How to Use Snapchat
Download the app., Open Snapchat., Tap Sign Up., Create a Snapchat account., Import friends from your device's contact list (optional)., Add friends., Add friends by username., Add people by Snapcode., Switch between the front and back camera., Tap...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Download the app.
The way to do so is similar on iPhones and iPads as well as on Android devices: iPhone/iPad:
Open Snapchat in the App Store, tap Get, and tap Install.
Android:
Open Snapchat in the Play Store, tap Install. -
Step 2: Open Snapchat.
It's a yellow app containing the outline of a white ghost., This will prompt you to create a new Snapchat account., You'll be prompted to enter your name, email address, birthday, and mobile number to create a password.
Make sure the email address is valid, as you'll need it if you ever want to reset your password.
You'll also need to be at least 13 years old to create your account.You'll need to create a unique username that will be displayed to other Snapchat users.
Do not include any personal information in your username.
You won't be able to change this username later, so make sure you like the name.
If you want to change your username later, you'll need to create a new account.
Snapchat will prompt you to verify your phone number via SMS.
Verifying your number allows you to reset your password via text, but is not necessary to create an account.
Snapchat will require you to select a series of images before your account is created.
This is to prevent bots from creating accounts automatically.
Tap "Continue" after selecting the images that contain the Snapchat ghost logo. , Snapchat will scan your address book to look for other people who are using Snapchat.
You can skip this step by tapping Continue and then Not Allow. , You'll need people to chat with if you want to use Snapchat.
Adding someone lets you send Snaps to the person and view their public Story, but the other person will need to add you back in order to reply to Snaps and view a friends-only Story.
Many users don't allow Snaps from users that they haven't added back.
If you send a Snap to someone who hasn't added you back, you'll likely see "Pending" until your friend request is approved. , The quickest way to add a friend on Snapchat is to enter their Snapchat username.
You can't add someone by email, real name, or phone number unless they're already in your Contacts and has enabled address book matching in their Snapchat settings.
Swipe down anywhere on the Snapchat camera screen.
This opens your profile and options.
Tap Add Friends.
Doing so takes you to the Add Friends screen.
Tap Add by Username.
The username search will appear.
Enter the username of the person you want to add.
Start typing in the username and results will appear underneath the search field.
Tap the "+" button next to a user.
Depending on their settings, you may see their profile image.
Tapping "+" adds user to your friends list. , You can use Snapcodes to quickly add people to your friends list:
Take a photo or screenshot of someone's Snapcode.
You can also point your Snapchat camera at a friend's Snapcode.
Swipe down on the camera screen and tap Add Friends.
Tap Add by Snapcode.
Select the image that contains the Snapcode you want to add.
The Snapcode's owner will be added to your friends list. , If your device has a front and a rear camera, you can switch between them by tapping the button with two arrows forming a rectangle in the upper-right corner of the Snapchat camera screen.You can also double-tap the screen to toggle between front and rear-facing cameras. , Tap the larger circle button at the bottom of the screen to take a still image Snap.
The camera will capture whatever is currently displayed on the screen., You can record up to 10 seconds of video in single Snap.
Snapchat will only record as long as you are holding the button., If you don't like the picture or video Snap you took, this button in the upper-left corner deletes it., Photo Snaps display a stopwatch button that allows you to set a duration between one and 10 seconds.
This is the amount of time a Snap will be displayed before it disappears.
Video Snaps do not have timers.
They will play through the length of the recording and then close. , You can use the Lenses feature in Snapchat to scan your face and apply crazy effects.
You can do this with either the front or the rear camera, but you'll find it easier if you're taking a selfie.
Tap the Camera button in the upper-right corner to switch to your front-facing camera.
You can't apply the Lenses effects to Snaps you've already taken.
You'll need to activate Lenses before you take a Snap. , Many offer prompts like "Open your mouth" to ensure you get the effect's best results.
The selections of effects rotates on a daily basis, with the oldest Lens in the list being replaced by a new one.
