Snapchat Symbols – Meaning of All Snapchat Icons & Emojis

This post was last updated on 19 November 2023 to include new Snapchat emojis and icons.

Snapchat being a visually-driven platform, uses a lot of symbols – emojis and icons. These icons and emojis convey information quickly and effectively without the need for text, making them a visual shorthand.

Symbols and emojis add a fun and playful element to the Snapchat experience. They make the app more engaging and enjoyable to use, but it can get a little daunting at first because of the huge number of icons and emojis that Snapchat uses.

What are Snapchat Symbols

Snapchat symbols are emojis and icons used to represent relationships with your friends, status of your snaps — sent and received — and other important information. You can tell a lot about your Snapchat friends if you understand the meaning of these symbols.

In this post, we’ll take a look at the most basic icons and work our way up to the most complex emojis.

Before we do that, however, it’s imperative that we understand the color codes that Snapchat uses. Icons on Snapchat are color-coded to mean different things.

Snapchat Colors Meaning: Red, Blue, Purple & Grey

On Snapchat, the colors of icons are not just for decoration; they have specific meanings, especially in relation to the types of messages and interactions. These color-coded icons help users quickly identify the type of content they’re receiving or have sent.

Red Icons on Snapchat 🟥

The red icons on Snapchat are specifically associated with snaps that don’t include audio, typically photos or silent videos.

What does a red snap mean?

A red snap on Snapchat indicates that the snap is a photo or a silent video, meaning it does not contain any audio. When you see a red icon, it’s telling you that you’ve either received or sent a snap that’s purely visual.

Snapchat red icons
Red icons on Snapchat

Here’s a list of all the red icons on Snapchat, along with a short explanation for each:

  • Red Filled Square: Indicates you have received a photo or a silent video snap.
  • Red Empty Square: Shows that you have opened and viewed a received photo or silent video snap.
  • Red Filled Arrow: Signifies that you have sent a photo or a silent video snap.
  • Red Empty Arrow: Means the photo or silent video snap you sent has been viewed by the recipient.
  • Red Screenshot Icon: Indicates that someone has taken a screenshot of your photo or silent video snap.
  • Red Replay Icon: Appears when someone has replayed your photo or silent video snap.
  • Red Dot: A notification alert, indicating new activity such as a snap or a message waiting to be checked.

Detailed explanation of each of these icons is given later in this post.

Purple Icons on Snapchat 🟪

Purple icons on Snapchat indicate the the content contains audio. It usually means that it is a video. In addition to the purple icons for individual snaps, Snapchat also uses a purple ring to indicate stories that contain audio, typically video stories. This purple ring appears around a friend’s or a content creator’s profile picture in the Stories section.

Purple snap meaning

A purple snap on Snapchat indicates that the snap contains audio, typically a video snap. The purple color also appears on Stories as a ring around your friends’ profile pictures.

Purple icons on Snapchat

Here’s a list of all the purple icons on Snapchat, including the purple circle, with their meanings:

  • Purple Filled Square: You have received a video snap with audio.
  • Purple Empty Square: Indicates that you have opened and viewed a received video snap with audio.
  • Purple Filled Arrow: Signifies that you have sent a video snap with audio.
  • Purple Empty Arrow: Shows that the video snap with audio you sent has been viewed by the recipient.
  • Purple Replay Icon: Appears when someone has replayed your video snap with audio.
  • Purple Screenshot Icon: Indicates that someone has taken a screenshot of your video snap with audio.
  • Purple Circle (Story): Represents a story that includes a video with audio, typically visible as a ring around a friend’s or content creator’s profile picture in the Stories section.

A detailed explanation for each of these icons is given in the later part of this post.

Blue Icons on Snapchat 🟦

The blue icons on Snapchat indicate that content is being sent or received via the Chat feature. Unlike the red and purple icons that indicate snaps – photos and videos, blue icons tell you that a Chat message has been communicated. This chat message could be a text, a link, a video, a photo and any type of attachment.

Meaning of blue icons on Snapchat

The blue icons on Snapchat are specifically used to represent all forms of communication within the chat feature of the app. This includes text messages, shared links, photos, and videos sent through the chat.

