Snapchat to Retire Standalone Bitmoji App, Integrating Features into Main Platform
Snapchat has announced it will discontinue the standalone Bitmoji application on June 30, 2026, consolidating all avatar-related features directly into the core Snapchat app. This change marks the conclude of an era for the separate Bitmoji app, which previously allowed users to create, customize, and sync their personal avatars.
Moving forward, Bitmoji creation, customization, and access will be exclusively available within Snapchat. This integration streamlines the user experience, connecting two previously linked experiences into a single, unified platform.
Why Snapchat is Ending the Separate Bitmoji App
The decision to retire the standalone app reflects how users primarily interacted with Bitmoji. The vast majority of users accessed their avatars through Snapchat, making the separate app increasingly redundant over time. Maintaining two applications requires significant development resources, and consolidating into a single experience allows Snapchat to focus investment on enhancing avatar features within its primary platform. NetInfluencer reports this move is part of a broader industry trend of platforms consolidating their ecosystems.
What Snapchat Users Need to Do
To ensure a smooth transition, Snapchat users should accept the following steps:
- Ensure the Snapchat app is updated to the latest version.
- Open Snapchat and navigate to your profile to confirm your Bitmoji is visible and correctly synced.
- Uninstall the standalone Bitmoji app after verifying access within Snapchat.
- Explore the expanded avatar customization options now available directly within Snapchat.
The Evolution of Bitmoji
Snapchat acquired Bitstrips, the original creator of Bitmoji, in 2016 and subsequently integrated the customizable avatar characters into Snapchat as a key engagement feature. Snap has seen over 2.7 billion Bitmoji avatars created to date.
In recent years, Snapchat has continued to invest in Bitmoji features, including reviving the original 2D Bitmoji style following user feedback and introducing options for premium users to generate Bitmoji likenesses through Snapchat Lenses. Snap also launched “Bitmoji Plaza,” a digital space for avatar interaction, in October 2025.
Accessing Bitmoji After the Shutdown
Even after the Bitmoji app is discontinued, users will still be able to access Bitmoji stickers through Snapchat, the Snapchat keyboard extension, the Snapchat iMessage extension on iOS, and via the web and Chrome extension. Snap is encouraging users to link their avatars to their Snapchat accounts to preserve their digital characters.
Users can create and edit their Bitmoji avatars directly within the Snapchat app by tapping the Profile icon, then swiping down or tapping their avatar to access the customization menu. Snapchat Support provides detailed instructions on avatar creation and editing.
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