Snapchat Emoji Meanings: Find Out Where You Stand

If you’ve spent any time on Snapchat, you’ve likely noticed the small emojis that appear next to your friends’ names. These aren’t random or decorative—Snapchat uses emojis to reflect the status and dynamics of your digital friendships. Whether you’re a seasoned snapper or just getting started, understanding these symbols can help you decode who your best friends are, who you’re close to, and even who’s watching your snaps on repeat.

This article breaks down Snapchat emoji meanings in detail, helping you figure out exactly where you stand with your friends—and maybe even give you a little insight into your own snapping habits. Let’s dive in.

What Are Snapchat Emojis?

Snapchat emojis are dynamic icons that appear next to your friends’ names on the Chat screen. Unlike standard emojis that you manually insert into messages, these are generated automatically based on how you interact with your friends on the platform.

From how often you send Snaps to who you engage with most consistently, these emojis are Snapchat’s way of analyzing and labeling your relationships.

Snapchat Emoji Meanings Explained

👶 Baby Emoji

This emoji appears next to a user when you’ve just added them as a friend. It’s a starting point in your Snapchat journey together. As you begin to interact more often, other emojis will gradually take its place based on your communication patterns.

💛 Yellow Heart

The yellow heart is a badge of honor. It means that you are #1 best friends with each other on Snapchat. In simple terms, you send the most Snaps to them, and they send the most Snaps to you. It’s the highest sign of mutual interaction in Snapchat’s eyes.

❤️ Red Heart

If you and your Snapchat bestie hold your #1 spot with each other for two consecutive weeks, the yellow heart turns red. It’s a sign of consistency and mutual dedication—your digital friendship is going strong.

💕 Pink Hearts

Manage to hold that top spot for two full months, and you’ll see the pink hearts. Snapchat calls this status “Super BFFs.” At this point, you’re practically Snapchat royalty.

😊 Smiling Face

The smiling face means you’re close friends, but not each other’s #1. You snap them a lot, and they snap you back regularly, but not as much as your top BFF. Still, it’s a healthy sign of consistent interaction.


😎 Sunglasses Face

This emoji indicates that you and another user share a best friend. In other words, someone you frequently snap is also someone they frequently snap. It can pop up with coworkers, classmates, or mutual friends.

😬 Grimacing Face

The grimace emoji is a little awkward. It means your #1 best friend is also their #1 best friend. Uh oh! Are you both fighting for the top spot with the same person?

🔥 Fire (Snapstreak)

This fiery icon appears when you and a friend have been snapping each other back and forth for three consecutive days or more. The longer the streak, the higher the number that appears next to the flame. It’s a challenge to keep it going—and many users pride themselves on epic Snapstreaks.

💯 100 Emoji

This emoji appears on the 100th day of your Snapstreak. It replaces the fire emoji for a day to celebrate this impressive milestone. Afterward, it goes back to the fire emoji, continuing the count.

⌛ Hourglass

This symbol is a warning. It appears when your Snapstreak is in danger of ending soon. If you don’t send a Snap (not chat) to your streak partner before the day ends, the streak dies—and the fire emoji disappears with it.

🎂 Birthday Cake

This emoji shows up on a friend’s birthday (as long as they’ve added their birth date to Snapchat). It’s a friendly reminder to send them some celebratory snaps or messages. Just remember—it disappears after 24 hours.

🌟 Gold Star

A gold star means someone replayed a Snap from this person in the past 24 hours. It’s a signal that the Snap was interesting—or at least worth a second look.

📌 Pushpin

If you pin a chat conversation to the top of your messages, you’ll see this emoji. It’s only visible to you, and it helps you quickly access your most important chats.

Zodiac Emojis on Snapchat 🔮

Snapchat also assigns zodiac sign emojis to friends based on their birth date. If a user has added their birthday to Snapchat, you’ll see one of the following next to their name:

  • ♒ Aquarius: January 20 – February 18

  • ♓ Pisces: February 19 – March 20

  • ♈ Aries: March 21 – April 19

  • ♉ Taurus: April 20 – May 20

  • ♊ Gemini: May 21 – June 20

  • ♋ Cancer: June 21 – July 22

  • ♌ Leo: July 23 – August 22

  • ♍ Virgo: August 23 – September 22

  • ♎ Libra: September 23 – October 22

  • ♏ Scorpio: October 23 – November 21

  • ♐ Sagittarius: November 22 – December 21

  • ♑ Capricorn: December 22 – January 19

You can also view full astrological profiles, including your sun, moon, and planetary placements, within the Snapchat app.

Snapchat Emoji Meanings Chart (Quick Reference)

Emoji Meaning
👶 New friend
💛 #1 Best Friends
❤️ Best Friends for 2 weeks
💕 Best Friends for 2 months
😊 Close Friend
😎 Mutual Best Friend
😬 Shared #1 Best Friend
🔥 Snapstreak (3+ days)
💯 100-day Snapstreak
Snapstreak ending soon
🎂 Birthday
🌟 Snap replayed
📌 Pinned conversation

Advanced Tips: How to Customize Snapchat Emojis

Want to change how your Snapchat emojis look or what they represent? You can do that. Here’s how:

On iPhone:

  1. Open Snapchat and tap your Bitmoji in the top left.

  2. Tap the gear icon to open Settings.

  3. Scroll down to Manage under “Additional Services.”

  4. Select Friend Emojis.

  5. Tap any category to customize the emoji.

On Android:

  1. Tap your profile Bitmoji in the top left.

  2. Go to Settings via the gear icon.

  3. Scroll to Customize Emojis.

  4. Choose and edit as you please.

These changes are only visible to you and don’t affect how others see your friendships.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the 👀 eyes emoji mean on Snapchat?

The eyes emoji shows up when someone has rewatched your Snap. It’s Snapchat’s way of telling you, “Hey, someone’s paying extra attention.” This emoji only appears in Stories for public accounts or those using Snapchat Insights.

How long until I get the 💛 yellow heart?

There’s no exact timer. The yellow heart shows up when you and someone else consistently snap each other more than anyone else. You’ll need to out-snap everyone else in their list and vice versa.

Can I see who someone’s best friends are?

Nope. Snapchat removed that feature years ago. Now, best friend lists are private and only visible to the individual user.

Do chats count toward Snapstreaks?

No. Only Snaps (photos or videos) count. Chats, stickers, voice notes, and memories won’t help you maintain your Snapstreak.

Snapchat Emojis: More Than Just Symbols

Understanding Snapchat emojis isn’t just about decoding your digital status—it’s about better understanding your relationships. These tiny icons provide a window into who you talk to the most, who returns that energy, and even who’s eyeing your content a little more closely.

So next time you open Snapchat, take a second to check those emojis. Whether you’re at the beginning of a new connection or deep into a 100+ day Snapstreak, now you know exactly what it all means.

Final Thought

Snapchat’s emojis might seem trivial at first glance, but they offer a fun, engaging way to measure your social interactions over time. Whether you’re building a new friendship or keeping a long-term streak alive, these little icons can speak volumes.

Now that you’re armed with this knowledge, go ahead—snap wisely, and keep those streaks alive.

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