Snapchat Colors Meaning: Red, Purple & Blue Icons on Snapchat

On Snapchat, the use of specific colors for different kinds of notifications is a key part of its user interface, each color indicating a different type of interaction or message. These color codes are a simple yet effective way for users to quickly identify the type of message or notification they have received or sent.

Snapchat uses three colors to tell what type of message or snap is being sent or received: red, purple and blue. Before we get into all the details and meaning of these colors, here’s a quick summary:

Red: This color is used for Snaps that do not contain audio. When you see a red square, it means you have received a Snap without sound, such as a photo or a silent video. A red arrow indicates that you have sent a Snap without audio.

Purple: Purple is used for Snaps that contain audio, primarily video Snaps. A purple square means you have received a video Snap with sound, and a purple arrow signifies that you have sent one.

Blue: Blue is designated for chat messages. A blue square indicates that you have received a chat message from a friend, while a blue arrow shows that you have sent a chat message. This chat message could be a text, a link, a photo or a video that has been sent or received via the Chat feature.

Snapchat uses a simple yet smart way to tell you what’s happening in your account – colors. When you open the app, you’ll see different colored icons next to your messages and stories. These colors aren’t just random; they tell you what kind of message you’ve received or sent.

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Understanding these colors makes using Snapchat a lot easier and more fun. You can quickly know if you’ve got a new photo, video, or chat message without even opening it.

This color system is really helpful when you’re busy or in a hurry. With just a glance, you can see if you’ve received a fun video snap from a friend or an important text message. It’s also great for keeping track of what you’ve sent to others. The colors help you remember if you’ve sent a video, a photo, or just a quick chat.

Snapchat mainly uses three colors to tell you about different messages: red, purple, and blue. Each of these colors has a specific meaning.

Red is used for snaps without any sound. These could be simple photos or silent videos. If you see a red square or arrow, it means there’s a silent snap waiting for you or that you’ve sent one.
Purple is for snaps with sound, usually videos. When you see a purple icon, get ready for some action because it means there’s a video snap with audio.
Blue means chat messages. These are the regular chat messages where you type out what you want to say, or attachments such as photos or videos that will not auto-play.

Red Icons: Snaps Without Audio

When you see a red icon on Snapchat, it’s telling you you’ve got a new snap, and it’s either a photo or a video without sound. The red icon is your hint that there’s something visual waiting for you, but it doesn’t come with sound. In most cases, it usually means the snap is a photo.

Types of Content Represented by the Red Icon

The red icon covers two main types of snaps:

Photos: These are the heart of Snapchat. A photo snap can be anything from a quick selfie with a funny face to a beautiful sunset. It’s a moment captured to share with friends.
Silent Videos: Sometimes, you’ll get a video snap that doesn’t need sound to tell its story. It could be a quick pan of a cool place your friend is visiting or a funny scene they’re witnessing. Silent videos are like moving pictures, showing you a bit more about what’s happening.

All the Red Icons on Snapchat

Here’s a detailed explanation of each red icon on Snapchat:

Red Filled Arrow

Meaning: This indicates that you have sent a snap without audio, such as a photo or a silent video.
Appearance: It’s a bold, filled-in arrow pointing to the right.
Use Case: You’ll see this icon after you send a photo or silent video snap to a friend. It confirms that your snap has been successfully sent.

Red Empty Arrow

Meaning: An empty red arrow signifies that the snap without audio you sent has been viewed by the recipient.
Appearance: This arrow is an outline, lacking the fill of the sent icon.
Use Case: Once the recipient opens and views the photo or silent video you sent, the filled red arrow turns into this empty red arrow.

Red Filled Square

Meaning: This means that you have received a snap without audio.
Appearance: It’s a bold, filled-in square.
Use Case: When someone sends you a photo or a silent video, you’ll see this icon next to their name, indicating that you have a new snap to view.

Red Empty Square

Meaning: The empty red square indicates that you have opened and viewed a received snap without audio.
Appearance: It’s an outlined square, different from the filled square.
Use Case: After you view a photo or silent video snap sent by someone, the filled red square turns into this empty square, signifying that the snap has been seen.

Red Replay Icon

Meaning: This icon shows that someone has replayed your snap without audio.
Appearance: Typically looks like a circular arrow or loop.
Use Case: If you send a photo or silent video and your friend decides to replay it, this icon will appear to inform you of the replay.