Blue icons on Snapchat

Here’s a list of all the blue icons on Snapchat and their meanings:

  • Blue Filled Square: Indicates you have received a new chat message, which could be a text, a photo, a video, or any other type of message sent through Snapchat’s chat feature.
  • Blue Empty Square: Shows that you have opened and viewed a received chat message, signifying that the message has been read.
  • Blue Filled Arrow: Signifies that you have sent a chat message. It confirms that your message, whether text, photo, or video, has been sent.
  • Blue Empty Arrow: Indicates that the chat message you sent has been read by the recipient. It changes from filled to empty once the message is viewed.
  • Blue Screenshot Icon: Alerts you if the recipient has taken a screenshot of your chat message. This is particularly relevant for media like photos or videos sent in the chat.

Snapchat Icons & Their Meaning

Snapchat employs a range of icons to enhance user experience and convey essential information. These icons, integral to the app’s interface, serve as visual indicators, providing immediate insight into the nature and status of interactions within the app.

From differentiating between sent and received snaps to indicating read statuses and alerts for screenshots, each icon has a distinct design and color code. Understanding these icons is key to navigating Snapchat efficiently, as they offer a quick, intuitive understanding of your social exchanges.

Whether you’re a long-time user or new to the app, familiarizing yourself with these icons can greatly enrich your Snapchat experience, making your interactions more enjoyable and seamless.

We’ll now take a look at each of these icons individually.

Filled Arrow Icons: Sent/Delivered Icons

Sent icons, also called delivered icons, are represented by filled arrows on Snapchat. Each sent icon has a distinct color and shape, signifying the type of content you’ve shared with your friends. Whether it’s a photo, a video with audio, or a simple text message, these icons instantly let you know what you’ve sent and help keep track of your conversations. A ‘Delivered‘ notice will appear alongside the icon.

Red Filled Arrow

  • Appearance: A bold, right-pointing arrow that is completely filled with red.
  • Meaning: This icon indicates that you have sent a snap without audio, such as a photo or a silent video. If the word Delivered appears alongside the icon, it means that the snap has successfully been delivered to the intended recipient.
  • Use Case: You will see this after taking a photo or recording a silent video and then sending it to a friend on Snapchat.

Purple Filled Arrow

  • Appearance: Similar to the red arrow, but filled with a purple color.
  • Meaning: Signifies that you have sent a video snap that includes audio and has been successfully delivered.
  • Use Case: Appears after you record a video with sound and send it to someone on Snapchat.

Blue Filled Arrow

  • Appearance: A right-pointing arrow filled with blue.
  • Meaning: This icon shows that you have sent a chat message, which could be text, a photo, a video, or any other content shared through Snapchat’s chat feature. A Delivered notice appears alongside the icon when the chat message has been successfully delivered to your friend.
  • Use Case: You’ll see this blue arrow after sending any type of chat message to a friend.

Grey Filled Arrow

  • Appearance: The grey sent icon typically appears as a right-pointing arrow with a muted grey color. It’s less vibrant than the other icons (red, purple, blue) used for different kinds of interactions on Snapchat.
  • Meaning: This grey icon indicates a pending status. It most commonly appears when you send a snap or a message to someone who hasn’t accepted your friend request yet, or if you’re trying to interact with someone whose privacy settings restrict communication from non-friends.
  • Use Case: You might see this icon after attempting to send a snap or a message to a user who is not currently your friend on Snapchat or who has certain privacy settings enabled. The grey color and the icon itself serve as an indication that the snap or message you sent has not reached the intended recipient due to the pending friend request or privacy restrictions.

Empty Arrow Icons: Opened Icons

The empty arrow icons let you know when your sent snaps or chats have been opened by the recipient. Each of these icons has a distinct color and design, reflecting the type of content you’ve sent. Additionally, the word ‘Opened‘ appears alongside these icons, further clarifying their status.

