Alternate versions

Non-English versions show the names on the Seven Dwarfs' beds and the Evil Queen's spell books written in the language of the country of release (i.e., German in Germany, Italian in Italy, French in France, etc.).

Many countries deemed the film too terrifying, so foreign prints were edited. On initial release, England banned the film from unaccompanied children under 16, while in Sweden, an unedited version of the film was not released until 1992, at which point it was okayed for children under seven years with a parent. In that country, it had been edited by eight minutes in the 1960s and four minutes in the 1980s, trimming Snow White's flight through the forest, the Queen transforming into the Witch, and the Seven Dwarfs chasing the Witch up the mountain.

The 1987 re-release has the film cropped to the 1.85:1 aspect ratio since Disney felt that most movie theaters at the time were now projecting this way.

It has a complicated censorship history in the UK and was once censored. In 1938, it was passed A uncut, meaning it was restricted to viewers aged 16 and over unless accompanied by an adult. In 1953, RKO resubmitted the film in the hope of lowering the original decision to a U for a 1954 re-release. The BBFC refused to do so unless the following cuts were made:

• Remove sounds of screaming and sight of clutching hands from the forest sequence.
• Reduce sound effects in the Queen's transformation sequence.
• Remove the sight of a skeleton in the poison apple sequence.
• Remove the sound of the witch screaming as she falls from the rocks.

RKO declined to make the cuts so appealed the decision to the local authorities where the film was to be shown - councils have the power to overturn the BBFC's theatrical decisions (which very rarely happens). The results were mixed - some lowered it to a U and others stuck with the BBFC's A decision. For the 1964 re-release, RKO relented and made the cuts, as it would be less confusing for the film to play with the same certificate nationwide. Only in 1987 was it finally passed uncut at U, for the 50th anniversary cinema re-release. Examiners noted that each scare was either followed by a joke within the same scene or a reassuring scene immediately afterwards (e.g. "Thirsty? Have a drink!" when the witch spots the skeleton and kicks a bucket of water at him, or the animals comforting Snow White after her ordeal in the forest). The uncut U decision has been upheld for video submissions in 1994, 1996 and 2009, as well as for cinema in 2016. The current 'insight' (official content description) states it contains "very mild scary scenes, threat".

The 1993 theatrical re-release and 1994 home media releases feature restoration credits following the film.

The 1987 theatrical re-release had the additional 1985 variant of the Walt Disney Pictures logo as the opening and closing logo, but it is plastered in the 1993 theatrical re-release, special edition Laserdisc, post-1994 VHS prints, and Platinum Edition DVD with the 1990 variant. Post-2009 prints, however, used the closing 2006 variant.

The Special Edition DVD includes five deleted scenes:

• An argument between Grumpy and Doc over whether Snow White goes or stays.
• A song ("Music in Your Soup") in which the Dwarfs sing about the soup Snow White just made, she shows them how to eat properly, and Dopey swallows his spoon, which the other Dwarfs manage to kick out of him, along with the bar of soap he had also inadvertently ingested from the scene where the Dwarfs wash their hands.
• The Dwarfs discuss what to make as a present for Snow White (Happy proposes a crown with precious jewels, Bashful suggests a golden harp with angels on it, Doc proposes a coach with six white horses, and Grumpy suggests a mop), until Sneezy declares making a bed, then they agree unanimously.
• The Dwarfs make the bed for Snow White.
• The witch brewing the cauldron for the poison apple.

Prior to 1954, Disney's films were distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. The original opening title sequence featured the RKO logo in it. In 1955, Disney created and started using Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. Beginning with the 1958 reissue, the opening title cards were replaced, with the RKO logo removed, and the Buena Vista logo inserted. The original opening and ending titles with the RKO references were included as bonus material on the 2001 Platinum Edition DVD and 1994 special edition laser disc, but were not restored to the actual film until the post-2009 prints.