Red Screenshot Icon

Meaning: This indicates that the recipient has taken a screenshot of your snap without audio.
Appearance: Usually depicted as two overlapping arrows or a double tap symbol.
Use Case: When you send a photo or silent video and the recipient screenshots it, this icon will appear to alert you that your snap has been captured and saved by them.

Red Dot on Snapchat

The red dot on Snapchat has a specific meaning, and its appearance and use case are quite straightforward:

Meaning:
The red dot on Snapchat typically indicates that you have a new notification. This could be anything from a new snap or chat message to a story update from a friend or a content creator you follow.

Appearance:
The red dot is small, circular, and bright red. It’s designed to be easily noticeable. You’ll usually find it in the top right corner of an icon, such as over the ‘Chat’ or ‘Stories’ icons, or on your profile icon in the upper-left corner.

Use Case:
The primary use of the red dot is to alert you to something new in the app that requires your attention. For example:

Over the ‘Chat’ Icon: Indicates a new message or snap has been received.
Over the ‘Stories’ Icon: Suggests there are new stories from your friends or subscribed channels that you haven’t viewed yet.
On Your Profile Icon: Could indicate a variety of things, such as a friend request or an update to your account.

This red dot is an essential part of Snapchat’s user interface, helping to ensure that you don’t miss any new interactions or content. It’s a common feature in many apps, serving as a simple yet effective way to draw the user’s attention to new activity.

Purple Icons: Snaps with Audio

The purple icon on Snapchat pops up when you have a video snap with sound waiting for you. It’s a whole different vibe from the red icon snaps. These aren’t just images; they’re videos that friends share to bring you into their world. The sound adds so much more to the story, whether it’s laughter, music, or the buzz of a busy street.

Video snaps with sound are like being teleported to where your friends are for a few seconds. They could be at a concert, capturing the roar of the crowd and the beat of the music. Or they might be at a birthday party, sharing the moment everyone sings ‘Happy Birthday’. Sometimes, it’s just the simple things, like the sound of waves at the beach or the laughter of friends hanging out. These snaps let you hear and see what’s happening, making you feel like you’re right there with them.

All the Purple Icons on Snapchat

As stated, purple icons are associated with snaps that contain audio, typically video snaps. Each icon communicates a different status or action related to these snaps. Here’s a detailed explanation of each purple icon:

Purple Filled Arrow

Meaning: Indicates that you have sent a video snap with audio.
Appearance: A bold, right-pointing arrow, completely filled with a vibrant purple color. It has a straightforward and bold look.
Use Case: Appears after you send a video snap with sound to a friend. It confirms that your snap has been successfully sent.

Purple Empty Arrow

Meaning: Shows that the video snap with audio you sent has been viewed by the recipient.
Appearance: This arrow is an outline, without any fill, in purple. The center of the arrow is transparent.
Use Case: Once the recipient opens and views your video snap with sound, the filled purple arrow changes to this empty purple arrow.

Purple Filled Square

Meaning: Means that you have received a video snap with audio.
Appearance: A solid, filled-in square in a purple color.
Use Case: When someone sends you a video snap with sound, you’ll see this icon next to their name in the chat list, indicating a new video snap to view.

Purple Empty Square

Meaning: Indicates that you have opened and viewed a received video snap with audio.
Appearance: An outlined square in purple, different from the filled square.
Use Case: After you view a video snap with sound sent by someone, the filled purple square turns into this empty outlined square.

Purple Replay Icon

Meaning: Shows that someone has replayed your video snap with audio.
Appearance: Typically looks like a circular arrow or loop, in purple.
Use Case: If you send a video snap with sound and your friend replays it, this icon appears to inform you of the replay.

Purple Screenshot Icon

Meaning: Indicates that the recipient has taken a screenshot of your video snap with audio.
Appearance: Usually depicted as two overlapping arrows or a symbol resembling a double tap, in purple.
Use Case: When you send a video snap with sound and the recipient screenshots it, this icon will appear to alert you that your snap has been captured and saved.

Purple Circle (Story)

Meaning: Represents a story that includes video with audio.
Appearance: A purple circle, often seen surrounding a user’s profile picture in the stories section.
Use Case: When you or someone else posts a story that includes a video with sound, this purple circle appears around the profile picture, indicating that the story contains audio-visual content.

Each of these icons is integral to the Snapchat experience, providing users with quick visual cues about the status and type of their snaps and stories.

Blue Icon: Chats – Texts, Links, Pictures, Videos

When you see the blue icon on Snapchat, it means someone has sent you a chat message, or you’ve sent one yourself. This chat message could be a text message, a link, or even a photo or a video.

