How do you play music and Snapchat at the same time?

Many Snapchat users enjoy playing music in the background while creating and viewing Snaps. Listening to music can make the Snapchat experience more enjoyable and personalized. However, Snapchat’s design does not allow easy multitasking between the app itself and music playback. Users who want to soundtrack their Snaps or simply listen to music while on Snapchat are faced with some challenges.

There are a few key reasons why Snapchatters may want the ability to simultaneously play music and use the app:

• Adding music to Snaps can make them more creative, engaging, and fun to watch.
• Listening to music in the background creates a more immersive Snapchat experience.
• Multitasking allows users to save time by using Snapchat and listening to music at the same time.
• Users often prefer having music on rather than silence while using social media and messaging apps.

While Snapchat does not directly support music playback within the app, various workarounds exist to approximate simultaneous music and Snapchatting. The desire for proper multitasking reveals an appetite among users for a more integrated, multimedia Snapchat experience.

Playing Music in the Background

Both iOS and Android allow music apps like Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, etc. to play audio in the background while using other apps. This is enabled by default and does not require any special configuration.

To play music in the background while using Snapchat, simply start playing music in your preferred music app first. Once the music is playing, you can then open Snapchat and the music will continue playing. You’ll be able to hear both the music and Snapchat sounds/audio at the same time.

On iOS, you may need to swipe up to access the multitasking view to select your music app if it does not remain persistent in the background. On Android, the music notification will remain in the notification shade for easy access.

As long as your music app supports background audio playback, you’ll be able to listen to music while using Snapchat on both mobile platforms. Just be sure to start the music before launching Snapchat.

Snapchat Limitations

One of the main limitations with Snapchat is that it does not allow playing music or audio in the background while recording videos or using other features of the app. This is primarily due to technical restrictions in how Snapchat is designed.

Specifically, Snapchat does not provide support for background audio playback while simultaneously accessing the camera and other device features necessary for the app. This is likely an intentional design choice by Snapchat to optimize performance of the app’s core video and messaging capabilities.

As explained in Snapchat’s music guidelines, if any music is included in Snapchat content, the user is responsible for obtaining the necessary licensing rights. This restricts the ability to play external music files during Snapchat use.

Additionally, the ephemeral nature of Snapchat stories and direct messages means there is no persistent music player within the app. The app is focused on short form video content rather than continuous music playback.

Thus, the limitations are largely technical – Snapchat lacks background audio support and a persistent music player. The app’s ephemeral messaging focus means music playback is not a core feature.

Workarounds for iOS

There are a couple ways iOS users can play music in the background while using Snapchat. The easiest method is to take advantage of Snapchat’s Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature that was introduced with iOS 14. When you swipe up or press the home button while watching Snapchat content, it will minimize into a small window that continues playing over any other app. This allows you to open a music app like Spotify or Apple Music and play songs while Snapchat video content continues in PiP mode. Just note that Snapchat doesn’t support PiP for the views from your phone’s camera.

The other option for iOS users is to jailbreak your device and install tweaks that enable background audio. A jailbreak allows modifying core iOS functionality not normally permitted. Tweaks like FreePiP can unsnap Snapchat’s interface and enable background music playback. While effective, jailbreaking requires technical expertise and voids the device warranty.

Workarounds for Android

Unfortunately, due to limitations in how Snapchat was developed for Android, there is no built-in way to play music and Snapchat audio at the same time. However, there are a couple workarounds Android users can try to achieve this functionality.

One option is to use third party apps that can merge audio streams from multiple sources. For example, an app like AudioFX allows you to combine audio from media apps with audio from Snapchat, so you can listen to music while recording videos or using other Snapchat features.

The other workaround is rooting your Android device, which provides more system-level control. With a rooted device, you can install mods like Lucky Patcher that enable background audio playback in Snapchat. This gives you the ability to play any music alongside Snapchat.

However, rooting can be a complex process and carries certain risks. So the third party audio merging apps may be an easier option for most users looking to play music in Snapchat on Android.

Multitasking Challenges

When trying to play music and use Snapchat simultaneously, there are some challenges that arise due to the limitations of multitasking on smartphones. One major issue is that audio quality can suffer when two apps are accessing the microphone at the same time. The music may cut in and out or become distorted as Snapchat tries to record audio for videos or voice notes ¹. This is because the smartphone’s operating system has to rapidly switch between the two audio sources.

