Snapchat down: App not working because of issues with Google’s cloud platform, fix still in progress

Users of the app are running into problems that say the app ‘could not refresh’ and snaps can’t be sent or received

Snapchat has been down for almost a day and it is still unclear when it will be fixed.

Users are having problems sending and receiving messages, instead seeing an error message that the app “could not be refreshed”.

The problems appear to be with part of a Google service, meaning that a number of companies have run into issues — though Snapchat is by far the most high-profile site or app to have been affected.

The issue is thought to have arisen from an issue with Google’s Cloud Platform, which provides a range of tools that apps and websites can use as part of their services. An update page on the Google App Engine’s status notes that issues began with the service earlier today.

Google says that it is working on a fix for the problems, and is providing hourly updates. But it is still unclear how long the issue will take to solve.

Snapchat said that it was also working on a fix for the problem, though did not explicitly say that the issue was with Google’s tools.

“We are experiencing an issue that is preventing some Snapchatters from posting and viewing Snaps and Stories,” a spokesperson for Snapchat said in a statement. “We are working hard to solve this issue as quickly as possible and are very sorry for the inconvenience this is causing our community and partners.”