The new Snapchat update has been met with lots of complaints from users, leading to the creation of tutorials on how the app can be reverted to its old design.
A recent report revealed that Snap, the company that owns Snapchat, grew faster than Facebook in North America in the fourth quarter. Several new Snapchat features have been introduced recently to maintain interest in the app, but will the redesign derail its growth?
What's Wrong With The New Snapchat Design?
In November last year, Snap announced that it was planning to introduce a massive Snapchat redesign to make the app easier to use. The planned update has just recently been rolled out and users are already complaining about it.
The biggest criticism against the new Snapchat design is that it was disorganized compared to the old version of the app. The update combined Stories and Friends into a single page while grouping all the content from celebrities and publications into a different section. For longtime Snapchat users, the new design is utterly confusing.
Fortunately, there are workarounds to bring back the older version of Snapchat.
How To Bring Back Old Snapchat On iOS
For iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads, Twitter user Clare James shared instructions on how to bring back the old Snapchat. Mashable confirmed that the process worked on an iPhone X.
- Delete the Snapchat app
- Go to the iTunes and App Store menu under Settings, and choose to turn off Automatic Updates
- Download the Snapchat app again
- Type in your email, but choose the Forgot Password option
- Choose to reset your password via phone to receive a text message with a code, and use it to change your password
- Log in to Snapchat, which will be back to its old design
How To Bring Back Old Snapchat On Android
Technology blog Tech Advisor, through Express UK, shared steps to bring back the old Snapchat on Android devices. However, the process is a bit more technical compared to the method for iOS devices.
- Acquire an APK file of the previous Snapchat version from other Android devices
- Uninstall the new Snapchat update on your phone, plug it into the PC, and place the Snapchat APK in the Downloads folder
- Launch File Explorer or File Manager, find the Snapchat APK and tap it to install the app with its old design
Is It A Good Idea To Reverse The Snapchat Update?
Bringing back the old Snapchat may be important for some users, but the suggested workarounds are all temporary. For the iOS version, if you quit the app or restart your phone, Snapchat will return to the new design.
In addition, Snap warned that reinstalling Snapchat might cause users to lose their Memories. Users should make sure that their Memories are backed up before trying either one of the above two methods.
It remains to be seen whether the new Snapchat design will stay or if Snap will listen to its users and bring back the old design. In the meantime, Snapchat users will have to decide whether to start getting themselves accustomed to the new design, or hold on to the old one.