Running two media-intensive apps simultaneously can also cause instability and app crashes, especially if you are multitasking between a third party music app and Snapchat. The additional processing load of encoding video and streaming music pushes the phone’s resources to the limit. Users have reported Snapchat freezing up and closing unexpectedly when trying to play music in the background ².

While workarounds like using Snapchat’s hands-free mode may seem like good solutions, they also come with tradeoffs. Hands-free mode disables the Snapchat camera, so you can’t capture videos or selfies. Similarly, workarounds that involve connecting external Bluetooth speakers compromise Snapchat’s audio recording capabilities. There are often inconvenient compromises required to achieve simultaneous music playback and Snapchat usage.

Best Practices

When trying to play music and use Snapchat at the same time, following some best practices can lead to a smoother experience.

On iOS devices, enabling Guided Access mode is recommended as it helps avoid accidentally closing the music app when using Snapchat (Snapchat Creative Best Practices). You can triple-click the home button to activate and deactivate Guided Access.

For Android users, switching to split screen mode is ideal. This allows you to have both the music and Snapchat apps open simultaneously on the screen (How to Add Music to Snapchat). Make sure to check your Android version supports split screen.

Some other tips include turning on Do Not Disturb mode, using headphones to listen to music, and opening Snapchat from the music app’s external share sheet instead of separately launching Snapchat.

In general, it’s best to choose device settings and workarounds that allow both apps to remain active at the same time for smooth multitasking.

Future Possibilities

Many Snapchat users are hoping that Snapchat will enable full background audio support in the future. Currently, Snapchat does not allow other music or audio to play in the background while recording videos or sending Snaps. However, given Snapchat’s focus on creativity, it’s possible they may expand their audio features.

Some speculate that Snapchat could build out a library of licensed music similar to what TikTok offers. This would allow users to add full songs as background audio. Snapchat may also enable capturing system/device audio when recording videos. For example, users could play music on their phone’s native music app and it would be captured in Snapchat videos.

Enabling background audio introduces licensing and copyright challenges. But Snapchat has the resources to license music and broker deals with record labels. If background audio provides value to users without cannibalizing music streaming services, Snapchat may see it as an attractive expansion of their capabilities.

While Snapchat has not announced plans for background audio, they are innovating quickly. Over the next 1-2 years, they may roll out small tests to gauge interest. But full-featured background audio still seems at least a few years away based on their current product roadmap.

Alternative Options

Snapchat may not offer the most flexible options for using music and the app simultaneously, but there are plenty of alternative apps that allow for more creativity. TikTok and Instagram are two of the most popular alternatives that enable playing music in the background while creating content.

TikTok has quickly become one of the most downloaded apps thanks to its fun filters and effects paired with a vast music library. Users can browse TikTok’s extensive catalog of songs and clips to find the perfect audio for their videos. An advantage over Snapchat is that the music keeps playing even when switching between apps on iOS, allowing true multitasking capabilities. One downside is that videos on TikTok have a time limit of 60 seconds.

Instagram is another alternative that offers music stickers and effects for Stories and Reels. Users can search for songs in Instagram’s database or use their own audio. A benefit is that Instagram content does not disappear, so it can be re-shared later. However, Instagram lacks the ephemeral, in-the-moment feel that Snapchat captures. There are also no filters or lenses that are as playful and creative as Snapchat’s.

When weighing the pros and cons, both TikTok and Instagram provide greater versatility for pairing music and content creation. But Snapchat still holds its own with a more personal, spontaneous vibe. The choice ultimately comes down to stylistic preference and how users want to express themselves.

Conclusion

In summary, while Snapchat doesn’t directly support playing music and using the app at the same time, there are some workarounds available. On iOS, you can use the built-in multitasking capabilities to play music in the background from another app while using Snapchat. On Android, third party apps like SnapTube allow simulatenous music and Snapchat use. However, the experience still isn’t seamless and can be buggy. As mobile devices continue to advance, we may see better support for concurrent media playback and app usage in the future. For now, the workarounds provide a decent compromise for those who want to soundtrack their Snaps. The key is finding a method that works smoothly on your particular device. With some experimentation, you should be able to find a way to play tunes while Snapping your friends.