Snapchat uses a wide range of icons to show what happens to messages, snaps, and chats. These small symbols may look confusing at first, but each one has a clear meaning. Snapchat icons show whether a snap was sent, opened, viewed, replayed, or even screenshotted.
The color and shape of each icon tell a different story. A red icon means a snap without audio, a purple icon means a snap with audio, and a blue icon means a chat. Other icons show when someone has opened your snap, when it is still waiting, or when it has expired.
Knowing what each icon means helps people understand how their snaps are being received and what actions others take. This makes the app easier to use and avoids guessing what happened after sending something.
Snapchat Icon Meanings: Complete Guide to Symbols and Emojis
Snapchat’s interface is filled with colorful icons, symbols, and emojis that can be confusing for new users. Understanding what these visual cues mean is essential for navigating the app effectively and understanding your message status and friend interactions. This comprehensive guide will decode every Snapchat icon you’ll encounter.
Message Status Icons
Snapchat uses color-coded icons that give you an at-a-glance rundown of your message status. These icons appear next to your sent messages and change based on whether they’ve been delivered, opened, or screenshot.
Sent Icons
Red Icons:
- Solid red arrow: Snap sent without sound
- Red arrow with sound waves: Snap sent with sound
- Red square: Image snap sent
Purple Icons:
- Solid purple arrow: Video snap sent
- Purple square: Video snap sent
Blue Icons:
- Solid blue arrow: Chat message sent
- Blue square: Chat message sent
Delivered Icons
Filled Squares:
- Red filled square: Image snap delivered
- Purple filled square: Video snap delivered
- Blue filled square: Chat message delivered
Opened Icons
Hollow Squares:
- Red hollow square: Image snap opened
- Purple hollow square: Video snap opened
- Blue hollow square: Chat message opened
Arrows:
- Gray arrow: Content pending or failed to send
- Red replay arrow: Snap replayed by recipient
Friend Emojis and Their Meanings
Snapchat automatically assigns emojis next to friends’ names based on your interaction patterns (source: Emojipedia). These emojis change dynamically as your communication patterns evolve.
Friendship Level Emojis
💛 Yellow Heart: #1 Best Friends – you send the most snaps to each other
❤️ Red Heart: Best Friends for two weeks straight
💕 Pink Hearts: Best Friends for two months straight – the ultimate friendship level
😊 Smiling Face: One of your Best Friends (you send many snaps to them, but they’re not your #1)
😏 Smirking Face: You are one of their Best Friends, but they’re not yours
😬 Grimacing Face: Your #1 Best Friend is also their #1 Best Friend
🙄 Face with Rolling Eyes: Your friend has been taking screenshots of your snaps or chats
Activity-Based Emojis
🔥 Fire: Snapstreak! You’ve been sending snaps back and forth for consecutive days
💯 Hundred: 100-day Snapstreak milestone
⏳ Hourglass: Your Snapstreak is about to end – send a snap soon!
