How to get the old Snapchat user interface back on your iPhone

Snapchat users seem to have a love-hate relationship with its updates. The new update messes up its standard user interface big time. Here’s how you can get the old Snapchat layout back on your iPhone.

Snapchat’s 2018 user interface explained

Snapchat started rolling out a new whole new user interface update back in December 2017.

Just like any other update, this version, too, received a pretty terrible response, with some users downright trashing it.

The reason behind this is that this update shoves advertising down users’ throats and makes it very difficult to send messages and Stories.

Here’s how the new UI redesign looks like.

Snapchat new update 2018

Old version

In older versions, we had the following fundamental sections or tabs.

  • Friends list – This section allows you to send messages or pictures to your friends.
  • Camera – This section lets you click pictures and shoot videos.
  • Stories – The “Stories” section displays stories from your friends.

This layout ensured everything of importance was just a tap away and highly accessible at all times.

New version

As is evident, the new version brings a pretty comprehensive layout redesign and here’s what has changed, to be specific.

  • Stories from your friends will now go to the Messaging tab. You must visit your friends’ profiles to view their stories.
  • Public stories will now go to the “Discover” tab.
  • The “Messages” page is no longer sorted in chronological order. An algorithm will now display only those stories at the top which it deems would fit the user.
  • The “Stories” section is now almost exclusively filled with advertisements.
  • The “Discover” section is way more accessible.

The newer layout is obviously is a bit too advertising-heavy relative to the older versions. Here’s how you can revert to the older Snapchat.

  • Update (March 25) – Downgrading via AppAdmin and IPA file sideload methods are still working.
  • Update (March 25) – Snapchat has completely removed all older code pertaining to the older layout in the latest update. You can read more about it here.

How can I go back to the old Snapchat layout in 2018?

Method 1 – Edit in-app data (not working)

This is by far the best method to downgrade Snapchat to the older version with the better layout. Its main advantage is that it allows you to keep push notifications and involves no sideloading or package installers.

Step 1 Download and install Filza on your Apple device. If you are on iOS 10, you can install it directly from Cydia. If you are on iOS 11, you can grab its IPA file from this link.

Step 2 Go to its Settings section > Advanced options and enable Show application name. This will make it easy for you to navigate through your device’s filesystem in the following steps.

Step 3 Navigate to /var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/<Snapchat’s folder>/Documents. 

Step 4 Find the plist file labeled zero-dep.plist in this folder. Once you find it, press the “i” icon next to it.

Step 5 Scroll down and tap on Sticky and set its permissions as “00”.

Method 2 – Downgrade to Snapchat 10.23.00/10.27.1.1 (Recommended) 

Version 10.23.00 comes with the older user interface that is more user-friendly.

This is also the only option for iOS 11 users to go back to the old layout because AppAdmin tweak isn’t yet compatible with newer versions.

Rev up your computer, download the IPA and get this over with.

Step 1 Delete the original Snapchat application from your device.

Step 2 Download the IPA file of version 10.23.00 from this link. Remember, push notifications don’t work with sideloaded apps. If you want to download version 10.27.1.1 (latest update with the older layout), click here.

Step 3 Download Cydia Impactor sideload utility from this link.

Step 4 Launch it and drag the IPA from step 1 onto its window. Alternatively, you can use Filza to install this IPA file without Cydia Impactor. However, that will require you to install AppSync tweak on your device beforehand.

impactor

Step 5 Enter your Apple ID credentials.

Step 6 Go to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Mangement and verify the sideloaded app by tapping your email ID. Once you verify the app, you can launch it from your home screen.

If you want to keep the old version forever, follow the steps given below.

Step 7 (Optional) Remove Electra jailbreak app from your home screen. Remember, you don’t need to run its inbuilt uninstall bash script.

Step 7 (Optional) Install Immortal Cydia tweak for iOS 11, which is a decent alternative for AppSync. You can install it using this tutorial (manual) on Electra toolkit or you can go with Tweak Installer (automatic). We require Immortal to delete Snapchat’s provisioning profile.

Step 8 (Optional) You can now delete Immortal tweak.

Step 9 (Optional) Re-sideload Electra toolkit using its IPA file. You can download its latest version from this link.

Method 3 – Downgrade with AppAdmin (working)

If you are currently running a jailbreak, you can simply use the AppAdmin Cydia tweak to downgrade Snapchat. It will work only if you are on iOS 10.3.3 or any previous version.

Simply go to Snapchat’s page on the official App Store and install an older version.

The main upside to using AppAdmin is that the push notifications don’t stop working.

Method 4 – Use a VPN (not working)  

Apparently, this update is available only in a select few countries like Canada, Australia, etc.

Countries like India still have the old version because Snapchat is yet to release an update for that location.

Therefore, you can still go back to the old UI if you change your country using a VPN app such as X-VPN or any other app.

Method 5 – Download Snapchat++  

Snapchat++ still uses the older version of Snapchat as the base app. You can download it from Panda Helper VIP or any other hacked app store.

Remember, you must download the app if you decide to go with this option. The tweak version will not work because it just adds the hacks to the existing Snapchat app.

Method 6 – Install OriginalSnap tweak (not working)

OriginalSnap jailbreak tweak, as its name suggests, reverts the app to its original user-friendly layout.

This tweak changes the permissions of the file Snapchat fetches the latest update with over-the-air. Once the new permissions are in place, it can’t communicate with its server anymore.

snapchat

It also backs up the original file in Snapchat’s folder on your filesystem. This file has a “.backup” extension and you can restore it whenever you want to by removing that extension.

Surprisingly, this tweak also works in no-jailbreak mode as well. This means you can reboot without worrying about updating.

You can grab its Debian package from here. Once you have the archive, follow this installation tutorial.

Method 7 – Install Snapdecent tweak

Cokepokes, the undisputed king of Snapchat, has just released Snapdecent.

You can find this tweak on Cokepokes’ Cydia source – cokepokes.github.io. This requires an iOS 10-10.3.3 jailbreak.

If you are on iOS 11-11.1.2, you can download it from this link.

How do you like the new 2018 interface of Snapchat? Leave your comments below. 

For more Snapchat tricks and hacks, give us a thumbs up on Twitter and Facebook.

18 Comments

  1. Shakir April 4, 2018
    • iOS Expert April 4, 2018
  2. Sxifeh March 23, 2018
    • iOS Expert March 24, 2018
  3. Watermln March 17, 2018
    • iOS Expert March 18, 2018
  4. Bbggh February 16, 2018
    • iOS Expert February 16, 2018
  5. Jerry February 13, 2018
    • iOS Expert February 13, 2018
  6. Gerald February 12, 2018
  7. Conor February 10, 2018
    • iOS Expert February 11, 2018
  8. Josh L February 9, 2018
    • iOS Expert February 9, 2018
      • Josh L February 9, 2018
        • Josh L February 9, 2018
        • iOS Expert February 9, 2018

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