Here’s a breakdown of all the empty arrow (opened) icons on Snapchat:

Red Empty Arrow

  • Appearance: An outline of a right-pointing arrow in red.
  • Meaning: Indicates that the recipient has opened your sent snap without audio, such as a photo or a silent video.
  • Use Case: You’ll see this icon alongside the word ‘Opened’ after the recipient opens a photo or silent video snap you’ve sent.

Purple Empty Arrow

  • Appearance: A right-pointing arrow outlined in purple.
  • Meaning: Shows that your sent video snap with audio has been opened by the recipient.
  • Use Case: This icon, along with the word ‘Opened’, appears when the recipient views a video snap you’ve sent that includes sound.

Blue Empty Arrow

  • Appearance: A right-pointing arrow outlined in blue.
  • Meaning: Signifies that the chat message you sent has been opened and read by the recipient.
  • Use Case: After sending any chat message (text, photo, link, etc.), this icon with the word ‘Opened’ lets you know the recipient has viewed your message.

Filled Square Icons: New Chat/Snap Icons

The filled square icons play a crucial role in notifying users about new content they’ve received. Each filled square icon has a specific color that corresponds to the type of content – snap or chat – you’ve received.

Additionally, the words ‘New Snap’ or ‘New Chat’ appear alongside these icons, providing clear indication of what awaits you. Here’s a detailed look at all the filled square icons on Snapchat:

Red Filled Square 🟥

  • Appearance: A solid red square.
  • Meaning: Indicates that you have received a new snap without audio, such as a photo or a silent video.
  • Use Case: When someone sends you a photo or silent video, this red square appears alongside the words ‘New Snap’, alerting you to view the new content.

Purple Filled Square 🟪

  • Appearance: A solid purple square.
  • Meaning: Shows that you have received a video snap that includes audio.
  • Use Case: Upon receiving a video snap with sound, the purple filled square, accompanied by ‘New Snap’, notifies you of the incoming media.

Blue Filled Square 🟦

  • Appearance: A solid blue square resembling a chat message.
  • Meaning: Signifies that you have a new chat message waiting to be read.
  • Use Case: When you get a text, photo, link, or any other form of communication in Snapchat’s chat feature, the blue filled square, along with ‘New Chat’, appears to indicate the unread message.

Empty Square Icons: Received Icons

Square icons change from filled to empty once you view the content, providing a clear and immediate understanding of what you have interacted with.

Additionally, specific text appears alongside these icons to guide your next action, whether it’s replaying a snap or continuing a chat.

Here’s a detailed look at all the empty square icons on Snapchat:

Red Empty Square

  • Appearance: An outlined red square.
  • Meaning: Indicates that you have opened a photo or silent video snap.
  • Use Case: After viewing a snap without audio, this icon appears with the text ‘Hold to Replay’, followed by ‘Tap to Chat’, indicating you can replay the snap if you wish.

Purple Empty Square

  • Appearance: An outlined purple square.
  • Meaning: Shows that you have opened a video snap with audio.
  • Use Case: When you view a video snap with sound, this icon shows up alongside ‘Hold to Replay’ and then ‘Tap to Chat’, offering you the option to replay the video.

Blue Empty Square

  • Appearance: An outlined blue square.
  • Meaning: Signifies that you have opened and read a chat message.
  • Use Case: This icon appears with the text ‘Received’ when you open a chat message, signaling that you’ve seen the message.

Grey Empty Square

  • Appearance: An outlined grey square, often resembling a message bubble.
  • Meaning: Indicates that a snap or chat is pending and may have expired, often due to the sender not being on your friend list or privacy settings.
  • Use Case: This icon appears when there’s an unopened snap or chat that couldn’t be delivered, either because the sender isn’t your friend or because the snap has expired.

Screenshot Icons

Screenshot icons play a crucial role in notifying users when their content has been captured by the recipient. These icons are designed to instantly inform you if someone has taken a screenshot of your snap or chat, ensuring transparency in your interactions on the platform. Here are the screenshot icons used on Snapchat, along with their appearance, meaning, and use case:

Red Screenshot Icon

  • Appearance: Typically depicted as two overlapping arrows in a red color, resembling a double tap or infinity symbol.
  • Meaning: Indicates that someone has taken a screenshot of a snap you sent that didn’t have audio, such as a photo or a silent video.
  • Use Case: If you send a photo or silent video snap to a friend and they take a screenshot, this icon will appear, alerting you to the fact that your snap has been saved by the recipient.

