Snapchat Spotlight vs Stories: Which to Post To

#What Spotlight is for

Spotlight is where new viewers come from. Snap's developer docs describe a Spotlight as a permanent video Snap shown on Spotlight, Snapchat's entertainment platform for user generated content. Snapchat's help centre adds that Spotlight Snaps may also appear in Search and in Stories, on or off Snapchat.

Because Spotlight is recommended content, it has stricter rules. Snap's recommendation eligibility guidelines exclude:

• Blurry, low resolution or pixelated video, footage the wrong way round, and videos that are missing audio by mistake.
• Links to other messaging services, social platforms or cloud storage.
• A username paired with the name or logo of another social app.
• Content you did not create and have not transformed, and repeatedly posting the same content, even your own, with minimal changes.

To post from the app, record a video of at least 5 seconds and tap Post on the preview, or choose Spotlight at the top of the Send To screen. Snapchat says posting from the main camera requires you to be 16 or older, and those posts are shared to your Story by default unless you turn that off before submitting.

There is also a money angle. Snapchat says Spotlight videos must be at least 30 seconds long to be eligible to earn revenue through its Monetization Program.

#What your Public Story is for

Your Public Story is a collection of Snaps that play in the order you made them. Snapchat's business help describes it as your daily point of view, with behind the scenes and daily activities as examples.

Stories are less strict about format. Snapchat's business help says you can share images and videos you would post on other platforms, including infographics and screenshots. A link can be attached to a Story Snap with the paperclip, which Snap's guidelines say does not make it eligible for Spotlight promotion.

A Story normally disappears after 24 hours, but there are two ways to keep it:

• Save it to your Public Profile. Snapchat says Stories saved there do not expire.
• Turn on auto save. In your Public Profile settings, under Manage Public Story, switch on Auto Save Stories to Profile. Snapchat then adds a new Story to your profile once a day at midnight, built from the last day's Public Story Snaps. Snaps marked Limited Reach are left out.

Through the API, a Saved Story can be built from Spotlights, Public Story Snaps or uploaded media, up to 5 minutes in total, with a title of up to 45 characters.

#Which one should you post to?

Post to Spotlight when the video:

• Makes sense to someone who has never seen you before.
• Is vertical, sharp and has sound.
• Is your own footage, not a repost.
• Is 30 seconds or more if you want it to count for monetisation.

Post to your Story when the video:

• Needs context from your other posts.
• Is a quick update, a behind the scenes clip or a link.
• Is something you have already put on Spotlight. A Spotlight posted from the main camera already goes to your Story by default.

Do not post the same clip to Spotlight more than once. Snap names repeatedly posting the same content, including your own, as not eligible for recommendation.

#Scheduling both

Snapchat's Business Manager dashboard stated in October 2026 that Story and Spotlight posts can be scheduled up to 30 days ahead in Profile Manager. Plan a mix across the week with the posting planner on this page, and see how to schedule Snapchat Spotlight for the steps.

Reel Uploader posts to Instagram and Facebook Reels now, and Spotlight and Stories are coming once Snap approves the app for its Public Profile API. File rules are in Snapchat Spotlight requirements, business Stories are covered in Snapchat Stories for business, and the full approach is in the cross posting guide.

#Questions people ask

#Why was my Spotlight not approved or not getting views?

Snap reviews Spotlights before they go live but does not publish a reason list for each rejection. Its recommendation eligibility guidelines are the best guide: low quality video, missing audio, links or logos for other apps, and unoriginal or repeated content are all excluded.

#How long does a Spotlight stay up?

Snapchat says Spotlight submissions may be viewable for different lengths of time, from a day or two to much longer. You can delete one from the Spotlight and Snap Map section of your profile.

#Do I need a Public Profile to post to Spotlight?

You need to be 16 or older to post from the main camera. Most accounts aged 16 and over already have a Public Profile; see how to create a Snapchat Public Profile.