Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media apps, with over 265 million daily active users. A key feature of Snapchat is its chat function, which allows users to send messages, photos, and videos to friends. Snapchat also shows different chat statuses to indicate whether a message has been sent, opened, or screenshotted. But what do the different Snapchat chat statuses actually mean?
Sent Status
The most basic Snapchat chat status is the sent status. This indicates that your message has been successfully sent to the recipient. On your end, the sent message will have a filled arrow icon next to it. For the recipient, it will show as delivered once they have received it.
The sent status does not mean the recipient has actually read or opened the message yet. It only means it has been delivered to their device. They may see a notification, but have not launched the Snapchat app to view the message. The sent status will turn to opened once they view the snap.
Delivered Status
The delivered status is from the perspective of the recipient. When a sent snap is received on their device, it will show as delivered. This means your message has successfully reached them, but it does not indicate they have opened it yet. The delivered status will change to opened once the recipient launches the Snapchat app and views the snap.
It is possible for a message to show as delivered but never be opened. For example, if the recipient has notifications turned off, they may not know they have received the snap. Or they may see the notification but ignore it without opening the message.
Opened Status
The opened status shows that your snap has been viewed by the recipient. Once they launch Snapchat and view your message, it will change from delivered to opened. This status confirms your snap has been seen.
One thing to note is that the opened status only appears if you have a 1:1 chat with a friend. It does not show for group chats or stories. For individual chats, the opened status indicates your friend has actively viewed your snap.
Screenshotted Status
One of the signature features of Snapchat is that messages disappear after being viewed. However, recipients can screenshot snaps which will then inform the sender. If your friend takes a screenshot of your snap, you will see the screenshotted status.
This status indicates your snap has been captured and saved by the recipient. Note that you will only be notified of screenshots in 1:1 conversations. If someone screenshots your snap in a group chat or story, you will not get the screenshot notification.
Replayed Status
Similar to screenshots, Snapchat now also notifies you if a recipient replays your snap. Previously viewed snaps can be replayed once before they disappear. If your friend chooses to replay your snap, you will see the replayed status.
Like the screenshot notification, the replayed status only appears in 1:1 chats, not groups or stories. It lets you know your specific snap was deemed interesting enough to be viewed again!
Failed Status
If your message fails to send due to connectivity issues, Snapchat will indicate this with a failed status. The unsent message will have a red exclamation point icon next to it. This means there was a problem sending the snap and the recipient likely did not receive it.
Common reasons for failure include having no internet connection, the recipient being offline, or some glitch in the Snapchat app. You can try sending the snap again later when connectivity improves. The message will revert to sent status once it goes through.
Pending Status
A pending status means your snap is still in the process of sending. Reasons can include a slow internet connection or the recipient also being offline. The message will show a pending icon until delivery is confirmed.
Snaps usually go from pending to sent status very quickly under normal conditions. But if connectivity is limited, it may remain pending for some time. The recipient will not see the message until the pending status changes to delivered.
Opened or Screenshot Notification
When you send a snap, Snapchat can also notify you if it has been opened or screenshotted. In your feed, opened snaps will show a blue “opened” alert under them. Screenshots will show a similar notification to inform you.
These notifications only appear in 1:1 chats, not groups or stories. You will only be individually notified if your specific snap (not a group message) is opened or screenshotted by a friend.
Viewed by Notification
In stories and group chats, Snapchat shows more general view statistics. You won’t get per-person open notifications. But you can see how many people have viewed the story or group message.
For stories, you’ll see a “viewed by” number showing how many friends have seen it. In groups, you’ll see “viewed by [names]” listing the people who have opened the message.
Replay Viewers
If you post a story, people who view it can replay it once. Snapchat will show you a list of “replay viewers” who have replayed your story. Tap on the list to see which friends specifically chose to view your story again.
Like other metrics, this only applies to stories, not individual chats. It’s a handy way to see which friends are engaging most with the content you post publicly to your story.
Typing Indicator
Snapchat also has typing indicators that show when a friend is currently typing a chat message to you. If you’re in an active 1:1 chat, you’ll see an ellipses icon next to their name whenever they are actively typing.
The typing notification disappears as soon as they stop typing. But it provides a real-time indication that your friend is in the process of messaging you back in your chat.
Read Receipts
Unlike other messaging apps, Snapchat does not have read receipts. You cannot see exactly when a recipient opens and reads your specific chat message.
The opened and screenshot notifications show your snap has been viewed but does not give an exact read timestamp. Snapchat chat statuses are designed to be visible yet ephemeral, keeping in line with the ephemeral nature of snaps.
Chat Status Icons
Here is a table summarizing the various Snapchat chat status icons and indicators:
Icon | Status | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Filled arrow | Sent | Message sent successfully |
Hollow arrow | Delivered | Message received but not opened |
Opened envelope | Opened | Message has been viewed |
Screenshot icon | Screenshotted | Snap has been screenshotted |
Replay icon | Replayed | Snap has been replayed |
Exclamation point | Failed | Message failed to send |
Pending icon | Pending | Message is still sending |
Typing ellipses | Typing | Friend is typing a message |
Conclusion
Snapchat chat statuses allow you to see useful information about your snaps in one-on-one chats. The key indicators are sent, delivered, opened, screenshotted, replayed, and failed statuses. These show the progress of your message being sent and viewed. Statuses like opened and screenshotted give Snapchat its signature ephemeral feel since you know when a recipient has seen your snap.
Stories and groups have more general metrics like views rather than individual read receipts. Overall, chat statuses provide a fun way to exchange messages and see how friends interact with your snaps on Snapchat.