Purple Screenshot Icon

  • Appearance: Similar in design to the red screenshot icon but in a purple color.
  • Meaning: Shows that a recipient has taken a screenshot of your video snap that included audio.
  • Use Case: When you send a video snap with sound and the recipient screenshots it, the purple screenshot icon will appear to inform you that your video snap has been captured and saved.

Blue Screenshot Icon

  • Appearance: The same two overlapping arrows design, but in blue.
  • Meaning: Signifies that someone has taken a screenshot of a chat message you sent, whether it’s text, a photo, a video, or any other content shared through Snapchat’s chat feature.
  • Use Case: If you send a message in the chat and the recipient decides to take a screenshot, this blue icon will notify you, indicating that your chat content has been saved by them.

Replay Icons

Replay icons on Snapchat are designed to notify users when their snaps have been replayed by the recipient. There are no replay icons for chats. Here are the replay icons you will find on Snapchat, along with their appearance, meaning, and use case:

Red Replay Icon

  • Appearance: Typically looks like a circular arrow or loop, colored in red.
  • Meaning: Indicates that someone has replayed your photo or silent video snap.
  • Use Case: If you send a snap without audio, like a photo or a silent video, and the recipient replays it, this red replay icon will appear, letting you know that your snap was viewed more than once.

Purple Replay Icon

  • Appearance: Similar to the red replay icon, it’s a circular arrow or loop but in purple.
  • Meaning: Shows that your video snap with audio has been replayed by the recipient.
  • Use Case: When you send a video snap that includes sound, and the recipient decides to replay it, the purple replay icon will notify you of this action.

Snapchat Friend Emojis & Their Meaning

Snapchat offers a unique feature called “Friend Emojis.” These emojis add a playful and meaningful layer to your interactions by visually representing the nature of your friendships and interactions on the app.

Emojis are emoticons used to represent your relationship with your friends on Snapchat. You can find them next to your friends’ names in your inbox or friends’ list.

snapchat emojis and their meanings - infograpic
Snapchat Emojis and what they mean

Snapchat Friend Emojis were introduced in January 2015 and have since expanded to 10 emojis. While emojis are a private feature — that is, only you will be able to see the emojis — they can tell you a lot about your friends.

Whether you’re keeping up a snap streak, celebrating a friend’s birthday, or recognizing your best Snapchat buddies, these emojis help keep track of and celebrate your connections. Here’s a list of Snapchat’s Friend Emojis and what they signify:

💕 Super BFF: This heartwarming emoji signifies a very special bond – it appears when you and a friend have been each other’s #1 Best Friend for two consecutive months. It symbolizes a strong, consistent connection.

❤️ BFF: The red heart emoji means you and the other person have been each other’s #1 Best Friend for two weeks straight. It’s a sign of close friendship and frequent interaction.

💛 Besties: This emoji indicates that you are each other’s #1 Best Friend. You send the most snaps to this person, and they send the most to you, too. It’s a mutual recognition of being top friends.

😊 Best Friends: This smiling face emoji means they are one of your Best Friends. You frequently send snaps to this person, though they are not your absolute #1 Best Friend.

😬 Mutual Besties: A quirky twist, this emoji shows up when your #1 Best Friend is also their #1 Best Friend. It often occurs in tightly knit friend groups.

😎 Mutual BFs: Sporting sunglasses, this emoji signifies that one of your Best Friends is also a Best Friend of this Snapchatter. It’s a sign of shared connections.

🔥 Snapstreak: The fire emoji indicates a Snapstreak – you and this friend have snapped each other back and forth for consecutive days. The number next to the fire emoji shows the length of the streak.

⌛️ Snapstreak is Ending: This hourglass emoji serves as a friendly warning that your Snapstreak is about to end. You both need to send a snap to each other within 24 hours to keep the streak alive.

