Fix: Snapchat stutters, lag and crashes on Android

Snapchat. One of those revolutionary apps that made an undeniable impact on the way social media apps work. Firstly introduced as iOS exclusive, later take a significant role within Android, too. And suddenly, it started declining to levels that make it almost unusable. Android users report Snapchat crashes, stutters, and overall poor performance. If you are among them, we have a few things to try and mitigate these issues, if not outright solve them.

Table of contents:

1. Clear apps cache and data
2. Reinstall the Snapchat app
3. Download the older APK version

How to resolve Snapchat stutters and crashes on Android

If your Snapchat lags, stutters, or crashes on Android, make sure to clear data from the app, reinstall Snapchat, or roll back to an older version via an APK.

It goes without saying that you should be connected to a stable Wi-Fi network or mobile data network. Learn more below.

1. Clear apps cache and data

Let’s start with the acknowledged route. Cache and data are there for a reason. Data is, obviously, everything you or the app itself stores on the internal storage. Cache, on the other hand, is there to speed up the app’s loading time and it contains temporary files. Both are important and both, sadly, can sometimes cause issues.

Follow the instructions below to clear both Data and Cache from the Snapchat app:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Open Apps or Application Manager.
3. Open All apps.
4. Tap Snapchat.
5. Open Storage.
6. Clear Cache and Data.
7. Restart your device.

After that, you might need to sign in again with your credentials. If nothing changes and Snapchat still crashes, move through the additional steps.

2. Reinstall the Snapchat app

Even though the Android platform is much more homogenous nowadays, system updates or structural changes within the system can affect the behavior of certain apps. And if an app is in the state in which Snapchat currently is, nothing should surprise you. Reinstallation is one way to address this.

Here’s how to reinstall Snapchat on Android:

1. Tap and hold the Snapchat app in the App drawer or on the Home screen.
2. Drag it to the top and Uninstall it.
3. Restart your device.
4. Open Play Store.
5. Search for Snapchat.
6. Install the app.

3. Download the older APK version

If the current, or even the latest few versions were causing issues, you can always downgrade by downloading the older, well-performing version. This procedure isn’t as simple as roaming through Play Store, but it might help you overcome the current issues you’re facing.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Navigate to APKMirror and download an older (but recent) APK version of Snapchat. Beta versions are also an option but we suggest avoiding them due to the aforementioned stability issues.
2. Uninstall the Snapchat app.
3. Allow app installation from external sources.
4. Install APK, sign in, and look for improvements.

Don’t forget to tell us in the comments section below. Thanks for reading and have a good day.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in August 2017. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.