There are a few different reasons why some people may not be able to view your Snapchat story. Here are the most common causes and how to fix them:
You Have Them Blocked
If you have blocked someone on Snapchat, they will not be able to view your story or send you snaps. To check if you’ve blocked someone:
- Go to your profile by tapping the ghost icon in the top left
- Tap the gear icon to access settings
- Go to “My Friends” and tap “Blocked”
This will show you a list of all users you have blocked. To unblock someone, tap on their name and then “Unblock.”
They Have You Blocked
Likewise, if someone has blocked you on Snapchat, you will not show up in their friend list and they will not be able to view your story postings. Unfortunately there is no way to tell if someone has blocked you on Snapchat.
Your Privacy Settings
Snapchat allows you to control who can view your story in your privacy settings:
- Everyone – Anyone on Snapchat can view your story.
- My Friends – Only people you are friends with on Snapchat can view your story.
- Custom – You can specifically choose which friends to exclude from viewing your story.
To change who can view your story:
- Go to your profile and tap the settings gear
- Tap “Privacy Controls”
- Under “Who Can View My Story”, choose your desired setting
Make sure the setting is not excluding someone you want to be able to view your story.
Connection Issues
Sometimes viewing stories can fail due to poor internet connection issues. Make sure both you and the other person have a stable wifi or cellular data connection. Also close out of any other apps running in the background that could be taking up bandwidth.
They Aren’t Following You Back
In order for someone to view your Snapchat story, they must have added you as a friend and be following you back. If someone hasn’t added you back, they will not show up as a friend in your list and they won’t be able to watch your story.
You can check if someone follows you back by going to your friend list – friends who don’t follow you back will have a gray arrow next to their name.
Your Story Expired
Snapchat stories only stay live for 24 hours. If someone tries to view your story after the 24 hour period, it will no longer be available and they will get an error message that the story expired.
To let more people view a story, you can save it before it expires by:
- Going to your story
- Pressing down and holding on a snap
- Tapping the download icon
This will save the story to your camera roll so you can share it through other apps.
They Deleted You as a Friend
If someone removed you as a friend on Snapchat, they will also be removed from your friend list. When this happens they will no longer be able to view your story.
Unfortunately Snapchat does not notify you if you’ve been deleted or removed by a friend.
Their App is Out of Date
Make sure the person trying to view your story has updated to the latest version of Snapchat. Older versions of the app sometimes have issues loading new features like stories.
On an iOS device, they can update the app by going to the App Store and tapping “Updates”. On Android, go to the Play Store, tap the hamburger menu, choose “My Apps & Games”, and update Snapchat if there is a new version.
How to See Who Views Your Snapchat Story
Snapchat does not have built-in analytics for who opens or views your stories like other social media platforms. However, there are a few workarounds:
Use a Third Party Analytics App
Some third party apps like Story Watcher, Story Tracker, and Who Viewed Me can track views of Snapchat stories. However, these apps can access a lot of data from your account and you use them at your own risk as they violate Snapchat’s terms of service.
Look for Screenshot Notifications
If someone takes a screenshot of your story, Snapchat will notify you, so this is one way to see if people are viewing it. However, notifications are easy to miss and people can also view your story without taking screenshots.
Ask Friends if They Saw It
Directly asking your friends if they happened to see your Snapchat story can give you a good idea of who viewed it. This isn’t foolproof but does give you direct feedback.
Say something like “Did you see my Snapchat story yesterday? What did you think of it?” to start a conversation about their viewing habits.
See Who Reacts to Your Story
If friends react to your story by sending chat messages or screenshots, this signals they most likely viewed your story. Pay attention to who engages with your story content.
Use Your Story Completion Metric
Snapchat does show you what percentage of your friends have viewed your entire story within 24 hours:
- Open your profile
- Tap on your own Bitmoji or profile icon
- Swipe up on your story tray
This will show you completion percentages. If 100% of friends viewed it, you can assume all of them saw your story.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting why someone can’t view your Snapchat story can be tricky, but usually it comes down to privacy settings, blocks, expired stories, or connection issues. If none of the usual fixes work, it may be because the person deleted you from their friends list.
While Snapchat doesn’t have built-in analytics, there are some creative workarounds to get a sense of who is seeing your story. Knowing why someone can’t view your story helps avoid issues in the future!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can some friends see my Snapchat story and others can’t?
The most common reasons that some friends can view your story while others can’t include:
- You have them blocked
- They have you blocked
- Your privacy settings are limiting the audience
- They haven’t added you as a friend
- The story expired more than 24 hours ago
- Connection issues are preventing them from viewing it
How do I know who viewed my Snapchat story?
Snapchat doesn’t have built-in analytics to show who’s viewed your story like other social media platforms. But there are a few workarounds:
- Look for screenshot notifications
- Check your story completion percentage
- See who reacts to the story
- Ask friends if they saw it
- Use third party apps (not recommended)
Why did someone disappear from my Snapchat friends list?
If someone disappears from your Snapchat friends list, it likely means they either blocked you or deleted you as a friend. Unfortunately Snapchat does not send any notification when this happens.
Can you see someone’s Snapchat story without them knowing?
No, there is no way to secretly view someone’s Snapchat story without them knowing. You have to be friends and following each other. Even third party apps reveal that you viewed the story. The only fully anonymous way is if someone else screenshots the story and shares it outside of Snapchat.
What does the grey arrow mean on Snapchat friends list?
A grey arrow next to a friend’s name on your Snapchat friends list means that they are not following you back. They have added you as a friend, but never added you back in return. This means they can view your story but you can’t view theirs.
Can I recover expired Snapchat stories?
Yes, you can recover expired Snapchat stories by downloading them before they disappear:
- Open the story you want to save
- Press and hold on a snap to select it
- Tap the download icon
This will save the story to your camera roll so you can access it even after 24 hours. You can then share it through other apps.
Why aren’t my friends showing up on Snapchat?
If your friends aren’t showing up on your Snapchat friends list, a few possible reasons are:
- They blocked you
- You blocked them
- One of you removed the other as a friend
- They changed their Snapchat username
- There’s a bug or glitch in the app
Try restarting the app or checking your blocked list to see if they are still accessible.
Can I post a Snapchat story without my friends knowing?
No, posting a Snapchat story automatically shares it with your friends list. The only way to post anonymously is to make a separate account and not add anyone you know. You can also use the Snapchat Discover section to post publicly without friends seeing.