If you don't see the effect you want, check back in the next few days.
If you can't get Lenses to start, your device may not be compatible.
Lenses requires Android
4.3+ on newer devices, or the latest version of iOS on iPhone 4S or newer.
Older iOS and Android devices may not work, even if they're running the latest software versions. , While the effect is active, you can take and record Snaps just like you would normally.
Tap the circle button (which displays the Lenses choice) to take a photo Snap with the current effect, or press and hold to record a video., Follow the steps in the previous section to open the list of available Lenses., Swipe through the menu until you find the Face Swap option.
The icon has two smiley faces on a yellow background, with arrows pointing between them.
If you don't see Face Swap, it may have rotated out of the available selection.
Check back in a few days to see if it's back. , Users report that the Face Swap effect works best if neither of you are wearing glasses., These will turn yellow when a face is aligned with it.
Once both faces are aligned, they'll be swapped! You don't have to be standing next to each other, you just need to have both faces aligned in the frame. , Like other Lenses, you can take a Snap by tapping or holding the circle at the bottom of the screen., If you want to be able to give the picture to your friend or family member that isn't using Snapchat, save it to your phone or to Snapchat Memories by tapping the Save button in the lower-left corner of the scree and sending it ike you would any picture., It's the button in the upper-right that looks like a sticky note with a folded corner.
You can place these anywhere on your picture., There are a variety of stickers to choose from., You can drag it around the screen with your finger to place it where you'd like.
You can place as many stickers as you'd like., Pinch the sticker in and out to adjust the size.
Rotate your two fingers on the screen to rotate the sticker., Tap the scissors icon at the top of the screen, then use your finger to outline any part of the video, such as a person's face.
Now you've created a sticker that you can move to any place on the screen with your finger., It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
This will open a text field and your device's on-screen keyboard., Use the slider on the right side of the screen to select the text color you want to use.
Holding your finger on the slider will display more color options., Like stickers, you can use your fingers to move the text, rotate it, and change the size., It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Drag your finger to draw freeform images on your Snap.
The slider on the right will allow you to change the color of the line.
You can tap the Undo button to erase the last drawing you made., If you're doing this for the first time, you may be prompted to allow location access for Snapchat, as some filters such as Weather and City are based on your device's location.
You may need to enable filters in Snapchat's Settings menu.
Swipe down anywhere on the camera screen and tap ⚙️ in the upper-right corner.
Scroll down and tap '"Manage Preferences in the "Additional Services" section.
Slide the button next to "Filters" to the "On" position.
It will turn green. , It's in the lower-left corner and looks like a downward-pointing arrow in a box.
When you send a Snap it's gone forever, so it's a good idea save Snaps you want to keep before you send them., Once you're satisfied with how your Snap looks, tap the blue Send button to open your Snapchat contacts list., You can send the Snap to as many people on your list as you like.
The recipient can view your Snap once before it disappears, unless they use their Replay on it (more on Replays later on)., Snaps that are added to your Story can be viewed by anyone who has access to your Story for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, the Snap is permanently deleted.
By default, anyone can view your Story as long as they know your Snapchat username.Snaps in your Story can be replayed as many times as the viewer wants for up to 24 hours.
You can change your Story's privacy settings by swiping left on the camera screen and tapping ⚙️ in the upper-right corner of the screen. , It's in the lower-right corner of the screen.
Your Snap will be sent immediately to everyone that you selected., It's shaped like a chat bubble and is in the lower-left corner of the screen.
You'll see a number in this button indicating how many new Snaps you've received.
Red Snaps are photos.
Purple Snaps are videos.
Blue Snaps are text chats. , The Snap will disappear as soon as the timer runs out.
If you've received multiple Snaps from the same person, you'll be able to view them back-to-back while you continue to hold the screen.
You can tap with a second finger to advance to the next Snap early.
You can take screenshots of Snaps, but the sender will be notified that you did.
