You’re scrolling through your memories or watching a friend’s story and you see it. That perfectly smooth, looping motion where a glass clinks or a dog wags its tail back and forth forever. It’s a classic. But here’s the thing: Snapchat doesn't actually call it a "Boomerang." That’s Instagram’s branding. On Snap, the feature is tucked away under a tool called "Bounce."
If you’ve been hunting for a button labeled Boomerang, you’ve probably been staring at your screen in frustration for ten minutes. It’s not there. Snapchat likes to hide their best creative tools behind icons that don't always make sense at first glance. To how to do a boomerang on snap properly, you have to know exactly where the "infinity" loop lives and how to toggle the Bounce slider. It’s a tiny bit more manual than other platforms, but honestly, it gives you way more control over which specific part of the video actually loops.
The Step-by-Step Reality of the Bounce Tool
First off, open the app. Hold down that big shutter button to record a video. You can't turn a pre-existing photo into a Boomerang (obviously), so you need some motion. A hair flip. A splashing drink. Whatever. Once you let go of the shutter, your video starts playing on a loop. Look at the vertical toolbar on the right side of the screen.
Down near the bottom, you’ll see an icon that looks like a little infinity symbol or a loop with a play button. Tap it. If you tap it once, it might just set the video to play once or loop infinitely. But if you hold it or look for the specific Bounce slider, that’s where the magic happens. A slider will appear on the screen. You slide your finger across the video's timeline to pick the exact segment you want to "bounce" back and forth.
It’s tactile. You move your thumb, and the preview reacts instantly. If you want a long, sweeping motion, drag the ends of the slider apart. For those quick, jittery, high-energy loops, keep the selection short. It's surprisingly precise.
Why Does My Snap Look Weird?
Sometimes the Bounce tool doesn't show up. This usually happens because your video is too short. Snapchat needs a certain amount of data to create a back-and-forth loop that doesn't look like a glitchy mess. If you only record for half a second, the app just won't give you the Bounce option. Aim for at least three to five seconds of footage.
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Also, check your lighting. It sounds like "tech support 101" advice, but Snapchat's compression is brutal. If you’re in a dark basement trying to do a cool Bounce of a lava lamp, the sensor might struggle to track the motion, making the final product look grainy or stuttery.
Mastering the "Infinite Loop" vs. The "Bounce"
There is a massive difference between a video that just restarts and a video that boomerangs. A standard loop plays from start to finish, then jumps back to the start. It's jarring. The "Bounce" or Boomerang style plays forward, then plays in reverse, then forward again.
When you're figuring out how to do a boomerang on snap, you need to decide which vibe fits the moment.
- The Bounce: Best for repetitive motions like a person jumping, a car driving by, or someone blowing a kiss. The reverse motion adds a layer of surrealism.
- The Infinite Loop: Best for things that have a natural "reset," like a waterfall or a spinning fan. You don't need the reverse effect here; you just want the video to never end.
To toggle between these, you just keep tapping that infinity icon. It cycles through the modes. If you see a small "1" inside the icon, it plays once. If you see the infinity symbol, it loops. If you see the little arrows pointing back and forth, you’ve found the Bounce.
Uploading From Your Camera Roll
What if you filmed something on your actual phone camera and want to turn it into a Snap Boomerang later? This is where it gets slightly tricky. You have to go to your Memories (the two cards icon next to the shutter), go to "Camera Roll," and import the video.
Once the video is in the Snapchat editor, you should see the same toolbar on the right. However, sometimes Snapchat restricts the Bounce tool for imported videos if they weren't filmed in the native aspect ratio. If the tool is missing, try cropping the video first. It's a weird quirk, but the app prefers 9:16 vertical content.
Pro Tips for Better Loops
Don't just move the camera around randomly. A good Boomerang works because the subject is moving while the camera stays relatively still. If you’re moving the phone while the person is also moving, the Bounce effect becomes nauseating.
Think about the "pivot point." If you're clinking glasses, the moment of impact is your pivot. Set your Bounce slider so it starts just before the clink and ends just after. That creates a rhythmic, satisfying "ping-pong" effect that people actually want to watch.
Also, don't ignore the "Snapchat+ " features if you're a power user. Sometimes they beta-test new looping styles—like "fast motion" or "reverse-only"—that can make your Boomerangs stand out. But for 99% of us, the standard Bounce tool is plenty.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
A lot of people forget that sound exists. When you bounce a video, the audio can get really weird because it’s trying to play in reverse too. It sounds like a demonic record player. Honestly? Just mute the audio. Tap the speaker icon in the bottom left corner. Then, add a music track from the Snapchat library. A looped video with a crisp 15-second snippet of a trending song looks ten times more professional than a video with "whoosh-shooow" reverse audio noise.
Another thing: don't over-edit. If you add too many stickers or heavy filters before you set the Bounce, the app might lag. Get your loop right first. Lock in the motion. Then go crazy with the text and the Giphy stickers.
Why "Bounce" is Better Than Instagram's Boomerang
I know, bold claim. But Snapchat’s tool allows for "trimming" within the bounce. On Instagram, you kind of get what you get unless you use the separate Boomerang app. On Snap, the slider is built right into the interface. It's more integrated. You can precisely time the loop to hit the beat of a song or a specific facial expression.
Actionable Next Steps
To get the perfect loop right now, follow this workflow:
- Steady your hands. Prop your elbows against your ribs or a table.
- Record for 5 seconds. Even if you only want a 1-second loop, give the app more data to work with.
- Tap the Infinity Icon. Cycle through until you see the "Bounce" arrows.
- Adjust the Slider. Narrow the window to the most "active" part of the clip.
- Mute and Music. Kill the original audio and layer in a track that matches the energy.
- Save to Memories. Always save before you post. Snapchat is notorious for crashing right when you're about to hit "Send," and you don't want to lose that perfect timing.
That's the whole secret. No hidden menus or third-party apps required. Just a steady hand and a quick tap on the right icon.