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Why is there an X on my Snapchat convo?

Why is there an X on my Snapchat convo?

Having an X show up on your Snapchat conversation can be confusing and worrisome. The X signifies that something has gone wrong with that particular snap or chat. There are a few different reasons why you may see this dreaded X.

Snap Didn’t Send

One of the most common reasons for the X is that your snap didn’t actually send. This could be due to poor internet connection on either the sender or receiver’s end. If the snap failed to send, Snapchat will let you know by putting an X over the unsent message. You can try sending it again if the internet connection improves.

Snap Was Opened But Not Viewed

Another possibility is that your snap was opened by the recipient, but they didn’t actually view the content. With personal snaps, the recipient has to manually open the snap to view the photo or video. If they open the notification but close out before viewing the snap, it will be marked with an X to show that it was never actually viewed.

Recipient Blocked You

An X on opened snaps may also mean that the recipient blocked you sometime after opening the snap. If someone blocks you on Snapchat, it retroactively puts an X on all previous opened snaps in your conversation. So even if they saw it at the time, a later block will make those delivered snaps appear as if they were never viewed.

Recipient Deleted the Chat

In a similar vein, if the recipient deletes your chat history, it will also put an X on all previous opened snaps. This makes it look like none of those snaps were viewed, even though they were at the time. The X signifies that the chat history no longer exists on their end.

Snap Score Didn’t Increase

Normally when someone opens one of your snaps, your Snapchat score increases by 1 point. If your snap score didn’t go up after sending a snap, it likely received an X instead of counting as opened. Something went wrong causing Snapchat to not register the opened snap in your score. This could happen due to poor connectivity or the recipient replaying the snap before opening.

Recipient Turned Off Read Receipts

If you have read receipts turned on but still see an X on a delivered snap, it may be because the recipient has read receipts turned off on their end. The X indicates that you don’t have confirmation they opened it since their read receipts are disabled.

Snap Expired Before Being Opened

If your snap sat there long enough without being opened, it will eventually expire. Expired snaps also get marked with an X to show that they were never viewed by the recipient. The exact expiration timeframe depends on what settings you have enabled.

You Weren’t Friends When Sending

If you send a snap to someone who doesn’t have you added as a friend on Snapchat, they won’t be able to open it. The app requires a mutual friendship to view personal snaps. So snaps sent to non-friends will show as unopened with an X.

Recipient’s Account is Deactivated

If the recipient deactivated their Snapchat account, it will retroactively mark all delivered snaps as unopened. Even if they saw it before deactivating, snaps sent while they were offline will appear with an X.

You Were Blocked After Sending

Similarly, if you send a snap and then get blocked by the recipient, the snap will not get delivered and will instead be marked with an X. This lets you know that not only did they not open it, but they also took the further step of blocking you entirely.

Chat Screenshots Aren’t Marked as Opened

If a recipient screenshots your chat instead of opening the snap, it won’t count as viewed. Chat screenshots still get an X since the snap content itself wasn’t opened. Snapchat’s screenshot notification lets you know if they took a screenshot instead.

You Deleted the Chat Yourself

Don’t forget that deleting the chat on your end also puts an X on all previously delivered snaps. Since the chat history is deleted, Snapchat considers those snaps retroactively unopened even if the recipient opened them.

Conclusion

Essentially that dreaded X means some sort of issue prevented the snap from being registered as opened. Poor connectivity, expirations, blocks, deletions, and friend settings can all lead to an X instead of a viewed checkmark. If you really need the recipient to see a snap, double check that your friendship and internet connection are good before sending it again.

Reason for X Solution
Poor connectivity Retry sending when connection improves
Recipient blocked you You can’t fix this unless they unblock you
Recipient deactivated account You’ll have to try contacting them another way
You weren’t friends when sending Add them as a friend first
Recipient turned off read receipts Double check they received it through chat
Snap expired Set longer expiration time and retry
You deleted the chat Chat history is already deleted on your end

Avoiding the Dreaded X

To minimize seeing the X as often as possible, follow these best practices:

  • Confirm you are friends before sending personal snaps
  • Enable longer expiration times if you want the recipient to have more time to open
  • Check your internet connection is strong before sending snaps
  • Double check read receipts are enabled if you want confirmation
  • Don’t mass send snaps until confirming the first one went through
  • Be mindful of blocking and deactivation by recipients

While you can never fully prevent the X, keeping these tips in mind can help avoid some of the most common causes. Being aware of its implications allows you to better troubleshoot when things go wrong.

When to Worry About the X

In most cases, an X on one or two snaps is nothing to be concerned about. But if you notice a pattern of unopened snaps, especially after a period of successful communication, it may be a sign of a deeper issue:

  • The recipient may have lost interest in talking to you
  • They may be upset with you about something
  • You may have been blocked or removed as a friend
  • It’s possible their account was deactivated

If you see a trail of X’s, it’s worth evaluating the relationship and recent conversations to identify if there’s something wrong. Don’t bombard the recipient with more snaps until you figure out what’s going on. Handle the situation calmly and maturely to keep the relationship intact.

When to Ignore the X

On the other hand, a few sporadic X’s here and there are usually not a big deal. For example:

  • A single X could just be a glitch or temporary connection problem
  • They may have opened your chat but got distracted and forgot to view the snap
  • Read receipts disabled on their end will cause X’s but they still saw it
  • You caught them without connectivity and the snap expired

As long as it’s not a pattern, an X on occasion happens to everyone. You can ask them about it, but don’t jump to conclusions or overreact without more information.

Troubleshooting the X

If you keep seeing an X on your snaps to a particular person, try these troubleshooting steps:

  1. Check your internet connection and cellular data are working properly
  2. Restart your phone and the Snapchat app to clear any glitches
  3. Double check your friendship status with the recipient
  4. Ask the recipient if they’re having issues receiving snaps in chat
  5. Uninstall and reinstall the Snapchat app if other steps fail
  6. Try sending a test snap to other friends to isolate the issue

Following this process methodically can usually identify if the X issue is on your end or the recipient’s. From there you can determine how to resolve it.

When to Contact Snapchat Support

If you continue seeing an X after exhausting your troubleshooting options, it may be time to contact Snapchat. Some issues that may require getting support involved include:

  • Persistent X’s even with good connectivity
  • Problems sending/receiving snaps to multiple friends
  • Issue persists after uninstalling and reinstalling Snapchat
  • Your account appears glitched or compromised
  • The X only appears with one friend but no obvious cause

Since Snapchat has direct access to their systems, they can investigate issues that you can’t resolve on your own. Contact them through in-app support if basic troubleshooting doesn’t fix the X situation.

Conclusion

An X on a sent snap typically just means there was a problem sending or receiving that snap. Opening issues, expirations, deletions, and blocks can all lead to an unopened snap being marked with an X. Try troubleshooting connectivity and friendship settings to get to the bottom of what’s causing it.

If it’s an occasional X, it’s likely just a minor glitch. But if you spot a pattern, evaluate the situation more closely. And when in doubt, Snapchat support can lend a hand to resolve persistent X issues.