Snapchat stuck on sending? 8 fixes for snaps that won’t send

Why Snapchat gets stuck on sending

A Snap is uploaded from your phone to Snapchat's servers before your friend can open it. If the upload stops halfway, the arrow keeps saying Sending. The usual causes are a weak or blocked connection, Snapchat not allowed to use data, little free storage, a damaged cache, an old app version or a problem at Snapchat. Videos and long Snaps are more likely to get stuck because they are larger files.

Sending vs Pending vs Failed

• Sending: the upload is in progress or stalled. Usually a connection problem on your side.
• Pending: the friend has not added you back or removed you. It is not a network problem.
• Failed to send. Tap to retry: the upload stopped. Tap it after you fix the connection.

If the friend unfriended or blocked you, Snaps may stay pending forever. Our guide to knowing if someone blocked you covers how blocking works on WhatsApp, and Snapchat behaves in a similar quiet way.

Save the Snap before you try fixes

Some fixes, like clearing the cache or reinstalling, can delete a Snap that never sent. If the Snap matters, open the chat, press and hold it if Snapchat offers Save, or open the camera roll to check if the original is there. If you shot it in Snapchat without saving, consider turning on Settings › Memories › Save Button › Memories & Camera Roll for next time.

Fix the connection first

1. Switch from Wi-Fi to cellular or the other way, then tap the stuck Snap.
2. Turn Airplane mode on for 10 seconds, then off.
3. Run a speed test. Uploads need a steady connection, and some home plans have slow upload speeds.
4. Restart the router if you are on Wi-Fi.
5. Turn off any VPN or ad blocker that filters traffic.

School, office and hotel Wi-Fi often block Snapchat or slow uploads. If Snaps send on cellular but not on that Wi-Fi, the network is the cause.

Give Snapchat the permissions it needs

On iPhone, open Settings › Apps › Snapchat and make sure Cellular Data and Background App Refresh are on. Also check Settings › Cellular and confirm Snapchat is switched on there. On Android, go to Settings › Apps › Snapchat › Mobile data and turn on Background data and, if offered, Unrestricted data. Without background data, an upload stops as soon as you leave the app.

Turn off data saving modes

Snapchat has its own Data Saver in Settings › Data Saver (sometimes under Additional Services). It delays loading but can also slow uploads. Turn it off for a test. On iPhone, also turn off Low Data Mode in Settings › Cellular › Cellular Data Options or in the Wi-Fi network details. On Android, turn off Data Saver in Settings › Network & internet.

Free up storage

Snapchat writes the Snap to your phone before uploading. With less than 1 GB free, it may fail quietly. Check Settings › General › iPhone Storage or Settings › Storage on Android, then remove large videos or unused apps. See free up iPhone storage or Android storage full for quick wins.

Clear the cache and update

In Snapchat, tap your profile › gear icon › Clear Cache. Chats, Memories and friends are kept. Then update Snapchat from the App Store or Play Store. If an update is not available, update your phone's system first, since new app versions may need it.

Log out and log back in

Logging out refreshes your session with Snapchat's servers. Tap your profile › gear icon › Log Out, restart the phone and log in again. Make sure you know your password first. If Snapchat keeps signing you out on its own, see Snapchat logging me out.

Check for a Snapchat outage

If nothing helps and friends have the same problem, check Downdetector or search for Snapchat down. Outages usually affect sending and loading for everyone. Wait and try again later.

iPhone specific tips

• Check that the date and time are set automatically in Settings › General › Date & Time.
• Turn off iCloud Private Relay for a test, since it can slow uploads on some networks.
• Disable Content Restrictions for Snapchat in Settings › Screen Time if set.

Android specific tips

• On Samsung, remove Snapchat from Sleeping apps in Settings › Battery › Background usage limits.
• Turn off Battery saver while sending large videos.
• Force stop Snapchat in Settings › Apps › Snapchat, then open it again.

Reinstall as a last step

Delete Snapchat, restart the phone and install it again from the official store. Your account, friends and Memories backed up to Snapchat stay safe. Unsent Snaps and unsaved drafts are lost. If the problem started after the phone itself misbehaved, read Snapchat not working for more general fixes.

Snapchat stuck on sending in group chats

Group Snaps upload once and then deliver to each member, so if one person removed you or blocked you, the Snap may still show as sent to the rest. If the whole group Snap stays on Sending, the cause is your connection or app, not a single member. Try sending a short text to the group. If text works but Snaps do not, the upload size is the issue; try a shorter video or a photo.

Stuck sending to just one friend

If Snaps go to everyone except one person, look at that friendship. The person may have removed you, blocked you, or their account may be locked or deleted. Check whether their name still appears in search and whether they can see your Story. A message in the chat that says Pending is a strong clue that you are no longer friends.

Stuck Snaps from Memories or the camera roll

Snaps sent from Memories or your camera roll can be large, especially long or high resolution videos. Snapchat compresses them before upload, which takes longer on older phones. Keep the app open until the Snap shows Delivered. If it stalls, trim the video to a shorter length and try again.

Does turning off the phone cancel a stuck Snap?

A restart stops the upload. When Snapchat opens again, it usually shows the Snap as failed so you can tap to retry. It does not send a half-finished Snap to your friend. If you no longer want to send it, press and hold the failed Snap and delete it, or clear the chat.

To avoid stuck Snaps in the future, keep Snapchat updated, leave at least a few GB free, and send long videos on Wi-Fi when you can.

If you work through the connection checks, permissions and cache steps above, almost every stuck Snap sends within a few minutes. Save anything important first, then fix the cause instead of tapping retry again and again, since repeated retries on a bad connection only fail the same way.

Send it again without losing it

If a snap fails, Snapchat usually shows Tap to retry. Tap it once you have a better connection. If the snap disappears, check Memories, since saved snaps stay there. For important photos, save them to your camera roll first, so a failed send does not cost you the picture.

Most stuck snaps send once the connection is stable.