🎂 Birthday: The birthday cake emoji appears next to a friend’s name on the date they’ve entered as their birthday, helping you remember to send them birthday wishes.

We’ll now take a look at each of these friend emojis individually.

Smiling Face Emoji 😊: Best Friends Emoji

The 😊 Best Friends Emoji on Snapchat, often seen as a smiling face, holds a special place in the app’s unique language of emojis. It represents a significant level of interaction between you and another user on Snapchat. Here’s a detailed look at this particular emoji:

  • Emoji: 😊 (Smiling Face)
  • Meaning: This emoji signifies that the person is one of your Best Friends on Snapchat. It’s an indication of frequent and recent communication, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are your number one best friend on the app. Essentially, it’s Snapchat’s way of saying this is a friend with whom you interact a lot.
  • First Occurrence: The Best Friends Emoji typically starts to appear when you and a friend have been regularly exchanging snaps for about three days. It’s Snapchat’s method of recognizing an emerging friendship or interaction pattern.
  • Ranking: The appearance of this emoji does not necessarily mean that the person is your top best friend, as there are other emojis (like the 💛 for #1 Best Friends) that indicate a higher level of interaction. Instead, it shows that the person is among the group of people you interact with most frequently on Snapchat.
  • Visibility: Like other friend emojis on Snapchat, the 😊 emoji is visible only to you. This means you can keep track of your closest Snapchat interactions privately.
  • Change Over Time: The Best Friends Emoji can change depending on your snapping habits. If you start snapping another person more frequently, they might take over the 😊 emoji, or if your interaction with this friend decreases, the emoji might disappear or be replaced by another.

Yellow Heart Emoji 💛: #1 Best Friends

The #1 Best Friends Emoji on Snapchat, represented by a yellow heart (💛), is a heartwarming symbol of a close and mutual connection, highlighting the person with whom you share the most interactions on the app.

The smiling face emoji 😊 (best friends emoji) changes to the yellow heart emoji after a few days if you keep snapping each other. Here’s a detailed look at this emoji:

  • Emoji: 💛 (Yellow Heart)
  • Meaning: This emoji is used to represent that you and another Snapchat user are each other’s #1 Best Friends. This is the highest level of friendship recognition on Snapchat, indicating that you send more snaps to each other than to anyone else.
  • First Occurrence: The Yellow Heart Emoji typically appears when you and a friend consistently snap each other more than anyone else over a period of time. It usually takes a few days of being each other’s top contact for the yellow heart to appear.
  • Ranking: This emoji indicates the highest level of interaction on Snapchat between two friends. It’s a mutual status, meaning both you and the other person have sent each other the most snaps compared to all of your other friends.
  • Visibility: Like all friend emojis on Snapchat, the Yellow Heart is private and only visible to you. This allows users to keep track of their closest Snapchat connections without making this information public.
  • Change Over Time: The #1 Best Friends status is dynamic and can change based on your snapping habits. If you start snapping someone else more frequently, they might take over the #1 spot and the Yellow Heart would then appear next to their name. Similarly, if your interaction with this friend decreases, the yellow heart might disappear or be replaced by another emoji. If you keep up the #1 BF status, the emoji will change to the red heart emoji ❤️.

Red Heart Emoji ❤️: Best Friends Forever

The #1 Best Friends Forever (BFF) Emoji on Snapchat, symbolized by the red heart emoji (❤️) represents a deeper level of connection and consistency in interactions between two Snapchat users. Here’s an in-depth look at this emoji:

