Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to send photos, videos, and messages that disappear after being viewed. One of the defining features of Snapchat is that there are no shortcuts or quick ways to navigate the app; users must click through the full sequence of screens to access different functions. This design choice was intentional by Snapchat’s developers and has important implications for how people use the app.
Reason 1: Encourages Full Attention
The lack of shortcuts helps encourage users to pay full attention to the app when using it, rather than jumping quickly between functions. Snapchat is designed as an intimate communication tool between friends, so the developers wanted to create a sense of presence and focus when using the app. By requiring users to manually click through each screen, it helps emulate the feeling of an in-person conversation where both parties are fully engaged. This results in interactions that feel more meaningful and personal.
Reason 2: Avoids Accidental Usage
Another benefit of avoiding shortcuts is it reduces the chance of people accidentally triggering certain app functions when they did not mean to. For example, there is no quick way to accidentally start the camera or open a chat thread if a shortcut button does not exist. Everything requires intentional action. This prevents embarrassing mistakes like accidentally sending an unflattering selfie or opening the wrong conversation. The lack of shortcuts essentially adds a bit of friction that encourages mindfulness in app usage.
Reason 3: Maintains Ephemerality
Since Snapchat is built around ephemeral messaging, maintaining some friction around usage aligns with this ethos. The lack of shortcuts channels users into the full deletion-by-default Snapchat experience each time they open the app. If it was easier to quickly jump between functions, it might be more tempting to use Snapchat for more permanent storage or messaging. The developers likely wanted to discourage this behavior and reinforce the ephemeral nature of the app through design.
Reason 4: Prevents Distracted Usage
With no shortcuts to tap through, Snapchat demands more attention to use than some other apps where muscle memory can kick in. This helps prevent distracted usage while doing other tasks. For example, users are less likely to try simultaneously using Snapchat while walking or driving if they have to manually navigate each screen. The app encourages stopping and fully concentrating on Snapchat itself. This results in safer usage overall.
Reason 5: Creates Habit Formation
Forgetting shortcuts is a common experience for many apps, so new Snapchat users benefit from having only one way to navigate the interface. Since there is only one main route through the app, it quickly becomes habit and muscle memory. This creates a strong sense of familiarity and competence for users as they learn Snapchat’s UX flow. It also means there are no rarely used shortcuts to forget over time. Snapchat navigation becomes second nature fast.
Reason 6: Differentiates from Competitors
Snapchat’s lack of shortcuts helps differentiate it from competitors like Instagram or Facebook that offer lots of quick ways to jump between sections. Removing shortcuts is unexpected by users and gives Snapchat a unique feel tailored to intimate communication. It aligns with the positioning of Snapchat as a different social experience focused on ephemeral sharing rather than permanent publishing. The navigation reinforces the idea that Snapchat serves a different role than other apps.
Reason 7: Reflects Target Demographic
Snapchat’s young target demographic grew up mobile-first, so smartphone UX tends to be intuitive for them. Extensive shortcuts can sometimes increase complexity for younger users. Stripping out shortcuts caters directly to Snapchat’s core Gen Z users through simple and uncluttered navigation focused on visual content. It makes the app easy to understand and adopt for the target teen and young adult demographic.
Reason 8: Mimics Real-Life Interactions
In face-to-face conversations, you need to purposefully start communicating and can’t just jump around erratically. The linear nature of Snapchat mimics this real-life flow. Communication is treated as a sequenced story, not jumbled random thoughts. This gives conversations a more natural and familiar feel. The deliberate navigation reinforces Snapchat as a personal communication tool.
Reason 9: Encourages Screen Reduction
Since Snapchat requires manually moving through screens, users are likely to send a few snaps and then close the app when finished. There is no easy way to get stuck endlessly scrolling through content or bouncing between sections mindlessly. This encourages more controlled and limited usage sessions, reducing overall screen time. The navigation flow inherently discourages getting sucked into the app for hours on end.
Reason 10: Aligns with Brand Personality
Snapchat’s fun, casual, intimate brand personality is reinforced by making users manually navigate each screen. It encourages the app to be used specifically for personal, close connections rather than professional, career-focused social media. No shortcuts matches the relaxed chat between friends vibe that Snapchat wants to foster. The deliberate navigation aligns well with the brand identity and target audience.
Does the Lack of Shortcuts Cause Problems?
While removing shortcuts has some clear advantages, it can also create issues in some cases. Here are a few potential problems caused by lack of shortcuts:
Learning Curve for New Users
New Snapchat users have to learn the full sequence of screens since shortcuts are not available as a fallback. This can initially be daunting and lead to confusion when first trying to navigate the app if users are expecting shortcuts to exist. It may slow adoption until people memorize the UX flow.
Slower Task Completion
Experienced users may find the required navigation through all screens to be tedious and slow them down. Tasks like starting a chat or posting a story can feel like they take longer without shortcuts to accelerate the process. This could frustrate power users who want to operate quickly.
Feature Discovery Difficulty
Without shortcuts providing quick access points to key features, some users may never uncover certain functions. Navigation is limited to the predefined flow, so it can be difficult to discover off-the-beaten-path features. Users may miss out on useful tools they would otherwise find through shortcuts.
Impeded Accessibility
Lack of shortcuts also prevents accessibility aids like third-party navigation apps from working properly since they rely on jumping between screens. Users with disabilities can have a hard time efficiently using Snapchat without shortcuts to quickly access critical functions as needed.
Monotony and Boredom
For users who spend a lot of time daily on Snapchat, the predictable navigation flow could become monotonous and boring over time. The lack of variability in how users access features adds repetitiveness to high-frequency usage sessions.
Conclusion
Overall, Snapchat’s decision to remove shortcuts aligns closely with the app’s strategy and brand positioning. The designers clearly wanted to create intimate, ephemeral communication through deliberate and focused usage. The navigation reinforces Snapchat as a platform for relaxed personal connection rather than professional networking. While the lack of shortcuts has some downsides, it ultimately gives Snapchat its unique identity that resonates with users. For the target demographic of teens and young adults, the simplicity and linear flow lowered barriers to adoption. However, as the app evolves over time, Snapchat may need to reevaluate whether to maintain strict control over navigation or start integrating some shortcuts to improve usability. The company will need to carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of preserving its iconic navigation style versus removing friction through shortcuts.
Tables Comparing Snapchat to Competitors
| App | Navigation Style | Number of Shortcuts |
|---|---|---|
| Snapchat | Linear screen flow | 0 |
| Combination of bottom bar shortcuts + swipe gestures | 5 bottom bar shortcuts | |
| Side bar navigation menu | 8 side menu shortcuts | |
| Bottom bar tab shortcuts | 4 bottom tab bar shortcuts |
| Year | Snapchat Daily Active Users |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 50 million |
| 2016 | 100 million |
| 2018 | 188 million |
| 2020 | 265 million |
| 2022 | 347 million |