Snapchat does not offer a desktop application or website to access the social media platform, but an emulator such as BlueStacks can bring the service to Mac and PC. Essentially, an emulator is a software application that makes one computer system behave like a different one. The actual device and operating system is called the 'host' system, while the emulated operating system is known as the 'guest' system. In this case, an emulator would make a Mac or PC behave like a mobile device inside the application. This might seem complicated, but emulators have been refined over the years to become more user-friendly. Some are very easy to use, and can enable the use of mobile-only software applications, like Snapchat.

A common use for an emulator, and the use-case that the average person is likely most familiar with, is in video games. In the gaming industry, video game titles are designed for specific platforms, like Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo. Additionally, these video games are made to run on a specific line of consoles, like the Xbox 360 or Xbox One. However, old video games are cherished long after obsolete consoles are discarded, so a need arises for a way to play old games on new systems. Emulation makes this possible — a user can play a decades-old game on a modern system by making it think it is another computer system.

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To use Snapchat on a Mac or PC, an emulator is required — such as BlueStacks. It is an application that will mimic Android software, enabling the use of mobile-only applications on the desktop. Though the software is available on both Mac and PC, there are minimum system requirements that must be met in order for the application to run smoothly. On Mac, BlueStacks requires MacOS 11.12 Sierra or later, four gigabytes of RAM, and eight gigabytes of available disk space. On Windows, BlueStacks requires Windows 7 or later, four gigabytes of RAM, and five gigabytes of available disk space. The installation of BlueStacks will require an administrator-level account on both Mac and PC.

Download BlueStacks & Run Snapchat

Snapchat public

The first step to running Snapchat on a Mac or PC is to install BlueStacks. The installer can be found on the company's website, and clicking on the 'Download BlueStacks 5' button will automatically start the download of the installer. The BlueStacks website can detect the operating system of the host computer and pick the correct version of the software, but all versions can be viewed with the 'See All Versions' button found directly under 'Download BlueStacks 5.' After the installer has been downloaded, click on it. Follow the prompts to complete the install of BlueStacks, and then Snapchat can be downloaded.

With BlueStacks, the application will behave exactly like an Android device, which makes the use of Snapchat possible. Open the Google Play Store and sign in with a Google account to authorize the download of applications, and search for Snapchat in the store. The Google Play Store will function as it does on a mobile device, but the input method will be a keyboard and mouse, so the process will be a bit different. Click 'Install Snapchat' and wait for the download to complete. After it appears on the Home Screen, users can open Snapchat and use the platform as they normally would on a mobile device.

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Source: BlueStacks