opening by Themselves
Luckily, there are some easy ways to stop Snapchat messages from opening prematurely:
Disable Message Previews
As mentioned earlier, turning off message previews in your Snapchat notification settings is an easy fix. This prevents any peeks at your lock screen from registering as an opened message.
Turn Off Read Receipts
Disabling read receipts prevents the message sender from seeing when a message is opened. So even if one opens accidentally, the sender won’t know.
Close Out of Snapchat Completely
Make sure to fully close out of the Snapchat app when you’re done using it. This prevents stray touches or phone movements from opening the app and triggering messages.
Lengthen Your Screen Timeout
Setting your screen to take 2 minutes or more before turning off helps ensure Snapchat doesn’t log a message as viewed if you just glance at your lock screen.
Use a Screen Lock
Adding a passcode, fingerprint lock, or other screen lock helps protect against pocket openings or access by others. This adds an additional step before Snapchat would open.
Enable Touch Sensitivity
Increasing touch sensitivity settings helps prevent accidental brushes and swipes from opening apps and messages.
By tweaking these settings, you can usually stop Snapchat from opening your unread messages before you can view them yourself. But if problems persist, contacting Snapchat support is your next step.
What To Do If Your Snapchat Account Has Been Accessed
While rare, there is a chance your Snapchat could seem to be opening messages on its own because someone else accessed your account.
If you suspect your Snapchat has been compromised or logged into elsewhere:
- Change your Snapchat password immediately – make it long and strong
- Enable two-factor authentication for added security
- Log out of all other Snapchat sessions
- Scan your device for viruses in case of a breach
- Watch for unknown friend additions or other suspicious activity
Taking quick action by changing your password can help secure your account if it’s been accessed by someone else without your knowledge. Enabling two-factor makes it much harder for someone else to log in.
When To Contact Snapchat Support
If you’ve checked all your settings and are still having issues with Snapchat messages opening prematurely, it’s time to reach out to the Snapchat support team.
Contact Snapchat support if:
- Disabling previews and read receipts doesn’t fix the issue
- Changing timeout and touch settings doesn’t help
- Force closing, restarting, and reinstalling Snapchat doesn’t work
- Messages are opening when your phone is unattended
- You see other suspicious activity in your Snapchat
Snapchat’s team can help troubleshoot further, scan your account for issues, and get to the bottom of what’s causing the messages to open untriggered.
The Bottom Line
While having your Snapchats open unexpectedly can be annoying, in most cases it simply takes a few setting adjustments to prevent.
Disabling previews and read receipts, using a longer timeout, enabling touch protection, and adding a screen lock are some easy fixes. But if all else fails, Snapchat’s support team can lend a hand in getting messages to stop opening by themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Snapchat messages open by themselves?
Common reasons Snapchat messages open untriggered include: message previews being on, read receipts enabled, short screen timeout, accidental touch protection disabled, app glitches, someone accessing your account, or phone opening the app in your pocket.
How do I stop Snapchat from opening my messages?
To stop Snapchat from opening messages early, disable message previews and read receipts in settings. Also use longer screen timeout, enable touch sensitivity, close app when done, and use a screen lock code.
What does it mean if my Snapchats are already opened?
If your Snapchats are already opened when you view them, it typically means they opened accidentally from a preview, glitch, or accidental tap or swipe. It could also signal someone accessed your account.
Why are my Snapchat notifications opening by themselves?
Snapchat notifications can open by themselves if you have message previews enabled. Disabling previews prevents the message content from displaying on your lock screen or notification bar.
Is my Snapchat hacked if messages are already open?
Messages opening by themselves don’t necessarily mean your Snapchat was hacked. But if it happens along with other suspicious account activity, it’s a sign your Snapchat may be compromised. Change your password immediately.