  • Emoji: ❤️ (Red Heart)
  • Meaning: The red heart emoji is a step up from the yellow heart. It signifies that you and another user have been each other’s #1 Best Friends on Snapchat for at least two weeks in a row. This emoji represents a strong, consistent bond and frequent communication over an extended period.
  • First Occurrence: To see the red heart emoji appear, you and your friend must maintain the status of being each other’s top Best Friend on Snapchat for two consecutive weeks. This means consistently sending the most snaps to each other more than to anyone else over this period.
  • Ranking: This emoji signifies a high-ranking friendship status on Snapchat, indicating a solid and enduring connection. It’s a step beyond the initial phase of frequent interaction symbolized by the yellow heart.
  • Visibility: As with other friend emojis on Snapchat, the red heart is private and only visible to you. It allows you to discreetly keep track of your closest and most stable Snapchat friendships.
  • Change Over Time: The status represented by the red heart emoji is dynamic. If you continue being each other’s #1 Best Friends, the emoji will remain; it will change to pink hearts 💕 after two months. However, if the pattern of interaction changes – for instance, if either of you starts interacting more with someone else – the red heart can revert back to a yellow heart 💛 or disappear altogether.

Pink Hearts Emoji 💕: Super BFF

The Super BFF Emoji on Snapchat, represented by two pink hearts (💕), marks the pinnacle of friendship status on Snapchat, reflecting a deeply ingrained connection and consistent interaction over an extended period. Here’s a comprehensive look at this emoji:

  • Emoji: 💕 (Two Pink Hearts)
  • Meaning: The two pink hearts emoji signifies that you and another Snapchat user have achieved the Super BFF status. This level is reached when you have been each other’s #1 Best Friends for two consecutive months. It represents the strongest and most enduring friendship connection on the platform, indicating a long-term, consistent exchange of snaps.
  • First Occurrence: To see the two pink hearts emoji, you and your friend must maintain the status of being each other’s top Best Friend on Snapchat for at least two months in a row. This means consistently sending the most snaps to each other, more than to any other contact, over this extended period.
  • Ranking: This emoji is the highest friendship status symbol on Snapchat, showcasing a deeply rooted and stable connection. It goes beyond the initial stages of frequent interaction (yellow heart) and solidified friendship (red heart) to represent a superlative level of commitment and interaction.
  • Visibility: True to Snapchat’s privacy standards, the Super BFF emoji is private and visible only to you. It allows you to personally track and cherish this significant friendship milestone without public display.
  • Change Over Time: The Super BFF status, while representing a strong bond, is not permanent and can change based on your snapping behavior. If the pattern of sending most snaps to each other is broken, the emoji can change back to a red ❤️ or yellow heart 💛, or disappear, reflecting the dynamic nature of relationships.

Grimacing Face Emoji 😬: Mutual Besties

The Mutual Besties Emoji 😬 on Snapchat, often depicted as a face with clenched teeth or grimacing face, according to Snapchat’s official website, means that your #1 best friend is also their #1 best friend. That means that you have a mutual #1 best friend. Here’s an in-depth look at this emoji:

  • Emoji: 😬 (Mutual Besties)
  • Meaning: This emoji indicates a shared #1 Best Friend status. It appears when your #1 Best Friend on Snapchat is also the #1 Best Friend of another user. Essentially, it means that you and someone else share the same top friend on the platform.
  • First Occurrence: The Mutual Besties Emoji shows up when you and another person both interact most frequently with the same individual. It’s a reflection of a three-way connection where one person is at the center of high levels of snap exchanges with two others.
  • Ranking: While this emoji doesn’t denote your own snapping frequency with the person it appears next to, it does highlight a shared friendship pattern. It’s more about the relationship dynamics within your Snapchat circle rather than a direct friendship intensity indicator between you and the person it appears next to.
  • Visibility: As with other Snapchat emojis, the Mutual Besties Emoji is private and only visible to you. This allows for a discreet understanding of your social connections and the overlaps therein, without broadcasting this information to everyone.
  • Change Over Time: The appearance of the 😬 emoji is dynamic and reflects current interaction patterns. If the shared #1 Best Friend status changes — either you or the other person starts interacting more with a different friend — the emoji will disappear or be replaced by another more relevant emoji.

