StillfeedHow to turn off Spotlight on Snapchat (and use it for chat only)
You can't turn off Spotlight in the Snapchat app. If you only open Snapchat to talk to friends, here's how to get rid of Spotlight and Discover and use it as just that: chat.
Quick answer: Stillfeed, an in-app browser for iPhone, opens Snapchat for Web signed into your account with Discover, Spotlight, Lenses and public Stories blocked. You land straight in your chats, so Snapchat becomes a messaging app and nothing more.
Why Snapchat pulls you in
For many people, Snapchat is where their friends are. The chats are the point. But the app also has Spotlight, an endless feed of short videos, and Discover, a stream of public Stories and shows. Both sit a swipe away from your conversations, so replying to one message can turn into twenty minutes of videos from strangers.
As far as we know, as of October 2026 Snapchat doesn't offer a setting to switch Spotlight or Discover off in its app.
What Stillfeed changes on Snapchat
Stillfeed opens Snapchat for Web, Snapchat's own browser version, signed into your own account. As of October 2026, it blocks:
- Discover
- Spotlight
- Lenses
- Public Stories
When you open Snapchat in Stillfeed, you land in chat. That's it: a chat-only Snapchat.
What still works
- Your conversations with friends on Snapchat for Web.
- Logging in with your normal Snapchat account. Your details go straight to Snapchat, never to Stillfeed.
Stillfeed never changes your Snapchat account, your friends or anything you've posted. No Stillfeed account is needed.
Free or Pro?
Open Stillfeed's settings to see which Snapchat options are included free and which come with Pro. The Instagram and YouTube part (Reels, Shorts and Explore removed) is free for everyone from the first launch. Stillfeed Pro is optional and adds things like a daily time limit.
How to set it up
- Download Stillfeed from the App Store and open it.
- Pick Snapchat.
- Log in as you normally would.
- Chat. Discover, Spotlight, Lenses and public Stories are already blocked.
Trade-offs to be honest about
- It's Snapchat for Web, not the app. The web version is built mainly for chatting and doesn't do everything the app does. If you rely on the camera or Lenses, you may still want the app for that.
- It only works inside Stillfeed. The official Snapchat app is unchanged. If you want chat-only to be the default, move the app off your home screen and put Stillfeed in its place, or give the app a short Screen Time limit.
- iPhone only. There's no Android version.
Who this suits
Chat-only Snapchat works well if Snapchat is mainly how you keep in touch with a group of friends, and the videos are the part you'd happily lose. It's also a gentle middle ground if you've thought about deleting an app entirely but don't want to drop out of the group chat.
More on other platforms
Stillfeed also works with X, Reddit, TikTok and LinkedIn, and removes Reels and Shorts from Instagram and YouTube. See them all on the platforms page. For more ways to cut back, read 10 strategies to stop doomscrolling.
Common questions
Can you turn off Spotlight on Snapchat?
Not in the Snapchat app, as far as we know as of October 2026. Stillfeed opens Snapchat for Web with Spotlight, Discover, Lenses and public Stories blocked, so you land in your chats instead.
Can I use Snapchat just for messaging?
Yes, with Stillfeed. It opens Snapchat for Web, which is built around chat, and blocks the Discover, Spotlight, Lenses and public Stories surfaces. What's left is your conversations.
Can I send snaps with the camera through Stillfeed?
Stillfeed uses Snapchat for Web, which is mainly for chatting. Lenses are blocked, and the web version doesn't offer everything the app does. If the camera is a big part of how you use Snapchat, keep the app for that and use Stillfeed for messages.
Is the Snapchat part of Stillfeed free?
Open Stillfeed's settings to see which options are included free and which come with Pro. Removing Reels, Shorts and Explore from Instagram and YouTube is free from first launch.
