How to Open a Snap Without Them Knowing
Since the beginning of time, the Snapchat app has been used for chatting with someone in a private way.
Among Snapchat’s privacy measures, they ensure that anyone who has a Snapchat account can know whether someone reads their messages or not.
Although some users have tried to “hack the system” by finding ways to perform Snaps peeking, it is clear that the platform will not implement an official feature that allows you to open someone’s snap without them knowing.
Hence, traditional methods won’t work - we need to use other methods instead.
That’s why in today’s article, we will be discussing the following matters:
- How to open a Snap without them knowing;
- Best ways to see a friend’s snap without the other user knowing you did;
- Updated information regarding seeing a chat message without the other person knowing.
Reasons to See a Snap or Chat Message Without the Other Person Knowing
There are plenty of reasons why you would want to know how to read a Snap without opening it.
Just imagine that you open a Snapchat message, and you still haven’t thought about a proper answer for it.
Whether we talk about a friend’s Snapchat or a message from your crush, you surely don’t want to open Snap and then don’t know how to say it to the other user.
That’s why finally figuring out a way to see a person’s Snap and open a Snapchat without the other person knowing is so fundamental these days.
And we are not talking about checking your Snapchat Conversation History via the chat label - we mean looking at a new chat without the blue arrow running everything for you.
Whatever your motives are, we should be able to open Snapchat app and check out the conversations tab without the other person finding we did so.
Sadly, there’s no such way to do this officially, which forces us to take alternative roads.
How to Open a Snap Without Them Knowing
It is pretty clear now - the notification panel will light up if you open Snaps.
Since there isn’t, and there probably won’t be a Snapchat option to fix this, and opening a Snap immediately sends a message on the notification bar, you have only a handful of options to prevent this from happening.
In any case, open Snap Chat, and let’s find out how to read Snapchat messages without them knowing.
1. Snapchat App Half Open Feature (Outdated)
Back in the day, there was a trick that worked perfectly whether you had an Android device or an iOS device.
It was called “ Snapchat Half Swipe,” and it allowed you to see a message by slowly swiping right from your camera tab to the message window.
This way, you could see a Snap partially just by doing this small trick.
Nevertheless, this method no longer works.
Half Swiping doesn’t work anymore. After several updates, Snapchat, at one point, fixed this little hack.
Now, it doesn’t matter what you do - this method won’t work on your device.
Nonetheless, some users say that performing app installation of an older version makes the above method works easily.
Read our related Half Swipe guide to learn more.
2. Using Airplane Mode on Snapchat
We need to be honest here - the Airplane mode method works, but it’s too risky.
This means that in some cases, people will still be able to see that you saw their messages.
That’s why it’s imperative for you to do it right. Without further ado, let’s see how activating flight mode to see snaps works.
Step 1: Turn On Airplane Mode
Firstly, tap on the app icon that opens Network Connections and look for the airplane icon.
This works both for Android devices and iOS devices, although the icons are slightly different.
In some cases, you might need to go to Device settings in order to turn Airplane Mode on.
Step 2: Open Snapchat and See the Snapchat Message
After activating Airplane Mode, go to Snapchat, and open the message you want to read.
Since you are technically offline, the other person will not know that you are reading their messages.
Just make sure to read it right and think your answer through before proceeding with the last step.
Step 3: Clear Snapchat Cache and Close the App
Now, you need to go to Snapchat settings, and look for “Storage and Cellular data.”
Here, find the button to clear cache, and clear it out.
Some users go one step further and decide to uninstall Snapchat and install it back again.
This is because, in some cases, the notification will still pop up after reading a message with Airplane mode activated.
3. Use Third-Party Apps to See Snapchat Without Them Knowing
So, do third-party apps work for reading messages without sending a notification?
They mostly do, and they are widely known as spy apps.
However, we must mention that not every single spy app will be reliable.
There are some sketchy third-party apps out there that might not work exactly as you think so.
Consequently, do your own research before using any app that asks for Snapchat permissions.
All the methods mentioned in this guide work - it is up to you to decide your preferred one!
If you need more insights about Snapchat, GrowFollowing is your best bet.
Open a Snap Without Them Knowing FAQ
Is Seeing Snapchat Without Them Knowing Against Snapchat’s Privacy Terms?
It’s not like you are violating Privacy Settings on Snapchat, but it is clear that the platform does not want users to check messages without the other individual knowing that they do so.
You won’t get banned, but you are indeed entering a gray area here.
Karen is a senior technical writer and copywriter here at GrowFollowing. Her area of expertize are social media apps and new media.