Snapchat Down in Pakistan, Users Turn to VPNs

Snapchat users in Pakistan were left frustrated on Sunday, May 4, 2025, as the app suffered a major outage, disrupting its core messaging features across the country.

From Pakistan to the UK and France, thousands reported issues ranging from being logged out of their accounts to problems with sending snaps, videos, and text messages. According to Downdetector, over half of the affected users (57%) couldn’t stay logged in, while 24% faced difficulties sharing content, and 18% encountered upload failures.

The outage began surfacing early in the day. A surge of complaints came from cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. Users quickly took to social media to vent their frustration and speculate about the cause.

Interestingly, several users noted that they were able to access Snapchat using a VPN, hinting at possible region-specific disruptions. Despite the scale of the problem, Snapchat has yet to release an official statement explaining what went wrong.

A real-time heat map from Downdetector revealed trouble hotspots across continents, confirming the issue was far from isolated. By Sunday evening, the platform had registered a spike in outage reports well above normal traffic levels.

Until Snapchat provides answers, users continue to face uncertainty. Many are still locked out or relying on VPNs as a temporary fix.