Snapchat is one of the most popular social media apps, especially among younger users. A key feature of Snapchat is that photos and videos sent between users (called “snaps”) disappear after being viewed. This ephemeral nature is part of what makes Snapchat fun and casual. However, one limitation of Snapchat is that snaps can only be opened in the mobile app — they cannot be viewed on the Snapchat website. This leads many to wonder: will Snapchat web ever be able to open snaps?
Why can’t you open snaps on Snapchat web currently?
There are a few reasons why Snapchat web does not currently support opening snaps:
- Security – Allowing snaps to be opened on the web creates additional security risks. Snaps are meant to be private conversations, so Snapchat wants tight control over how they are accessed.
- User experience – Snapchat was designed as a mobile-first app. The ephemeral experience of viewing snaps is tailored for mobile, and may not translate well to web.
- Encouraging app use – By limiting snap viewing to mobile, Snapchat encourages users to keep its app on their phones and use it frequently.
Overall, the inability to open snaps on the web is intentional on Snapchat’s part to protect security, maintain the desired user experience, and drive engagement through its mobile app.
Why some users want web snap viewing
There are a few key reasons why some Snapchat users want the ability to open snaps on the web:
- Convenience – It can be easier to view photos/videos on a laptop or desktop screen rather than the small screen of a smartphone.
- Saving snaps – While snaps disappear in the app, users want the ability to save or record them by viewing on web.
- Limited access – Some users may only have access to Snapchat via web if they don’t have the app downloaded or are on a computer.
- New audiences – Web support could potentially draw in new Snapchat audiences who prefer web over mobile apps.
For these users, being able to view snaps on Snapchat.com would provide more flexibility and convenience in how they use the platform.
Will Snap ever allow web viewing?
Whether Snapchat will ever support opening snaps on the web largely comes down to a cost-benefit analysis:
Potential benefits
- Increased engagement – More snap viewing options could lead to more time spent on Snapchat overall.
- Revenue opportunities – Web support could allow Snapchat to monetize through ads on its website.
- Broader access – Allowing web viewing makes Snapchat available to those without smartphones or unable to install apps.
- Happy power users – Snapchat’s most loyal users would appreciate the flexibility of web snap viewing.
Potential costs
- Decreased app usage – If users can view snaps on web, they may spend less time in Snapchat’s monetizable app.
- Security risks – Expanding to web creates more potential malware and hacking vulnerabilities.
- Cannibalization – Web viewing could displace app usage rather than complement it.
- Developer costs – Building and maintaining web snap viewing would require significant engineering resources.
Ultimately, Snapchat needs to decide if the potential benefits outweigh the costs and risks. The company has been cautious about expanding to web thus far to protect its core user experience.
What would be needed to support web snap viewing?
To allow snaps to be opened on Snapchat’s website, the company would need to implement a few key technical capabilities:
- Media transfer – A system to securely transfer snap media files from Snapchat’s servers to the user’s web browser.
- Ephemerality – Functionality to make snaps disappear after viewing on the web, as they do in the app.
- Compatibility – Player capability to support Snapchat’s range of media: photos, videos, lenses, etc.
- Performance – Fast loading and playback of snaps even at high resolution.
- Security – Measures like HTTPS encryption to prevent snaps from being hacked or intercepted.
- UI/UX design – Carefully adapted interface optimized for desktop/laptop rather than mobile.
Delivering a viable web snap viewing experience without compromising usability or security would be an extensive engineering challenge requiring substantial development resources.
Case studies from other platforms
Looking at other social media platforms that have expanded from mobile to web can provide perspective on the risks and potential Snapchat faces with web viewing:
- Took multi-year transition starting in 2007 to become fully functional on web.
- Saw increased engagement and new demographics from web access.
- But desktop feed algorithm differs from mobile to optimize experience.
- Launched web viewing capability in 2012.
- Photos upload faster on web leading to more content.
- But Stories viewing remains limited on web to promote app use.
- Web messaging launched in 2015.
- Provides convenience for desktop-centric users.
- But requires mobile app to stay linked to send/receive messages.
These examples demonstrate the complexities platforms face in balancing the benefits of web support with preserving the core in-app experience. Snapchat would likely take a gradual approach to avoid disrupting its app usage.
| Platform | Year web viewing added | Pros of web viewing | Cons of web viewing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Increased engagement, new demographics | Required interface/algorithm optimization | |
| 2012 | Faster uploading, more content | Less Stories usage on app | |
| 2015 | Convenience for desktop users | Still requires mobile app |
The future of Snapchat web
Looking ahead, here are some potential directions for Snapchat’s web platform:
- Limited viewing – Could allow snaps to be viewed on web for a short time such as 24 hours after receiving.
- Screenshot prevention – Watermarks or other security measures to prevent unauthorized saving of snaps.
- Read-only access – Web could support viewing but not posting/sending to maintain app focus.
- Web-exclusive features – Creative lenses or other special effects only available on the website.
While the user desire is clear, the execution would be challenging. Snapchat is unlikely to jeopardize its app dominance. Any web capabilities would be carefully designed to complement, not replace, Snapchat’s core mobile experience.
Conclusion
Snapchat was built for mobile, and the constraints of ephemeral messaging remain tied to its app experience. While web functionality could broaden Snapchat’s reach, substantial technical and design considerations would need to be addressed. If Snapchat ever elects to take on the risks and complexities of allowing snaps on the web, expect a slow and limited rollout focused on enhancing, not replacing, their app usage. But the core Snapchat experience seems destined to remain mobile-only for the foreseeable future.