Snap Camera: What Happened to It and What Replaced It

So if you've been searching for a Snap Camera download, stop there. The desktop app has gone, and an old installer from a third-party site isn't something you want on your computer.

Below is what replaced it, how to set up the Chrome extension, how to uninstall Snap Camera cleanly on a Mac or Windows PC, and how to get your normal webcam back in video calls. It's all from Snapchat Support, read in October 2026.

What Snap Camera was, and what you can use now

Snap Camera was the desktop app that put Snapchat Lenses on your webcam, so you could wear a Lens in a video call or a livestream. Snapchat now points to two replacements.

Option	What it does	Where it runs
Snapchat Camera for Chrome	Puts Snap AR Lenses on your webcam in web apps	Google Chrome, as an extension
Snapchat for Web	Lets you keep using Lenses on your computer inside Snapchat	Your web browser
Snap Camera desktop app	No longer available as a standalone app	Uninstall it

How to use Lenses on your webcam with Snapchat Camera for Chrome

Snapchat describes the extension as a way to bring Snap AR Lenses to your webcam in meetings, catch-ups with friends or livestreams. It gives you access to a large collection of Lenses, and you can use Lenses you've designed and published yourself.

1. Install the Snapchat Camera extension from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Sign in with your Snapchat account.
3. In the camera settings of the web app you're using, choose Snapchat Camera as your camera.
4. Click the Snapchat Camera icon in Chrome's extension menu to open the extension pane.
5. Pick a Lens and start using it.

Snapchat labels this a public preview, so expect it to change. It's described as working with video on websites, so it's for web apps running in Chrome rather than separate desktop programs.

How to uninstall Snap Camera on a Mac

1. Open Finder and go to your Applications folder.
2. Right-click Snap Camera and click Move to Trash.
3. Enter your password if your Mac asks for it.
4. Restart your computer.

If your Mac says Snap Camera is still running, it's open in the background. Snapchat says to click the Snap Camera icon in the menu bar at the top right of your screen, click Quit, then follow the steps above.

How to uninstall Snap Camera on Windows

1. Open the Start menu and look for the Uninstall Snap Camera program.
2. Run it and click Yes.
3. Follow the uninstaller's instructions.
4. Restart your computer.

If Windows won't let you uninstall it, Snapchat says to click the arrow at the bottom right of your screen, right-click the Snap Camera icon, click Quit, and then uninstall.

How to get your normal webcam back

This is the step people forget, and it's why some calls show a black screen after Snap Camera has gone. Your video app may still be looking for Snap Camera as its camera.

• In your video call app, open the video settings and switch the camera source from Snap Camera to your default camera.
• In Chrome, open Settings, search for Camera, click Site settings, then click Camera under Permissions and make sure your built-in camera is selected.

If Snapchat on your phone is the one with the camera problem, that's a different fix. My guide on allowing camera access on Snapchat covers iPhone, Android and the web.

Using Snapchat on a computer now

With Snap Camera gone, Snapchat for Web is the way to use Snapchat itself on a laptop or desktop, Lenses included. For what works there and what doesn't, see using Snapchat on a laptop. And for the difference between Lenses and Filters on your phone, my guide to Snapchat Filters and Lenses explains it.

Snap Camera vs Snapchat Camera for Chrome

The names are close, which is why people get confused. Snap Camera was a program you installed on your computer, and it showed up as a camera in any app. Snapchat Camera for Chrome is a browser extension, so it works in web apps running in Chrome. If your video calls happen in a browser tab, the extension covers you. If they happen in a separate desktop app, check whether that app has a browser version you can use instead.

Is it safe to download Snap Camera from another site?

Snapchat doesn't offer the Snap Camera app any more, so any download you find now comes from somewhere other than Snap. I wouldn't install it. You'd be running an unsupported program with access to your webcam, from a source you can't check. The Chrome extension does the same job and comes from Snap's own listing.

My verdict

Snap Camera has gone, so uninstall it, switch your video apps back to your real webcam, and move to Snapchat Camera for Chrome if you want Lenses on calls. For everything else on a computer, use Snapchat for Web. Don't chase old installers: there's nothing they give you that the extension doesn't, and plenty that could go wrong.

Frequently asked questions

Is Snap Camera still available?

No. Snapchat Support says Snap Camera is no longer available as a standalone app. You can use the Snapchat Camera for Chrome extension or Snapchat for Web instead.

What replaced Snap Camera?

Snapchat Camera for Chrome, an extension that adds Snap AR Lenses to your webcam in web apps. Snapchat also says you can keep using Lenses on your computer with Snapchat for Web.

How do I uninstall Snap Camera?

On a Mac, drag Snap Camera from Applications to the Trash and restart. On Windows, run Uninstall Snap Camera from the Start menu and restart. Quit it from the menu bar or system tray first if it's running.

Why does my webcam show Snap Camera after uninstalling?

Your video app is still set to it. Snapchat says to switch the camera source in your video settings from Snap Camera back to your default camera.

Can I use my own Lenses on my webcam?

Yes. Snapchat says the Chrome extension lets you use Lenses you've designed and published, as well as its own collection.