The Snapchat best friends list shows your most frequently snapped contacts, but it doesn’t always accurately reflect who you talk to the most. There are a few key reasons why your Snapchat best friends list may look incorrect.
How the Snapchat Best Friends Algorithm Works
Snapchat’s best friends list is generated by an algorithm that tracks your snap sending and receiving activity. The people you exchange snaps with most frequently over the past week get put at the top of your best friends list. So if your list seems off, it likely just doesn’t align with who you feel you snap the most.
The algorithm looks specifically at your one-on-one snap activity. Group chats and stories aren’t factored in. So you could be sending tons of snaps in a group but you’d need frequent direct snapping as well to get someone to the top of your best friends.
Snapping Pictures vs Chatting
Snapchat differentiates between snapping pictures back and forth and chatting. So you could be chatting constantly with one friend through the app but snapping photos more with someone else. The photo snapping gets prioritized in the algorithm, so your chat-heavy friend may not make it to the top.
Differing Snapchat Usage Frequency
How often you and your friends use Snapchat can also impact your best friends ranking. If you snap one friend 50 times a week and another friend 20 times, but they only open Snapchat once a day, they won’t be sending as many snaps back. Even though you snap that friend daily, the algorithm sees your higher volume of snaps sent to the other friend and puts them higher up.
One-Sided Snapping
Snapchat sees relationships as two-way streets. If you are sending a lot of snaps to a friend but they rarely snap you back, your one-sided relationship won’t be enough to boost them up your best friends list. Both users need to be frequently snapping each other back and forth.
Snapstreaks vs Overall Snapping
Having a snapstreak with someone doesn’t guarantee they’ll be at the top of your best friends. Streaks just track consecutive days of snapping, but volume of snaps factors in as well. You could snap someone daily for a 100+ day streak but exchange minimal snaps. Meanwhile you could be exchanging hundreds of snaps with another friend, which gets prioritized higher.
Recent Changes in Snapping Behavior
Your Snapchat best friends list reflects your most recent snapping behavior over the past week. Someone who was previously your #1 best friend could get bumped down if your snap activity has decreased lately. The algorithm is constantly updating based on changes in habitual snap patterns.
exclusivity of Best Friends
The best friends list ranks your top friend, but Snapchat actually tracks your snapping activity with all friends. So someone could still be one of your most frequently snapped contacts but not make the exclusive list of your single top best friend.
Glitches in the Algorithm
Like any app driven by algorithms, Snapchat’s best friends feature isn’t perfect. Occasional glitches could cause some friends to be misranked or left off your list. Thankfully these cases are rare, but algorithms can act unpredictably at times.
How to Get Someone Higher in Your Best Friends List
If you want certain friends to rank higher in your Snapchat best friends, there are some habits you can adopt to improve their ranking:
- Snap them directly more frequently than other friends
- Engage in long back-and-forth snap conversations
- Send them chat messages in addition to photo/video snaps
- Try to increase your overall Snapchat usage if they use it constantly
- Don’t worry about streaks, focus on higher snap volume
- Ask them to make sure they’re frequently snapping you back
Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Your Best Friends List
While it can be upsetting to see your best friends list looking wrong, in most cases it’s not worth stressing over. Here are some reasons not to worry about your Snapchat best friends ranking:
- It’s designed to encourage more Snapchat usage, not define real friendships
- Your full friends list shows all your snap contacts accurately
- Frequency of use doesn’t always show who your closest friends are
- You know who your best friends are, regardless of Snapchat
- The list changes constantly and doesn’t reflect lasting bonds
- It can motivate you to connect more with certain friends
Alternative Social Media Best Friends
If feeling like your Snapchat best friends are wrong bothers you, you could shift your attention to “best friends” rankings on other social networks. Instagram and Facebook both show your most engaged friends at the top of your feed. Since their algorithms factor in likes, comments, tagging, and more, you may find those best friends indicators more accurate for showing your closest friends.
Best Friends and Snapchat Streaks
In addition to the best friends list, Snapchat also features friend snapstreaks. This shows number of consecutive days you’ve snapped with each friend. Longer streaks also signify frequent snapping, but they focus specifically on daily communication. Streaks don’t necessarily indicate overall higher snap volume though. So you could have 100+ day streaks with some friends who still don’t make your best friends list because you send fewer total snaps back and forth.
Customizing Your Friend List
If you want to override Snapchat’s algorithm, you can create custom friends lists. By selecting “Custom” under the friends tab, you can make groups like “Best Friends” or “Close Friends” and choose which contacts to add. This lets you define your own inner circle separate from the app’s automated best friends ranking.
Conclusion
Snapchat’s best friends feature aims to increase engagement, not serve as a definitive ranking of your closest contacts. While it can be temporarily upsetting to see it inaccurate, remembering how the algorithm works and focusing on your real life friendships can provide perspective. Over time your list will evolve to reflect your current snapping habits. But don’t forget the friends list is ultimately just a minor feature of the app, not a judgement of true friendships.