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.

20error codes
6categories
Public Profile API v1

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-token

Snapchat 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Your Snapchat access token has expired or been revoked.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-token

Snapchat 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-token

Snapchat access token has been revoked.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Your access token was revoked, either by you removing the app from your Snapchat settings or by Snapchat security systems.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-token

Access 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-error

No 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-error

The 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The Public Profile ID stored for your account is no longer valid.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-error

Your 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-error

Invalid 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-error

Media 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_failedretry

Media 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-error

Video 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-error

Invalid 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_exceededretry

You 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_requestsretry

Too 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-error

Content 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-error

Content 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-error

Content 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_unavailableretry

Snapchat 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_errorretry

Snapchat 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_timeoutretry

Request 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?

Our support team can help you troubleshoot Snapchat integration issues.