Snapchat is one of the most popular apps around, letting users send photos and videos that are available only for a matter of seconds. It’s always rolling out new features, and the most recent allows you to make group video chats with up to 16 of your friends.
In order to access these new features you’ll need to keep your app up to date. We explain how to do so on Android and iOS below, and how to sideload the most recent APK if you’re desperate to get your hands on new features.
The official way to update Snapchat
To update Snapchat to the latest version, you need to head to your respective app store and check for updates. The app is available for iOS and Android so you’ll need to open the App Store or Play Store on your device.
If you’re on iOS, head to ‘Updates’ to check for new versions of your installed apps. If Snapchat is in the list then you can go ahead and download the update.
Android users need to open the menu within the Play Store and select ‘My Apps & Games’. Here you can see which apps have updates available. If it’s in the list then select Snapchat and hit Update.
Sideload the latest version to Android
If you’re desperate to get your hands on new features but an update is not yet available to you in the Google Play store, you can instead sideload the most recent APK file.
First you’ll need to know which version of Snapchat you’re running, so find Snapchat in Google Play and under the description click Read More. This should offer up some extra info, including the current version number and when it was last updated.
Now you know your current version you know you need to find an APK with a higher number than this or it’s not worth installing. Ours is currently 10.28.6.0 with no update available, and a quick Google Search for ‘Snapchat APK’ reveals that 10.29.0.0 is available from various app repositories.
Download the APK, and as long as you’re sure you’re downloading it from a reputable source tap Ok to the prompt that this type of file can harm your device. Now tap the confirmation notification to begin the installation process.
If you haven’t already done so you’ll be prompted to allow the installation of apps from Unknown sources – a setting found in the Security menu that you’ll want to reverse after you’ve updated the app.
Follow the prompts to install the app, then get experimenting with its new features
Author: Chris Martin, Reviews Editor, Tech Advisor
Chris got his break as a reporter at infamous site The Inquirer and has been at Tech Advisor for more than 12 years. With a BA degree in Music Technology, audio is his specialism, but over the years he has reviewed all kinds of gadgets, from smartwatches to mesh Wi-Fi to coffee machines.