Snapchat Spotlight: Complete 2025 Guide to Features, Meaning & Tips

Snapchat Spotlight is a feature inside the Snapchat app that shows short vertical videos made by users. It works like TikTok or Instagram Reels, but it focuses on fun and creative Snaps that can quickly go viral. The best part is that anyone can join and share their content, even without a big follower base. Alongside features like Snapchat Planets, which rank your best friends in a fun solar system theme, Spotlight adds another layer of creativity and engagement to the app.

The content available to a user on Snapchat Spotlight is different from that of any other user. The Snapchat algorithm monitors user interactions, like what they watch, like as well and share, and then makes similar suggestions. This is designed to ensure that each user has a different and interesting feed that provides entertainment according to their preferences.

For creators, Snapchat Spotlight provides more than just visibility. It has also given its creators a monetization feature that allows them to earn real cash for creative videos Snap has deemed as top-performing. This makes Snap more than just a good time for users who enjoy showing their creative sides.

Snapchat Spotlight is the app’s short-form video feature where users can discover trending, entertaining Snaps made by the community. Similar to TikTok, it focuses on viral content, letting anyone create and share videos up to 60 seconds long. 

Below infographic highlights the best tips to boost visibility, gain more views, and make the most of Snapchat Spotlight.

• Spotlight is designed for viral entertainment. These users can have a wider audience access their content because they can record videos for a maximum duration of 60 seconds. With Spotlight, users do not have to be limited to their friends, and unlike Stories, users have an opportunity to make money via Snap Crystals with high-performing Snaps.
• Stories work differently. Stories allow the user to share their Snaps and videos that are 10 seconds or less to be viewed for a day, and can be kept for an entire year. Stories are designed for only close friends and followers, which makes users feel a bit more secure.
• Snap Map focuses on location. It lets people share Snaps linked to specific places and also shows where friends are, if they choose to share their location. Public Snaps placed on the Map are available for a long time and allow users to view events and activities occurring worldwide.

On Snapchat, Spotlight refers to the special video feed that highlights the most engaging Snaps. Unlike Stories that are limited to friends or followers, Spotlight gives every user a chance to reach a much wider audience. The main idea is to showcase creative and entertaining content, no matter how many followers the creator has.

If you sometimes see a Snap that is labeled “Added by Spotlight,” it means that the Snap’s algorithm chose that specific video for the Spotlight feed. It is safe to say that such Snaps are engaging enough for the wider Snap community and not just limited to the creator’s friends.

Using Snapchat Spotlight is pretty straightforward. You can post videos, watch videos, and even take down videos easily. Here is a guide:

By default, any videos uploaded to Snapchat Spotlight are public. This indicates that any Snapchat user could, if the algorithm suggests it, be able to view your Snaps. If you post it anonymously, the video will be void of your name, but will still have the potential to be viewed by a lot of users.

Snapchat provides users with a significant amount of control regarding how they personally utilize Spotlight. From managing notifications to checking what you have watched, here’s how you can customize your experience with Spotlight.

• Open the Spotlight tab (play button at the bottom).
• Find the video where you commented.
• Tap the comments icon to view.
• Your comments will appear in either:
  • Live: approved and visible.
  • Pending: waiting for creator approval.
    

There has been a change in how Spotlight pays creators. The old Spotlight Rewards Program has now been replaced with a revenue-sharing model. Creators can now earn a certain percentage from the ad revenue on longer (over 1 minute long) Spotlight videos and other monetized content.

There is no guarantee or fixed rate per view. Snapchat payments have been shown to vary due to a variety of factors such as:

While exact numbers change, estimates suggest Snapchat pays around $1–$5 per 1,000 views. Here’s a rough breakdown:

Views	Estimated Earnings*
100,000	$100 – $500
1,000,000	$1,000 – $5,000

Note: These are only estimates. Actual payouts depend on Snapchat’s algorithm and ad revenue.

Although Spotlight serves a purpose of sharing some short, fun, and creative videos, several users and recipients ask whether they can download or save these videos. The rules seem to be very straightforward.

If you’ve uploaded a Spotlight and want to keep a copy:

• Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon.
• Scroll to the Spotlight & Snapmap section.
• Choose the video you want to save.
• Tap the three dots (…) or download icon.
• Select Save to Memories or Save to Camera Roll.

Tip: You can also enable auto-save in Settings → Memories to make sure all your Snaps are backed up automatically.

If you like someone else’s Spotlight and want to watch it again later:

• Open the video in Spotlight.
• Tap the heart icon to add it to your Favorite
• The video will now appear in your personal Favorites tab, and Snapchat may show you similar content in the future.

Changed your mind about a video?

• Reopen the Spotlight Snap you added to Favorites.
• Tap the Snapchat heart icon again.
• The video will be removed from your list.

Snapchat has limitations that prevent users from downloading Spotlights to their devices. To do so, you may tap on the share arrow found on the video and then select ‘Copy Link’ or ‘Send To’. You can share with your friends directly on Snapchat or on other apps.

Note: Always respect the rights of the creators. It is forbidden to re-upload another person’s Spotlight without permission.

Like any social platform, Snapchat Spotlight can sometimes be confusing. Here are answers to the most common problems users face:

If your video has no views, it may not have passed Snapchat’s moderation, or the algorithm has not yet pushed it to viewers. Make sure your Snap follows community guidelines, uses trending sounds, and has a vertical format for better reach.

If a Snap displays “Added by Spotlight,” it means that Snapchat’s algorithm has selected it to be included in the Spotlight feed. Your content can be seen by a larger audience, not just your friends.

Snapchat will not allow you to remove the Spotlight feature, but if you do not wish to use Spotlight, you can turn off notifications and avoid posting to it. In the 2025 update of iOS and Android, you will be able to hide Spotlight from the navigation bar through the app settings.

For more details, you can also check the official Snapchat Spotlight Guidelines to understand the rules and best practices before posting.