Scanning a snap on Snapchat can lead to a variety of outcomes depending on the type of snap and the settings the sender has enabled. Snapchat’s scanning feature allows users to search Snapchat content and find relevant information, lenses, filters, stickers, and more. Here’s a quick overview of what can happen when you scan a snap on Snapchat and some key things to keep in mind.
Scanning a Photo Snap
When you scan a basic photo snap from one of your friends, a few things could happen:
- If the sender has scan-enabled the snap, scanning it will reveal context cards, tags, website links, and other relevant information about what’s in the snap. This gives you quick access to content related to what you’re seeing in the snap.
- If the snap does not have scan content enabled, scanning it simply enlarges the snap to fill the screen so you can get a closer look.
- Scanning does not open or view the snap again if it has already been opened.
- You cannot scan screen captured snaps since they do not contain scan-enabled content.
So in summary, scanning a basic photo snap either enlarges it or reveals interactive content if the sender has added scan features to the snap before sending.
Scanning a Video Snap
Scanning a video snap gives you a few options:
- Scanning while the snap is playing simply pauses the video.
- Scanning from the preview screen before opening the snap gives you the option to expand the snap into full screen view.
- If the snap has scan content enabled, scanning opens up the contextual content, tags, links, etc that the sender has added.
Scanning a video snap does not replay or re-open the snap. It simply allows pausing, enlarging, and revealing any scan-enabled content.
Scanning a Snapchat Story
When you scan someone’s story, the effects are similar to scanning a photo or video snap:
- Scanning enlarges the story to fill the screen.
- If the story has scan features enabled, you can access interactive content by scanning.
- You cannot re-view a story by scanning – stories disappear after 24 hours.
So for stories, scanning mainly lets you see content in more detail and unlock any interactive elements added by the creator.
Scanning Your Own Snaps
Scanning snaps and stories that you have posted yourself behaves a bit differently:
- You can resurface old snaps and stories in your memories by scanning saved snaps and stories.
- Scanning your own snaps does not reveal any scan content, since that content is only revealed to recipients.
- You can enlarge, re-view, and interact with your own snaps even after 24 hours if you scan your saved memories.
Essentially, scanning your own snaps lets you rediscover and interact with your old content and memories.
Scanning Snapcodes
Snapcodes are special QR-style codes that link to specific Snapchat profiles. When you scan a Snapcode you are prompted to add that person as a friend, allowing you to easily connect with other Snapchat users.
Scanning Products
Snapchat’s scanning feature integrates with certain retail partners. When you scan a compatible product, you may unlock special AR experiences, filters or lenses related to that product. Product scanning also allows Snapchat to track your shopping behavior across platforms.
Using Scan for Visual Search
Snapchat’s visual search capabilities allow you to scan real-world objects and scenes to find relevant content. For example:
- Scanning a dog may surface dog lenses, filters and pet-related content.
- Scanning food items can reveal recipes, reviews, and nutritional information.
- Scanning landmarks or buildings may show you history, facts, and other location-based content.
Visual search via scanning lets you explore the world around you and discover relevant digital content.
Scanning Options and Settings
There are a few settings related to snap scanning that users can control:
- You can enable or disable the ability for others to scan your snaps in your Snapchat privacy settings.
- Disabling scanning does not prevent snaps from being screenshotted or screen recorded.
- Friend emojis indicate which friends you interact with most on Snapchat, and you can hide friend emojis from showing up when those friends scan your content.
- Snapchat scans can be used for advertising and marketing purposes to build consumer profiles and target ads.
- Third-party apps that connect with Snapchat may be able to scan your public content.
While scanning provides interactive features, users have some options to limit scannability when desired.
The Difference Between Scanning and Searching
Scanning and searching serve different purposes on Snapchat:
- Scanning involves running the Snapchat camera over a snap, story, code, object, etc. It reveals interactive content, memories, identity links, and contextual information.
- Searching allows you to find friends, publishers, stories, lenses, and other content by entering text into the Snapchat search bar.
Scanning utilizes computer vision technology while searching relies on typing text. Scanning reveals information about what’s right in front of you, while searching lets you find specific things across Snapchat.
Conclusion
In summary, scanning on Snapchat uses image recognition technology to unlock interactive features, memories, identity links, contextual information, and more. The outcomes of scanning a snap depend on the sender’s settings, the type of content, and Snapchat’s capabilities. While scanning provides cool features, it also gives Snapchat data for advertising and marketing purposes. Understanding how scanning works can help you get the most out of Snapchat while also managing privacy concerns.