Snapchat basics
What the five screens do, what the emoji beside a friend's name mean, how followers differ from friends, and where Snapchat came from.
Snapchat hides most of its interface behind swipes rather than buttons, which is why people who have used it for years still discover screens they did not know existed. This section covers the parts of the app that are assumed knowledge everywhere else: the five-screen layout, the friend emoji, the difference between a friend and a follower, and how to tell what actually changed in the latest update.
If you are opening Snapchat for the first time, start with the full walkthrough and work outwards. If you are here because something on screen made no sense, the emoji reference and the followers explainer are the two pages that answer most of it.
What you’ll learn
- How to move between the Map, Chat, Camera, Stories and Spotlight screens
- What each friend emoji beside a name actually measures
- Why your follower count and your friend count are different numbers
- How to check your app version and read the official release notes
5 guides in snapchat basics
How to use Snapchat
The five-screen layout, sending your first snap, what the timers mean, and the settings worth changing on day one.
Snapchat basics · Updated
When was Snapchat created?
Snapchat launched as Picaboo in July 2011 and was renamed that September. A dated timeline from the Stanford dorm to the Memories storage change.
Snapchat basics · Updated
What does the sunglasses emoji mean on Snapchat?
The 😎 face means you share a close friend with someone. A full reference for every friend emoji, how to change them, and why yours may differ.
Snapchat basics · Updated
What does followers mean on Snapchat?
Followers are one-directional and separate from friends. A precise table of what each side can see, and why your two numbers do not match.
Snapchat basics · Updated
What’s in the new Snapchat update?
How to find your app version, read the official release notes, and work out whether a missing feature is a staged rollout rather than a bug.
Snapchat basics · Updated
Common questions about snapchat basics
Do I need a Snapchat account to view someone's story?
For a Public Profile story, no — public content can be opened in a browser. For anything posted to a private story or to friends only, yes, you need an account and the person needs to have added you.
Is Snapchat free?
The app itself is free. Snapchat+ is a paid subscription that adds cosmetic and convenience features, and storage above the free Memories allowance is now a paid tier. Nothing in the core send-and-receive experience costs money.
What is the minimum age for Snapchat?
Snapchat's terms set 13 as the minimum age worldwide. Some regions require a higher age or parental consent for data processing under local law.
Related topics
Camera and video
Recording without holding the button, video length limits, editing and trimming, slow motion, and sending video from your camera roll.
6 guidesStories and profile
Who replayed or screenshotted your story, private stories, viewing old stories, tagging people, and whether profile views are tracked.
7 guidesPrivacy and location
Pausing or freezing your location, Ghost Mode, how Snap Map works, what is actually encrypted, and turning off My AI.
5 guides