Smiling Face With Sunglasses Emoji: Mutual BFs

The 😎 Mutual BFs Emoji on Snapchat means “One of your Best Friends is also one of this Snapchatter’s Best Friends”. Here’s an in-depth look at this emoji:

  • Emoji: 😎 (Mutual BFs)
  • Meaning: The sunglasses-wearing emoji symbolizes that one of your Best Friends is also a Best Friend of the Snapchatter it appears next to. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are the #1 Best Friend, but it indicates a strong mutual connection with the same individual within your respective friend circles.
  • First Occurrence: The Mutual BFs Emoji pops up when you and another Snapchat user both frequently interact with the same person, but not to the extent that this person is the top Best Friend for both of you. It’s a shared friendship pattern, where the same individual is a common key contact.
  • Ranking: This emoji is more about identifying common social connections rather than signifying the intensity of your direct snapping frequency with the person it appears next to. It highlights a kind of social camaraderie and shared interests within your Snapchat network.
  • Visibility: As with other emojis on Snapchat, the Mutual BFs Emoji is private and only visible to you. This feature ensures your social graph and interaction patterns remain discreet and personal.
  • Change Over Time: The appearance of the 😎 emoji is dynamic, reflecting your current interaction patterns. If the shared Best Friend status changes — either due to a shift in whom you or the other person interacts with the most — this emoji will disappear or be replaced by another emoji that better represents the current state of your Snapchat friendships.

Fire Emoji 🔥: Snapstreak

The 🔥 Snapstreak Emoji, or the fire emoji, adds an element of fun and challenge to the app, encouraging regular interaction between friends. It has become a popular aspect of the Snapchat experience, with many users taking pride in building and maintaining long streaks as a symbol of their consistent communication. Here’s a detailed look at the Snapstreak Emoji:

  • Emoji: 🔥 (Fire Emoji)
  • Meaning: The fire emoji indicates that you and another user have a ‘Snapstreak’ going. This means that you have both been sending snaps (photos or videos) to each other consecutively for multiple days. It’s a fun way to measure and maintain ongoing engagement with a friend.
  • First Occurrence: A Snapstreak begins when you and a friend exchange snaps for three consecutive days. Once this happens, the fire emoji will appear next to their name, along with a number that represents the length of the streak.
  • Ranking: The Snapstreak doesn’t necessarily indicate the closeness of a friendship, but rather the consistency of interaction between two users. The number next to the fire emoji increases with each consecutive day you both send snaps to each other.
  • Visibility: Like other Snapchat features, the Snapstreak is private and visible only to the participants in the streak. This means only you and your friend can see your shared streak and its length.
  • Change Over Time: Maintaining a Snapstreak requires both users to send a snap to each other within a 24-hour period every day. If either of you misses a day, the streak will end, and the fire emoji will disappear. However, if you continue the streak, the number will increase daily, showcasing the length of your ongoing interaction.
  • Special Note: Only direct snaps (photos or videos) sent to each other count towards a Snapstreak. Text messages sent in the chat, snaps sent from Memories, or content sent in group chats do not contribute to maintaining a streak.

Hourglass Emoji ⌛️: Snapstreak is Ending

The ⌛️ Hourglass Emoji serves as a timely reminder and adds an element of urgency to the Snapchat experience. It means that your Snapstreak is going to end soon. Both you and your friend need to send a Snap to each other within 24 hours to keep the streak going. Here’s an in-depth look at the Hourglass Emoji:

  • Emoji: ⌛️ (Hourglass)
  • Meaning: The hourglass emoji is Snapchat’s way of notifying you that your Snapstreak with a friend is about to end. This emoji appears when the 24-hour window to continue a Snapstreak is nearing its close, and neither you nor your friend have sent a qualifying snap to maintain the streak.
  • First Occurrence: The hourglass emoji typically appears a few hours before the 24-hour window is up. It doesn’t show up immediately after you send a snap for the streak but rather acts as a warning sign when the time to extend the Snapstreak is running out.
  • Ranking: This emoji doesn’t signify the strength or length of a Snapstreak but rather serves as a reminder or alert. Its appearance is independent of how long the Snapstreak has been going; it can appear whether you’re on day 4 or day 400 of a streak.
  • Visibility: Just like other Snapchat features, the hourglass emoji is visible only to the participants in the streak. It’s a private indicator between you and your friend about the status of your ongoing Snapstreak.
  • Change Over Time: The hourglass emoji will disappear once you or your friend sends a snap, effectively continuing the Snapstreak. However, if neither of you sends a qualifying snap within the 24-hour window, the Snapstreak will end, the fire emoji and its accompanying number will disappear, and so will the hourglass emoji.
  • Special Note: Only direct snaps (photos or videos) sent to each other count towards maintaining the Snapstreak and avoiding the hourglass. Chats, snaps from Memories, or snaps sent to groups don’t count.