🎂 Birthday Cake: It’s your friend’s birthday
⭐ Star: Someone has replayed this person’s snaps in the past 24 hours
Group and Special Emojis
👶 Baby: You just became friends with this person
🌟 Gold Star: Someone has replayed this person’s snaps in the past 24 hours
🎭 Theater Masks: This friend is in a group chat with you
Story and Snap Icons
Story Status Icons
Blue Ring: Friend has posted a new story you haven’t viewed
Gray Ring: You’ve already viewed this friend’s story
Rainbow Ring: Friend has posted multiple stories
Lock Icon: Private story (only selected friends can view)
Snap Type Indicators
📷 Camera Icon: Regular photo snap
🎥 Video Icon: Video snap
💬 Chat Bubble: Text message or chat
🔊 Speaker Icon: Snap sent with sound
🔇 Muted Speaker: Snap sent without sound
Interface Navigation Icons
Main Screen Icons
👻 Ghost Icon: Takes you to the main camera screen
💬 Chat Icon: Opens your chat conversations
📖 Stories Icon: View friends’ and discover stories
🗺️ Snap Map Icon: Shows friends’ locations (if enabled)
⚙️ Settings Gear: Access app settings and preferences
Camera Screen Icons
🔄 Switch Camera: Flip between front and rear camera
⚡ Flash: Toggle flash on/off
🎨 Filters: Access color filters and effects
😊 Lenses: Access AR face filters and world lenses
🎵 Sounds: Add music or sounds to your snap
Chat Interface Icons
Message Type Icons
📷 Camera: Send a photo directly in chat
🎥 Video Call: Start a video call
📞 Voice Call: Start a voice call
🎮 Games: Play Snapchat games together
💰 Payments: Send or request money (where available)
Chat Status Indicators
Blue Dot: Unread message
📱 Mobile Icon: Friend is active on mobile
💻 Computer Icon: Friend is active on desktop
🌙 Moon Icon: Friend has Do Not Disturb enabled
Premium and Special Features
Snapchat+ Icons
⭐ Gold Outline: Indicates Snapchat+ subscriber features
🔒 Lock with Star: Premium feature for Snapchat+ members
👑 Crown: Special premium customization options
Verification and Safety
⭐ Gold Star: Verified account (replaced previous verification system) (source: Emojipedia)
🛡️ Shield: Safety and privacy related features
⚠️ Warning: Content warning or safety alert
Bitmoji and Avatar Icons
Your Bitmoji: Represents you throughout the app
Friend’s Bitmoji: Appears on Snap Map and in various contexts
Sleeping Bitmoji: Shows when you haven’t been active recently
Driving Bitmoji: Indicates you’re in a moving vehicle (speed-based)
Troubleshooting Common Icon Confusion
Gray vs. Colored Icons
- Colored icons: Active, delivered, or opened content
- Gray icons: Pending, failed, or expired content
Disappearing Icons
Some icons are temporary and change based on:
- Time elapsed since sending
- Recipient’s actions
- Your activity patterns
- App updates and feature changes
Tips for Understanding Snapchat Icons
- Pay attention to colors: Each color represents different content types
- Watch for changes: Icons evolve based on message status
- Check regularly: Friend emojis change based on your interaction patterns
- Update your app: New icons and features are added regularly
- Explore settings: You can customize some emoji meanings in settings
Conclusion
Understanding Snapchat’s visual language is key to using the app effectively. These icons provide valuable information about your messages, friendships, and app interactions. While the system might seem complex initially, regular use will make these symbols second nature.
Remember that Snapchat regularly updates its interface and adds new features, so some icons may change or new ones may appear. When in doubt, long-pressing on icons often provides additional context or explanations within the app itself.
The key is to start with the basics—understanding message status icons and friend emojis—then gradually familiarize yourself with the more advanced symbols as you explore Snapchat’s features.
Key Takeaways
- Snapchat icons explain the status of snaps and chats
- Colors and shapes signal different types of messages
- Each icon shows a specific action like sent, opened, or replayed
Frequently Asked Questions
Snapchat uses colors, icons, and emojis to show the status of snaps, chats, and stories. These symbols help users know when a snap is opened, replayed, or part of a streak, and they also explain the type of interaction with friends.
What do the different colors of snaps indicate?
A red icon means a snap without audio.
A purple icon means a snap with audio.
A blue icon means a chat message.
A gray icon usually means the snap is pending or the person has not accepted the friend request.
How can you tell if someone has replayed your snap?
A circular arrow icon next to the snap shows that it has been replayed.
Snapchat also notifies the sender when a replay happens, so it is always visible to the original sender.
What does the 😊 emoji signify in a Snapchat conversation?
The smiling face emoji (😊) means that the person is one of the user’s best friends on Snapchat.
It shows frequent interaction, but it does not mean they are the number one best friend.
How do the various symbols next to stories affect their meaning?
A purple ring around a story shows it contains video.
A red ring means the story is photo-only.
A blue ring appears for private stories.
A gray icon can mean the story has expired or is unavailable.
What does the camera icon next to a friend’s name mean?
The camera icon next to a name is a shortcut to send that friend a snap.
It allows quick access without going back to the main camera screen.
How can you interpret the different call icons on Snapchat?
A blue phone icon means a voice call.
A purple video camera icon means a video call.
If the icons appear with arrows, it shows whether the call was missed, incoming, or outgoing.