Most Snapchat users don't like it when people take screenshots, as it's contrary to the spirit of Snapchat.
Check with the sender for permission before screenshotting, or you may get blocked. , Snapchat allows you to replay a Snap once before you navigate away from the Chat screen.
If you leave the screen, you lose your replay.., Doing so takes you to the screen where you can view your friends' Stories., When you tap a Story, it will begin to play from the oldest Snap.
Each Snap will play through its timer and then move on to the next one.
Tap the right side of the screen while the Story is playing to move on to the next Snap, or the left side to go back one Snap.Swipe down on the screen to quickly close a Story. , At any time during a Story (as long as you're friends with the person), you can send a reply to the Snap you are viewing.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the onscreen keyboard., This will only appear if you've added Snaps to your Story., You'll be able to see how many people have viewed each Snap, as well as how many have screenshotted it.
You can tap the Trash button to delete that particular Snap from your Story, or tap the Download button to download it to your phone., It's in the lower-left corner or swipe right on the camera screen to open your inbox., This opens a list of all of your Snapchat contacts., This will open the chat screen., Type messages like you would with most chat programs., Tap the "Photos" button to open your phone's gallery.
Doing so allows you to send pictures that have been saved to your phone.
Tap the "Phone" button to place an audio call.
The recipient will be notified that they are receiving a call.
Press and hold the "Phone" button to record an audio note.
You can record up to ten seconds of audio that the recipient can listen to when they are in the chat.
Tap the "Video" button to place a video call.
The recipient will be notified that they are receiving a video call and can choose to answer.
Press and hold the "Video" button to record a video note.
Like the audio note, you can record up to ten seconds of video that the recipient can view.
Tap the "Smiley" button to open stickers, emojis, and Bitmojis.
Private chats have more sticker options available than regular Snaps.
Scroll down through the list to view all of the available stickers.
Tap the "Circle" button to open the camera screen.
This will let you create a Snap and send it directly to that person. -
Step 3: Tap Sign Up.
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Step 4: Create a Snapchat account.
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Step 5: Import friends from your device's contact list (optional).
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Step 6: Add friends.
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Step 7: Add friends by username.
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Step 8: Add people by Snapcode.
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Step 9: Switch between the front and back camera.
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Step 10: Tap the circle to take a photo Snap.
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Step 11: Press and hold the circle to record a video Snap.
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Step 12: Tap X to discard a Snap.
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Step 13: Tap the timer button to limit the duration of photo Snaps.
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Step 14: Tap anywhere on the camera screen.
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Step 15: Swipe left to preview Lenses effects.
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Step 16: Take or record a Snap with your chosen effect.
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Step 17: Open the Lenses feature.
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Step 18: Select the "Face Swap" Lens.
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Step 19: Take off your glasses.
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Step 20: Align your two faces with the dotted smiley outlines.
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Step 21: Take a Snap.
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Step 22: Save your Snap.
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Step 23: Tap the Sticker button to see stickers
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Step 24: emojis and Bitmojis.
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Step 25: Swipe left and right on the Sticker screen to see different categories.
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Step 26: Tap a sticker to add it to your Snap.
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Step 27: Use two fingers to adjust the size and rotation of sticker.
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Step 28: Make a sticker.
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Step 29: Tap T to add a caption.
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Step 30: Tap T again to increase the size of the text and change the color.
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Step 31: Use two fingers to adjust the size and rotation of the text.
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Step 32: Tap the pencil button to draw on your Snap.
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Step 33: Swipe left and right to view the available filters.
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Step 34: Tap the "Save" button to save the Snap to your phone (optional).
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Step 35: Tap the "Send" button in the lower-right corner when you're happy with your Snap.
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Step 36: Tap the recipients' display names.
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Step 37: Tap "My Story" to add your Snap to your Story.
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Step 38: Tap "Send".
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Step 39: Tap the Chat button to see Snaps you received.
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Step 40: Tap the Snap you want to view.