Birthday Cake Emoji 🎂: Birthday Emoji

The 🎂 Birthday Emoji on Snapchat is a delightful feature designed to celebrate and recognize the special day of a friend on the app. Here’s an in-depth look at the Birthday Emoji:

  • Emoji: 🎂 (Birthday Cake)
  • Meaning: This emoji signifies that it’s a friend’s birthday. It appears next to their name to remind you of their special day. Snapchat adds this emoji automatically based on the birthdate the user has entered in their profile settings.
  • First Occurrence: The birthday cake emoji appears on the actual date of your friend’s birthday. It’s a one-day feature that shows up only on the birthday they have registered in their Snapchat account.
  • Ranking: This emoji isn’t about ranking or frequency of interaction but is more of a celebratory feature. It serves as a reminder to you to perhaps send a special birthday snap or message to acknowledge your friend’s birthday.
  • Visibility: Like other Snapchat emojis, the birthday cake emoji is visible to all users who have the birthday person in their friend list. This means that anyone who is friends with the person having a birthday will see the emoji next to their name.
  • Change Over Time: The emoji is only visible on the user’s birthday and will disappear after the day is over. It’s a temporary feature that adds a bit of fun and celebration to the Snapchat experience.
  • Special Note: Some users might choose not to share their birthday on Snapchat, and in such cases, the 🎂 emoji won’t appear. Additionally, Snapchat sometimes offers birthday-specific filters or features that the birthday user can use to enhance their snaps on their special day.

The 🎂 Birthday Emoji on Snapchat is a thoughtful and fun way to acknowledge and celebrate the birthdays of your friends within the app. It encourages engagement and adds a personal touch to your interactions, making the Snapchat experience more enjoyable and connected.

Smirk emoji 😏

The Smirk emoji appears next to a person’s name on Snapchat when you are their best friend, but they are not. This means that this person has sent the most number of snaps to you, but you do not send the most number of snaps to this person.

The smirk symbol, among many others, can be interpreted by this illustration: You’re a guy. A girl has a crush on you. She keeps sending you these snaps. But you’re hardly interested in her and do not send snaps back. The smirk symbol appears next to her name.

Nothing to be alarmed about here, but stalker alert maybe.

Baby symbol 👶

The Baby emoji in Snapchat appears when you have just become friends with a person. The symbol will eventually go away after you have become friends for a while.


Other Snapchat Symbols

But Emojis aren’t the only Snapchat symbols that you should know. There are many more symbols used in Snapchat that can get very confusing. Let’s take a look:

snapchat symbols

Besides the above, there are many other Snapchat symbols. But these are pretty self-explanatory. Some of these are:

Ghost Symbol: The ghost symbol is the logo of Snapchat. It appears on the camera home screen. When you tap on it, it will take you to your profile and settings.

Trophies Symbol: The trophies symbol appears on your profile screen. Tapping on it takes you to the trophies screen where you can see the trophies you have unlocked in your Snapchat.

Settings Symbol: The Settings icon appear on the top right corner of your profile screen. Tap on it to go to the settings of your Snapchat.

Three rings symbol: In the new Snapchat, you will see three rings on the right bottom corner of your screen. If you tap on this, it will take you to the Stories section. You can also access the stories section by swiping left across your screen.

We will keep looking for new Snapchat symbols that are a little confusing. We’ll update this post with any new developments.

Learn how Snapchat score works in a separate post.

Joyful Thiek
Joyful Thiek

Joyful Thiek is a metals engineer who quit his job for the love of social media, SEO and God. He started SnappTips in 2014 as a blog that provides tips and how-to guides on mobile apps. Over the years, the blog has expanded to cover various other topics.

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