Unlike the red and purple icons, which are specific to snaps without and with audio respectively, the blue icons represent all forms of communication made via Snapchat’s chat feature.

Types of Content Represented by the Blue Icon

The blue icon on Snapchat represents various types of content within the chat feature. Here’s a list of the different types of content indicated by the blue icon:

Text Messages: Standard typed messages exchanged between users.
Shared Links: Hyperlinks to websites or online content sent within the chat.
Photos Sent in Chat: Images shared directly within the chat conversation.
Videos Sent in Chat: Video clips shared in the chat, different from video snaps.
Voice Messages: Audio recordings sent as messages in the chat.
Stickers and Emojis: Digital stickers or emojis used to express emotions or reactions.
Bitmoji Reactions: Personalized Bitmoji characters used to convey reactions or responses.
Snap Attachments: Snaps attached to chat messages for context or emphasis.

All the Blue Icons on Snapchat

Here’s a detailed look at each blue icon available on Snapchat:

Blue Filled Arrow

Meaning: This icon indicates that you have sent a chat message. It could be text, a link, a photo, or a video sent through the chat feature.
Appearance: A bold, right-pointing arrow, filled with a bright blue color.
Use Case: You’ll see this icon right after you send any type of message via Snapchat’s chat function. It’s a confirmation that your message has been sent out.

Blue Empty Arrow

Meaning: The empty blue arrow signifies that your chat message has been viewed by the recipient.
Appearance: This is an outline of a right-pointing arrow in blue, with the center transparent.
Use Case: Once the recipient reads your chat message, the filled blue arrow changes to this empty blue arrow, indicating that your message has been seen.

Blue Filled Square

Meaning: This means you have received a chat message. Again, it could be any form of communication within the chat feature of Snapchat.
Appearance: A solid, filled-in square in a blue color.
Use Case: When someone sends you a message through Snapchat’s chat feature, this icon appears next to their name, alerting you to the new message.

Blue Empty Square

Meaning: The empty blue square indicates that you have opened and viewed a received chat message.
Appearance: An outlined square in blue.
Use Case: After you open and view a chat message, the filled blue square turns into this empty square. This change signifies that the message has been read.

Blue Screenshot Icon

Meaning: Indicates that the recipient has taken a screenshot of your chat message. This is particularly relevant if the chat included a photo or video.
Appearance: Typically two overlapping arrows or a symbol resembling a double tap, in blue.
Use Case: If you send any media through chat and the recipient takes a screenshot, you’ll be notified with this icon.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Snapchat colors and icons. We have also written a comprehensive post detailing all Snapchat symbols (icons and emojis).

What does a Red Arrow mean on Snapchat?

A Red Arrow on Snapchat shows that you’ve sent a snap without any sound, like a photo or a silent video. If the arrow is filled in, it means your snap has been sent. If it’s just an outline, your snap has been viewed by the recipient.

Why do I see a Purple Square next to a friend’s name?

A Purple Square pops up when you’ve received a video snap with audio from a friend. It’s like a little alert telling you there’s something fun to watch. After you watch the video, the square becomes an outline, showing that it’s been viewed.

How can I tell if someone replayed my Snap?

Snapchat uses replay icons to tell you this. If you sent a snap without sound and it gets replayed, you’ll see a Red Replay Icon. For a replayed video snap with sound, a Purple Replay Icon appears. These icons look like little circular arrows.

What does the Blue Icon mean in my chats?

The Blue Icon is all about chat messages. A filled blue square means you got a new message – it could be text, a photo, or a video sent in the chat. An empty blue square shows up once you’ve read the message. And if you see a blue arrow, it means you’ve sent a message – filled if it’s just sent, and an outline if it’s been read.

Can I know if someone took a screenshot of my Snap?

Yes, Snapchat lets you know. If you sent a snap without sound and someone screenshots it, you’ll see a Red Screenshot Icon. For a screenshot of a video snap with sound, a Purple Screenshot Icon appears. These icons look like two overlapping arrows.

Is there a way to tell the difference between a snap and a chat without opening them?

Absolutely! Snapchat uses colors to help you out. For snaps without sound, look for red icons. For video snaps with sound, it’s all about purple icons. And for anything in chats, whether it’s a text, a photo, or a video, you’ll see blue icons.

Snapchat Colors Meaning: Red, Purple & Blue Icons on Snapchat

Red Icons: Snaps Without Audio