The best friend emoji on Snapchat appears next to the name of the user’s #1 best friend on their friend list. This emoji indicates the person that the user Snapchats with the most frequently. The best friend emoji does not signify the location of that friend, just the strength of the Snapchat friendship.
Who Gets The Best Friend Emoji?
Snapchat’s algorithm determines who gets the coveted best friend emoji based on the frequency of snaps sent back and forth with friends. The friend that the user exchanges the most snaps with over the preceding week will earn the top best friend spot and the emoji next to their name.
Some key factors that help determine who earns the best friend emoji include:
- The total number of snaps sent between users
- The frequency of communication between users
- The recency of snaps exchanged
- The length of the Snapstreak (number of consecutive days snapping)
So the best friend emoji is awarded to the person that the user interacts with the most consistently on Snapchat, not necessarily the person they are closest to in real life. The algorithm cares about Snapchat activity, not real world friendship.
What Does The Best Friend Emoji Look Like?
The best friend emoji on Snapchat is a small yellow heart icon. It appears immediately to the left of the best friend’s name at the top of the user’s friend list within the app.
This yellow heart emoji helps distinguish the #1 best friend from other close friends that the user snaps frequently. Other friends may appear under the “Best Friends” section if the user frequently snaps them, but only the top friend will have the yellow heart emoji.
What Happens When You Lose Your Best Friend Emoji?
The best friend emoji is not necessarily permanent. If the user stops snapchatting frequently with their “#1 best friend,” they could lose their best friend emoji over time.
For example, if the user goes on vacation for a week and doesn’t interact much with their top friend, but keeps snapping their other friends, a different friend could potentially take the top best friend spot from them. The algorithm is constantly evaluating snap activity.
Additionally, if the user starts snapping a new friend all the time, that new friend might quickly become the new #1 best friend, bumping the previous top friend down. New friendships can shake up the standings!
Can You Have Multiple Best Friends?
You can only have one official #1 best friend with the yellow heart emoji at a time. However, Snapchat does allow users to have multiple “best friends” listed within the app.
Friends that the user frequently snaps back and forth with (but not as much as the #1 best friend) will still appear under the “Best Friends” section on their profile. So it is possible to have multiple best friends, but only one will hold the top best friend distinction.
Do Best Friends See The Emoji Too?
The best friend emoji is only visible to the user it is assigned to, not to their friends. For example, if Claire has a yellow heart emoji next to Leo’s name on her friend list, only Claire can see this. Leo and other friends will not see the emoji designation from their end.
However, if your friend takes a screenshot of their Snapchat friend list and sends it to you, you may be able to see the emoji next to your name if you are their #1 best friend. But you otherwise would not know your designation as someone’s best friend unless they tell you.
Can You Turn Off The Best Friends Feature?
Currently, there is no way to turn off Snapchat’s best friends feature or disable it from showing the emoji. The algorithm runs automatically in the background, and all users have their different best friends ranked whether they want it or not.
Some users have expressed a desire to turn it off because they don’t want friendships to be represented by arbitrary emojis or to feel competitive pressure about their rankings. But Snapchat has not provided a way to opt out yet. The best friend emoji reflects the Snapchat algorithm’s assessment whether users want it or not.
What Happens When You Remove A Friend?
If you remove a friend from your Snapchat friends list, they will immediately lose their best friend emoji or status if they had it. And they will no longer show up on your friend list at all.
However, removing them does not prevent them from adding you back in the future if they still know your username. They could potentially become your best friend again unless you block them entirely from your account.
Can You Boost Someone To Become Your Best Friend?
There is no definitive way to manually boost someone to the top best friend position. Because Snapchat’s algorithm relies on natural snap behavior and activity, there is no guaranteed way to hack it.
However, users can potentially increase the likelihood of someone becoming their best friend by increasing their snapping activity with that person. Sending more frequent snaps back and forth, keeping a consistently long Snapstreak, and replying quickly to their snaps can help their case but does not assure the top spot.
Does Having A Best Friend Mean You Should Date Them?
Not necessarily! Having someone show up as your #1 best friend on Snapchat does not automatically mean you should date them. The emoji is simply calculated based on snap activity, not romantic compatibility.
However, some people do end up dating friends that first became their Snapchat besties. If you are already that close and snap each other constantly, you may have an existing bond to build from. But don’t feel pressured to date your best friend if you see them as just a friend.
Can You Have A Best Friend Of The Opposite Gender?
Absolutely. Your Snapchat best friend can be any gender regardless of your sexual orientation. The Snapchat algorithm does not take gender into account when calculating best friends.
People in relationships may end up with a top best friend of the opposite gender simply because they snap that person the most frequently. As long as both people are comfortable with it and proper boundaries are in place, cross-gender best friendships can thrive on Snapchat without issue.
Conclusion
The coveted yellow heart emoji on Snapchat represents the user’s #1 best friend, not the geographic location of that friend. It is calculated automatically based on snap frequency and interaction, not chosen manually. While the best friend emoji cannot currently be turned off, it is not necessarily a marker of romantic interest or compatibility. Snapchat’s best friends feature simply analyzes communication patterns to spotlight the top friend.