If you’ve just started using the Snapchat social media app to keep in touch with friends and family, then you might be having trouble figuring out what all of the different symbols and color schemes mean. These are attached to message and story statuses, and knowing them will help to give you extra context while browsing and communicating from your Android or iOS smartphone. So, here are the Snapchat icon meanings you need to know.
All Snapchat icon meanings explained
When you send a Snap or a Chat on Snapchat, you might’ve noticed that a color-coded symbol will appear next to that exchange in the Friends section. If you aren’t sure what any of these icons or their associated colors mean, we’ve laid everything out below.
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Snapchat Icon Meanings | Message status symbols explained
- Solid arrow
- Your message has been successfully sent.
- Outlined arrow
- The recipient has opened this message.
- Solid square
- You have received a message from this contact.
- Outlined square
- You have opened the message from this contact.
- Overlapping arrows
- The contact took a screenshot of your message.
- Circular arrow
- The contact replayed your message.
Snapchat Icon Meanings | Message status colors explained
- Red Snapchat icons
- This indicates a Snap without any audio.
- Purple Snapchat icons
- This indicates a Snap with audio.
- Blue Snapchat icons
- This indicates a Chat (not a Snap).
- Gray Snapchat icons
- This indicates a Snap or a Chat is pending, possibly due to connection issues or because the recipient isn’t your friend.
Snapchat Icon Meanings | Story icons explained
When browsing Snapchat stories, you might’ve noticed a couple of associated symbols and wondered what those mean as well. These appear when the author of a story has limited which friends can view it and also who can contribute.
- Padlock Snapchat story icon
- This is a private story that has been shared with you — you cannot contribute to it.
- Multi-person Snapchat story icon
- This story is only viewable by select people — you can contribute to it
