Snapchat API Error ReferenceComplete troubleshooting guide with solutions
Comprehensive reference for Snapchat Public Profile API errors. Find solutions for authentication issues, media problems, rate limits, and public profile errors.
Important: Allowlist-Only API
Snapchat's Public Profile API is allowlist-only. Your OAuth app must be approved by Snapchat before you can use it. If you're seeing authorization errors, ensure your app has been approved for the snapchat-profile-api scope.
Error Categories
Authentication
4 errors
Public Profile
3 errors
Media
5 errors
Rate Limiting
2 errors
Content Policy
3 errors
Service
3 errors
All Error Codes
#Authentication
invalid_grantrefresh-tokenSnapchat access token is invalid or expired. Please reconnect your Snapchat account.
Solution:
Your Snapchat access token has expired or been revoked. Snapchat tokens expire after 1 hour. Go to your account settings and reconnect your Snapchat Public Profile.
invalid_tokenrefresh-tokenSnapchat session expired. Please reconnect your Snapchat account.
Solution:
Your Snapchat session has expired. This typically happens after the 1-hour token lifetime or if you changed your Snapchat password. Reconnect your Snapchat Public Profile to establish a new session.
unauthorizedrefresh-tokenSnapchat access token has been revoked. Please reconnect your Snapchat account.
Solution:
Your access token was revoked, either by you removing the app from your Snapchat settings or by Snapchat security systems. You must reconnect your Snapchat Public Profile.
access_deniedrefresh-tokenAccess denied. Required permissions not granted.
Solution:
The app needs the snapchat-profile-api permission. Make sure you grant all required permissions when reconnecting. Note that Snapchat's Public Profile API is allowlist-only.
#Public Profile
no_public_profileuser-errorNo Snapchat Public Profile found.
Solution:
Snapchat requires a Public Profile to publish content via API. Create a Public Profile in the Snapchat app: go to your profile > tap the gear icon > Create Public Profile. Then reconnect your account.
public_profile_not_founduser-errorThe specified Public Profile was not found.
Solution:
The Public Profile ID stored for your account is no longer valid. This can happen if you deleted your Public Profile. Create a new Public Profile in Snapchat and reconnect your account.
public_profile_suspendeduser-errorYour Public Profile has been suspended.
Solution:
Your Snapchat Public Profile has been suspended for violating community guidelines. Review Snapchat's Community Guidelines and appeal the suspension through the Snapchat app.
#Media
invalid_media_typeuser-errorInvalid media type. Snapchat only accepts images and videos.
Solution:
Snapchat Stories and Spotlight only accept image (JPG, PNG) and video (MP4) formats. Convert your media to a supported format before uploading.
media_too_largeuser-errorMedia file is too large.
Solution:
Snapchat has file size limits: images should be under 5MB and videos under 1GB. Compress your media or use a shorter video clip.
upload_failedretryMedia upload failed. Please try again.
Solution:
The media upload to Snapchat failed. This is usually a temporary issue. Wait a few moments and try again. If the problem persists, check your media file for corruption.
video_too_longuser-errorVideo exceeds maximum duration.
Solution:
Snapchat Stories have a maximum video length of 60 seconds, while Spotlight allows up to 60 seconds. Trim your video to meet these requirements.
invalid_aspect_ratiouser-errorInvalid aspect ratio for Snapchat content.
Solution:
Snapchat prefers 9:16 vertical content. While other ratios may work, vertical content performs best. Resize your media to 1080x1920 pixels for optimal results.
#Rate Limiting
rate_limit_exceededretryYou are posting too fast. Please wait and try again.
Solution:
Snapchat has rate limits to prevent spam. Wait a few minutes before attempting to post again. If you're scheduling multiple posts, space them out more.
too_many_requestsretryToo many API requests. Please slow down.
Solution:
You've exceeded Snapchat's API rate limits. Wait 15-60 minutes before making more requests. Consider implementing exponential backoff in your integration.
#Content Policy
content_policy_violationuser-errorContent violates Snapchat Community Guidelines.
Solution:
Your content has been flagged for violating Snapchat's Community Guidelines. Review the guidelines at support.snapchat.com and modify your content to comply.
spam_detecteduser-errorContent flagged as potential spam.
Solution:
Snapchat's systems detected your content as potential spam. Avoid repetitive posts, excessive links, or promotional content that looks automated.
copyright_violationuser-errorContent flagged for potential copyright violation.
Solution:
Your content may contain copyrighted material. Use original content or ensure you have proper licensing for any third-party content.
#Service
service_unavailableretrySnapchat service temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.
Solution:
Snapchat's servers are experiencing issues. Wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists, check Snapchat's status page.
internal_errorretrySnapchat internal error. Please try again.
Solution:
This is a temporary Snapchat service issue. Wait a few minutes before retrying your request. The system will automatically retry for you.
gateway_timeoutretryRequest timed out. Please try again.
Solution:
The request to Snapchat took too long to complete. This is usually temporary. Try again with a smaller media file or wait for Snapchat's systems to recover.
Best Practices
Error Handling
- •Implement automatic token refresh before expiration (tokens last 1 hour)
- •Handle rate limits with exponential backoff
- •Store refresh tokens securely for automatic renewal
- •Monitor for permanent errors that require user reconnection
- •Log all API responses for debugging
Error Prevention
- •Validate media format and size before upload (9:16 vertical, under 5MB images)
- •Check Public Profile status before posting
- •Space out posts to avoid rate limits
- •Review content against Snapchat Community Guidelines
- •Test with the API in sandbox mode first
Need More Help?
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