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Does following on snapchat mean they unadded you?

If someone you were friends with on Snapchat now only shows up under your “Following” list rather than your “Friends” list, it likely means they have unadded or blocked you on Snapchat. Simply following someone on Snapchat does not automatically make them a friend – in order to become friends on Snapchat, both people need to add each other. So if you are now only following someone rather than being friends, it’s because they removed you as a friend on their end.

Understanding Snapchat’s Friends vs Following

Snapchat has two main connection types – Friends and Following. Here’s a quick rundown of how each one works:

  • Friends – When you become friends with someone on Snapchat, it means you have added each other and can now snap back and forth. You’ll show up in each other’s Friends lists and can see stories from each other.
  • Following – Following someone simply means you have added them as a friend on your end, but they have not added you back. So you can see their public stories, but you will not show up as friends to them or be able to send each other snaps.

So in summary, being Friends on Snapchat requires a two-way adding between users. Following only requires a one-way add.

Why Someone May Show Up As Following Instead of Friends

There are a few reasons why you may have someone show up Under your Following list rather than Friends:

  • They removed or blocked you – The most likely scenario is they have unadded you as a friend, removing you from their friends list. This converts the relationship to just a one-way following.
  • You removed them – It’s possible you removed them from your friends list but still kept them on your Following list. Double check that you didn’t accidentally remove them.
  • They changed usernames – If someone changes their Snapchat username, it can sometimes cause your friend relationship to disappear and convert to just a following.
  • App issues – In rare cases, app bugs could cause friend relationships to incorrectly drop. Trying re-adding them as a friend directly to see if that fixes it.

How to Tell if Someone Unadded You

Wondering if someone definitely unadded you rather than you accidentally removing them? Here are some ways to confirm:

  • Check your sent snaps – Look at your sent snaps list in the app. If your last snap to them shows as “Pending” rather than “Opened”, it means they have removed you.
  • Look for a friendship anniversary – Snapchat friends have friendship anniversaries showing how long you’ve been friends. If yours disappeared, they likely removed you.
  • See if your chat disappeared – Your chat history with a friend will disappear if they unadd you.
  • Check their friend emoji – Friends have emojis next to each other’s names. If yours disappeared, they removed you.

What Happens When Someone Unadds You on Snapchat

If someone does remove you as a friend on Snapchat, here is what will happen:

  • You will no longer be able to send snaps to each other.
  • Your chat history together will be erased.
  • Either person can still view the other’s public stories if you remain Following each other.
  • Your Snapstreak will end immediately.
  • You’ll stop seeing their location on the Snap Map.
  • Your Bitmoji friendship in the app will end.
  • You’ll no longer see their private stories.

Essentially, removing a friend cuts off your ability to interact 1-on-1. You’ll revert to only being able to view whatever public content they post.

What To Do If Someone Removes You as a Friend

Getting unadded stings, but here are some ways to handle it:

  • Don’t take it personally – People remove friends on Snapchat for many reasons that may not relate to you directly. Focus on your real-life friendships.
  • Reflect on your behavior – If you suspect you may have done something to cause offense, use it as a learning experience.
  • Ask them about it – If it’s someone you have a relationship with outside Snapchat, politely ask them why they unadded you and if you can re-add each other.
  • Move on – Getting unfollowed happens to most social media users eventually. Don’t dwell on it too much.

Ultimately, while sudden unadds can feel socially awkward, they are usually not meant as personal sleights. Being unfollowed on social media does not determine your self-worth.

How To Re-Add Someone Who Removed You

Want to try to re-friend someone who deleted you? Here are some tips:

  • Send them a friend request – This is the most direct approach. Go to their profile and hit “Add Friend”.
  • Ask to add them again – Chat them on another platform like text and ask if they will re-add you on Snapchat.
  • Apologize if needed – If you have some idea why they may have removed you, apologize for anything you did wrong.
  • Wait a while before re-adding – Give it a few weeks or months before trying to add them again to let any hard feelings fade.
  • Accept it if they decline – If they reject your friend request, respect their decision and don’t badger them about it.

Persistence is annoying – if someone denies your re-add request, it’s usually best to move on. With time, they may change their mind later.

Removing Friends You No Longer Want on Snapchat

On the flip side, you may find yourself wanting to remove some friends from your Snapchat. Here are some tips if you want to unfriend someone:

  • Do it from your Friends screen – Open your Friends list and press and hold on their name. Select “More” then choose “Remove Friend”.
  • Consider blocking them – If you want to make sure they can’t view your stories or search your username, block them for extra privacy.
  • You can always re-add later – If you change your mind down the road, you can send them a new friend request.
  • Remove from Following too – Don’t forget to remove them from your Following list too or they can still view your public content.
  • Clean up old friends – Go through and prune Friends you no longer talk to anymore to declutter your social circle.

Do some “Snapchat spring cleaning” once in a while to clear out inactive friends and streamline who you share content with. The app lets you add new friends infinitely, so don’t feel pressure to keep everyone forever.

Common Reasons People Remove Friends on Snapchat

Wondering why someone may have decided to cut you off on Snapchat? Here are some of the most common motivations:

  • Limit their friend count – Snapchat friend limits encourage pruning unused friends.
  • Stop romantic partners – Removing exes helps people move on.
  • Avoid drama – Deleting fighting friends cools tensions.
  • Didn’t know them well – Removing loose connections or acquaintances they never talk to.
  • Offended by their content – Unfollowing friends who post offensive or unwanted content.
  • Hiding their own content – Removing people they don’t want seeing their private stories.
  • Spring cleaning – General purge of unused Snapchat connections.

In most cases, being deleted is not meant as a personal attack. Social media friendships come and go – try not to overthink it if it happens to you.

Other Snapchat Friendship Actions

In addition to removing friends, Snapchat has a few other friendship features to know:

  • Adding Best Friends – You can pick top friends to be your BFs and share exclusive stories. Being removed as a BF stings more than a regular friend.
  • Reminder to Remind Friend – If you want to nudge a friend to re-add you, Snapchat lets you send them a reminder.
  • View Only Some Stories – Pick certain friends whose stories you don’t want to watch anymore while staying friends.
  • Notifications – Turn off notifications for friends who snap too much.

Master Snapchat’s intricate friendship features to control who you interact with on the app.

The Psychology of Being Unfriended

Why does it hurt so much when someone unfriends us online? A few psychological factors are at play:

  • Social rejection – Being unfollowed triggers our evolutionary fear of exclusion from the tribe.
  • Uncertainty – We don’t know why they deleted us which leaves an unresolved tension.
  • Ego – Our sense of self-importance takes a hit from the apparent “demotion” of our online friendship.
  • Loss of access – We feel left out and deprived of their digital content.

But remember – an unfollow does not necessarily mean true social rejection. Focus on nourishing real-world connections with those who matter most to you offline.

Key Takeaways

  • If someone now only shows up under Following rather than Friends, they likely unadded you on Snapchat.
  • Being Friends requires a two-way add, Following just requires you to add them.
  • Check your sent snaps list and other Snapchat features to confirm if someone removed you.
  • Don’t take unfollowing personally – people prune friends for many reasons.
  • You can send someone a new friend request if you want to try to re-add them.
  • It’s normal to feel stung when unfollowed, but don’t let it shake your self-confidence.