How to use Snapchat on Windows 10 PC & Mac OS

Unfortunately, the Snapchat app has been designed for mobile devices. It is not available on laptops or desktop computers. This is often a reason for frustration among many users. It is needless to say that a mobile device doesn’t stand up to a full-fledged PC when it comes to ease of use, computing power, and of course, speed.

So, if you are one of those many hundreds of thousands of people who want to know how to use Snapchat on PC and Mac, this detailed guide here is going to help you.

“Be Calm and Keep Reading!”

snapchat for Windows 10 or Mac

Basic Things You Should Know

Before you learn how to use Snapchat on PC and Mac, you need to know a few basic things.

First, Snapchat has been specifically designed and developed for mobile devices. The coding used for the creation of this app is geared towards Android OS and iOS. These operating systems are different from the regular Windows Operating System or Macintosh Operating System.

The applications designed for mobile devices running either Android or iOS have different types of coding that do not work with the desktop operating systems. They are simply incompatible. This explains why you directly install your Snapchat on your PC or Mac.

No matter how hard you try, you cannot achieve direct installation unless Snapchat decides to come up with separate desktop clients.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Snapchat has any such intention.

Just because you cannot install Snapchat on our desktop computers, it doesn’t mean that you cannot use them on your desktop or laptop.

Note the difference between the two words – INSTALL and USE.

When you install, it simply means that the software is a native client of the operating system on which you are installing it.

When you use particular software, it may or may not be a native client of the operating system on which you use the software.

So, you can only USE Snapchat on your Windows PC or Mac desktop but you cannot install it.

But how?

There are two methods and both of them require installing another software known as Android Emulators. Using these emulators, you can easily get Snapchat on your Mac or Windows 10 PC.

Use Snapchat on Windows 10 PC and Mac with Bluestacks

In order to use Snapchat on PC and Mac, you can use Bluestacks. It is the most popular Android Emulator on the market. It is fast, well-designed, and gives a smooth experience.

You can download Bluestacks from this location.

Once the Bluestacks application is installed, follow the steps mentioned below to use Snapchat:

Step 1: Launch Bluestacks

Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - launch Bluestacks
Bluestacks on Start Menu (Windows)
Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - launch Bluestacks 1
The Launch Screen of Bluestacks
Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - launch Bluestacks - Bluestacks Window
The Interface of Bluestacks After Launch

Once you have installed the application, launch the app by finding it on the launcher (for Mac) or from the Start menu on your Windows desktop.

If Bluestacks already did not ask you to sign in during the installation process, it will do so now. You will be asked to sign in to your Android account using Gmail. If you are already an Android user, use your Gmail ID and password. If you don’t have a Gmail account, simply create an account and use the login credentials.

Step 2: Search Snapchat

Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - launch Bluestacks - Search Snapchat
Search Snapchat on Bluestacks Interface

Once Bluestacks launches, you will see a finder bar or finder icon on the Bluestacks window that opens. Click on the search bar or on the search icon and type in ‘Snapchat,’ and hit the enter button.

Step 3: Locate the Snapchat App

use bluestacks on pc and mac - snapchat app-click to install
Click on Snapchat App Icon to Install

Once you conduct the search, Bluestacks will show the list of applications. Locate the Snapchat app icon, which is basically a yellow square box with a white ghost figure on it.

Step 4: Install Snapchat

use bluestacks on pc and mac snapchat app on Play Store in Bluestacks
Bluestacks showing Play Store interface with Snapchat installation option
Use Bluestacks on PC and Mac Snapchat app installing on Bluestacks
Snapchat app installing on Bluestacks interface through Google Play Store.

Now click on the icon to install the application. The application will be installed inside the Bluestacks emulator. In other words, the app will be installed in the virtual Android environment inside Bluestacks. It will not be installed on your Windows PC or your Mac desktop.

Step 5: Launch Snapchat

snapchat app in Bluestacks library
Snapchat App Showing in Bluestacks Library.
Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - Snapchat Running on Bluestacks
Snapchat App Running on Bluestacks Interface.

Once you install Snapchat on Bluestacks, you can find the app icon in the Library tab. Click on the Snapchat icon to launch it inside Bluestacks! Now log into your Snapchat account and voila! Snapchat is at your fingertips. You can now ditch your phone and stick to your Windows PC or Mac desktop.

Use Snapchat on Windows 10 or Mac without Bluestacks

As we mentioned earlier, there is absolutely no way you can use Snapchat on your PC and Mac without an emulator. While Bluestacks is always the first choice, there are other great emulators too. Another great option is the Nox App Player or simply NoxPlayer.

Simply visit this link and download NoxPlayer for your desktop. Select the Mac version if you have Mac. Now install the application and follow the steps below:

Step 1: Launch NoxPlayer

Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - Search NoxPlayer in Start Menu
Search NoxPlayer in Search Menu of Windows PC and Click to Launch
Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - NoxPlayer Launching
Nox Player Launching on Windows PC

Once you have successfully installed NoxPlayer, launch it from the Start menu (on Windows PC) or from the Launcher on your Mac desktop.

Step 2: Search Snapchat

Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - NoxPlayer Interface After Launch
NoxPlayer Interface After Launch
Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - Search for Snapchat on NoxPlayer
Search for Snapchat on NoxPlayer

Once NoxPlayer launches, search for Snapchat on the search bar you see on the top. Hitting the search button will open a new window inside the NoxPlayer listing all results related to Snapchat. Basically, it will show an Internet search inside the NoxPlayer. You can also see an URL on top which reads something like this:

https://www.bignox.com/search/result?q=snapchat

Basically, the application will search for Snapchat on the BigNox website but, instead of using a traditional browser, the NoxPlayer will use the integrated browser.

Step 3: Install Snapchat

Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - Snapchat Search Results on NoxPlayer
Snapchat Search Results on NoxPlayer
Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - Snapchat on Google Play Store in NoxPlayer Interface
Snapchat on Google Play Store in NoxPlayer Interface

Click on the first link and it will ask you to choose the option of opening the link with a browser or using Play Store. Use the Play Store and then install the app.

Step 4: Use Snapchat

Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - Snapchat Installed and Ready for Launch
Snapchat Installed and Ready for Launch.
Use Snapchat on PC and Mac - Snapchat Launched on NoxPlayer
Snapchat Launched on NoxPlayer

Once you install Snapchat, click on the ‘Open’ button and the app will be up and running inside the NoxPlayer emulator.

Simply log in or sign up to use the messaging client! That’s all.

About Snapchat

Snapchat! This insanely popular instant messaging app can be found installed on almost every Android and iOS phone in this world. The popularity of this picture messaging app can be traced back to its feature of spontaneity and fleeting nature of the conversations.

Yes, the pictures and the messages shared through this messaging client disappear forever after a short period of time. It is this particular nature of the app that intrigued millions of users worldwide after its launch in 2010. Today, it is one of the most widely-used messaging clients in both Android and iPhone ecosystems.

While it only takes a few taps to install the app on either an Android-powered device or an iOS-powered device, users often ask a workaround to make this app work on Windows PC or Mac OS.

Conclusion

No one is stopping you from using Bluestacks or NoxPlayer. It is your choice! But you need to remember that the moment you use Snapchat on PC and Mac using any of these emulators, you immediately disturb the privacy policy of Snapchat.

The moment you install Snapchat on any Android emulator, the emulator gets access to you all your data from the Google Play Store. If you are a big advocate of privacy and you still use these emulators to use Snapchat on your desktop, do not cry foul when Bluestacks or NoxPlayer get their hands on your data. You will be knowingly granting them permission!