Snapchat Not Playing Sound? Fixes for Snaps, Stories and Videos

Silent videos are one of those small problems that feel huge when you're trying to watch a friend's Snap or check a clip you've just recorded for your business. The good news is that Snapchat's help pages name a short list of causes, and most of them take less than a minute to check.

I've followed Snapchat's own advice below. It splits into two situations: you can't hear anything in the app, or a video you recorded has no sound. I'll cover both, because the fixes are slightly different.

Start with your phone's silent mode when Snapchat has no sound

Snapchat's help article on video Snaps without sound lists silent mode as the first thing to check. If your phone is silenced, Snapchat will look as if it's broken when it's simply obeying you.

For an iPhone, Snapchat's separate article on not hearing any sound in the app gives two steps:

1. If your iPhone is in Silent mode, flip the Silent/Ringer switch so the phone is in ringer mode.
2. On a newer iPhone, open Control Center and tap the bell icon to unmute it.

Then turn the volume up with the side buttons while a Snap is playing, so you can see the volume indicator move. Snapchat also lists the device volume being turned off as a cause, so it's worth watching that bar rather than assuming.

Checking Snapchat's microphone access for videos without sound

If the problem is on a video you recorded, the next cause on Snapchat's list is microphone access. Snapchat says to check your device settings to confirm the app can use the microphone. Without it, the camera can record picture and no audio.

The exact route depends on your phone, so look for Snapchat in your phone's settings list and check the microphone switch is on. Menus differ between iPhone and Android and between software versions, and Snapchat's page doesn't give a click-by-click path.

Test with another app when Snapchat isn't playing sound

Snapchat's suggestion if the issue continues is to record audio with your phone's native camera or voice recording app. This is a clever way to narrow things down:

• If your phone's own camera records sound fine, the fault is more likely in Snapchat's settings.
• If other apps have no sound either, Snapchat says there may be a problem with your device, and to contact the device manufacturer.

And if an iPhone microphone sounds muffled or has static, Snapchat's page says to contact Apple. That's a hardware matter, not something a Snapchat setting will cure.

The speaker icon on a Snapchat video

Here's one people miss. Snapchat's help page on voice filters explains that tapping the speaker icon on a video Snap mutes all the audio in that Snap. Pressing and holding the same icon adds a voice filter instead.

So if one Snap is silent and others are fine, look at the speaker icon first. The sound may have been muted on purpose, by you or by a friend who made the Snap. If you did it by mistake, tapping the icon again should put the sound back, though I'd check the Snap before sending it.

When Snapchat sounds muffled rather than silent

Not every sound problem is silence. If your recordings sound muffled or distorted, the cause may sit in the phone's microphone mode rather than the app. Snapchat has a help article about this on newer iPhone software, and its advice is to open Control Center while recording and look at the microphone setting. If you spot Voice Isolation, switching the microphone mode to Standard, then Automatic, is what Snapchat suggests. The option only shows while the microphone is in use, so open Control Center mid-recording.

I've only seen that tip described in summary, so check Snapchat's own help page on your phone if it applies to you, and remember the screens may differ between software versions.

A quick order of checks for Snapchat sound problems

1. Check silent mode and the Silent/Ringer switch.
2. Turn the volume up while a Snap plays.
3. Tap the speaker icon on the Snap in case it was muted.
4. Check Snapchat has microphone access in your phone's settings.
5. Try your phone's own camera or voice recorder.
6. If other apps have no sound either, contact the device maker.

Using Snapchat sound for business and creator Snaps

If you post to customers on Snapchat, sound is part of the message. A quick spoken tip, a product demo or a behind-the-scenes clip is flat without audio. Before you send a video Snap, replay it once with the volume up. My guide to sending a voice message on Snapchat is useful if you want to talk to someone without recording a full video, and whether Snapchat notifies you when someone replays a Snap answers a related worry people have when they check a Snap twice.

Replaying a Snap you've just recorded is a sensible habit for another reason too: Snapchat itself asks you to review the whole Snap before sharing it when you edit saved ones.

If Snapchat still won't play sound

When you've been through the list and Snapchat is still silent, update the app, restart your phone and try again. If it remains broken on its own, tell Snapchat through its support options in the app and say which phone and software version you're using. And if sound is missing everywhere on the phone, the manufacturer is the right place to go.

Frequently asked questions

Why is there no sound on Snapchat?

Snapchat's help pages list silent mode, volume turned off, and Snapchat not having microphone access as the first things to check. A muted Snap is another cause.

How do I turn the sound on in Snapchat on an iPhone?

Flip the Silent/Ringer switch so the phone is in ringer mode, and on a newer iPhone you can open Control Center and tap the bell icon to unmute.

What does the speaker icon do on a Snap?

Tapping it mutes all the audio in a video Snap. Pressing and holding it adds a voice filter instead.

What if other apps have no sound either?

Snapchat says there may be a problem with your device, so contact the device manufacturer. For an iPhone microphone that sounds muffled or staticky, it says to contact Apple.

How can I tell if the problem is Snapchat or my phone?

Record a clip with your phone's own camera or voice recording app. If that has sound, check Snapchat's microphone access and settings. If it doesn't, the phone is the more likely cause.