How to Record without Holding the Button in Snapchat?

Snapchat debuted in 2011, and since then, there has been no looking back for the application. Its popularity is growing exponentially amongst the youth and has reached an all-time high due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The developers keep rolling new updates regularly to enhance the features and user-friendliness of the application. The innumerable filters that the application provides is a massive success amongst its users. Selfies and short videos are the most popular form of media on this particular networking platform. 

The most unique aspect of Snapchat is the way in which it has been designed that offers maximum privacy to its users. All forms of media, including pictures, short videos, and chats, disappear immediately after the recipient views them. If you wish to replay a snap or take a screenshot of it, the sender will be immediately notified of the same as the message will display on the chat screen. The absence of a discrete method to record the messages that are shared between users adds a significant advantage as one need not dwell too much on the content. 

Although most of the content in Snapchat centres around selfies and videos that are shot using the front camera, the users are trying to constantly explore new and enhanced methods of shooting by expanding their creative boundaries.

However, one feature that is often requested by the users is the presence of a hands-free recording option. It is generally not possible to record a video on Snapchat without keeping your finger on the touchscreen till the end of the process. This issue can prove to be a nuisance when you have no one around you and are required to shoot videos by yourself. Sometimes, users might wish to record private videos by themselves, and the lack of such a feature can be tiring. It also makes it impossible in case you wish to use a tripod to record a video when you are alone. Despite continual requests from users, this feature never came to exist. 

Snapchat also has plenty of filters that are compatible with the rear camera mode. These filters are pretty vivid and can liven up normal, monotonous videos or photos. Despite having these facilities, not being to implement them according to our convenience is an obvious waste of resources. Now let us look at some of the possible options that a user can employ to learn how to record without holding the button in Snapchat.

How to Record without Holding the Button in Snapchat?

The common query of how to record in Snapchat without hands has solutions for both the popular operating systems, iOS and Android. It is actually pretty simple and straightforward with regard to iOS. A few modifications in the Settings section will solve this problem immediately. However, Android does not have any easy software-related solution for this issue. Hence, we will have to make do with other, slightly modified techniques. 

Record on Snapchat without Holding the Button on iOS

1. First, navigate to Settings on your iPhone then tap on Accessibility. 

2. Scroll down then tap on Touch option and find the ‘Assistive Touch’ option. Select the toggle under it and make sure to turn on the toggle.

3. Here you will be able to view a Custom Gestures tab underneath the Assistive Touch section. Tap on the Create New Gesture and you will receive a prompt asking you to enter the new gesture that you wish to include.

4. Tap on the screen and hold it until the blue bar is filled entirely. 

5. Next, you will have to name the gesture. You can name it as ‘Record For Snapchat’, or ‘Snapchat Hands-Free’, basically, anything that is convenient for you to identify and remember. 

6. Once you create the gesture successfully, you will be able to see a grey-coloured round and transparent overlay on your screen.

7. Afterward, launch Snapchat and select the option to record a video. Tap on the assistive touch icon that you created previously. 

8. This will give rise to another set of icons in a display panel. You will be able to find a star-shaped symbol labelled as ‘Custom’. Select this option.

9. Now, another black-coloured round icon will appear on the screen. Move this icon over the default recording button in Snapchat and remove your hand from the screen. You will witness that the button continues to record a video even after you removed your hand. This is possible due to the assistive touch feature that is available on iOS. 

Now we have seen how to record without holding the button in Snapchat on iOS devices. However, there is one minor catch that is associated with this method of recording in a hands-free style. The usual time limit for short videos on Snapchat is 10 seconds. But when we try to record videos without holding the button, with the help of the assistive touch feature, the maximum duration of the video is only 8 seconds. Unfortunately, there is no way to rectify this issue, and the user has to make do with an eight-second video through this approach.

Also Read: How To Unsend A Snap On Snapchat

Record on Snapchat without Holding the Button on Android

We have just seen how to record in Snapchat without hands on iOS. Now, let us proceed to look at how we can do the same in Android, the other major operating system. Unlike iOS, Android does not possess the assistive touch feature in any of its versions. Hence, we have to apply a simple, technical hack to overcome the problem of how to record without holding the button in Snapchat.

1. First, obtain a rubber band that has tight elasticity. This will serve as the prop that will serve as a trigger for recording the video instead of our hands.

2. Open Snapchat and go to the Recording section. Now, wrap the Rubberband securely over the Volume up button of your phone.

You have to ensure that a couple of factors are taken into consideration carefully now. It is imperative to keep in mind that the rubber band does not press the power button accidentally, as this will cause your screen to turn off, thereby disrupting the entire process. Also, the rubber band should not lie over your phone’s front camera as it can damage the lens due to pressure. 

The elastic band should stay over the button firmly. Hence, you can also double wrap the band if required.

3. Now, press on the rubber band over the volume up button to begin the recording process. Next, remove your hand from the elastic band. However, the recording will keep continuing due to the pressure of the rubber band over it. The entire duration of 10 seconds will be completed successfully without any interruptions now.

This is a really simple and convenient technique to record in Snapchat without using your hands on an Android phone. 

Bonus: What could be the reason behind any recording issue?

Sometimes, there could be hardware or software issues that cause problems in recording videos and other media on Snapchat. Multiple causes could be behind this problem. Let us look at some of the most common issues and how to solve them.

You might have received messages like Could not connect camera or No Available Camera Input while trying to use the camera to record videos and create snaps. Let us look at some possible solutions for this problem.

1. Check if the front flash of your phone camera has been enabled. This is one of the most common reasons behind the problem of being unable to record videos. Disable the flash in the settings and retry to see if the issue is sorted out.

2. You can try restarting the Snapchat application to rectify this issue as well. It is bound to solve any minor glitches that could be behind this problem.

3. Restart the camera of your device as well to check if that is behind the problem.

4. You can also try to Restart your phone and recheck if the problem persists.

5. Uninstalling and re-installing the application can also prove to be a useful solution in case the methods mentioned above do not work effectively.

6. Sometimes, the geotagging option present in the application can also be the reason behind the problem. You can try to disable it and check if the issue is sorted out.

7. Clearing the Cache is another tried-and-tested method that can be effective in solving the issue.

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Thus, we have seen the most straightforward and effective methods to record in Snapchat without hands for both iOS and Android devices. It consists of pretty simple steps that can be carried out by everyone without any hassles.