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Step 41: Press and hold a Snap again to use your single-use Replay.
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Step 42: Swipe left on the camera screen to open Stories.
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Step 43: Tap a Story to view all of the Snaps in the last 24 hours.
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Step 44: Reply to a specific Snap in a Story.
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Step 45: Tap My Story to view your own Story.
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Step 46: Tap the ^ button at the bottom of your Story to see details.
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Step 47: Tap the Chat button.
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Step 48: Tap the "New Chat" button in the upper-right corner.
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Step 49: Tap the user you want to chat with.
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Step 50: Enter text using the keyboard.
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Step 51: Use the buttons above the keyboard to enhance your messages.
Detailed Guide
The way to do so is similar on iPhones and iPads as well as on Android devices: iPhone/iPad:
Open Snapchat in the App Store, tap Get, and tap Install.
Android:
Open Snapchat in the Play Store, tap Install.
It's a yellow app containing the outline of a white ghost., This will prompt you to create a new Snapchat account., You'll be prompted to enter your name, email address, birthday, and mobile number to create a password.
Make sure the email address is valid, as you'll need it if you ever want to reset your password.
You'll also need to be at least 13 years old to create your account.You'll need to create a unique username that will be displayed to other Snapchat users.
Do not include any personal information in your username.
You won't be able to change this username later, so make sure you like the name.
If you want to change your username later, you'll need to create a new account.
Snapchat will prompt you to verify your phone number via SMS.
Verifying your number allows you to reset your password via text, but is not necessary to create an account.
Snapchat will require you to select a series of images before your account is created.
This is to prevent bots from creating accounts automatically.
Tap "Continue" after selecting the images that contain the Snapchat ghost logo. , Snapchat will scan your address book to look for other people who are using Snapchat.
You can skip this step by tapping Continue and then Not Allow. , You'll need people to chat with if you want to use Snapchat.
Adding someone lets you send Snaps to the person and view their public Story, but the other person will need to add you back in order to reply to Snaps and view a friends-only Story.
Many users don't allow Snaps from users that they haven't added back.
If you send a Snap to someone who hasn't added you back, you'll likely see "Pending" until your friend request is approved. , The quickest way to add a friend on Snapchat is to enter their Snapchat username.
You can't add someone by email, real name, or phone number unless they're already in your Contacts and has enabled address book matching in their Snapchat settings.
Swipe down anywhere on the Snapchat camera screen.
This opens your profile and options.
Tap Add Friends.
Doing so takes you to the Add Friends screen.
Tap Add by Username.
The username search will appear.
Enter the username of the person you want to add.
Start typing in the username and results will appear underneath the search field.
Tap the "+" button next to a user.
Depending on their settings, you may see their profile image.
Tapping "+" adds user to your friends list. , You can use Snapcodes to quickly add people to your friends list:
Take a photo or screenshot of someone's Snapcode.
You can also point your Snapchat camera at a friend's Snapcode.
Swipe down on the camera screen and tap Add Friends.
Tap Add by Snapcode.
Select the image that contains the Snapcode you want to add.
The Snapcode's owner will be added to your friends list. , If your device has a front and a rear camera, you can switch between them by tapping the button with two arrows forming a rectangle in the upper-right corner of the Snapchat camera screen.You can also double-tap the screen to toggle between front and rear-facing cameras. , Tap the larger circle button at the bottom of the screen to take a still image Snap.
The camera will capture whatever is currently displayed on the screen., You can record up to 10 seconds of video in single Snap.
Snapchat will only record as long as you are holding the button., If you don't like the picture or video Snap you took, this button in the upper-left corner deletes it., Photo Snaps display a stopwatch button that allows you to set a duration between one and 10 seconds.
This is the amount of time a Snap will be displayed before it disappears.
Video Snaps do not have timers.
They will play through the length of the recording and then close. , You can use the Lenses feature in Snapchat to scan your face and apply crazy effects.
You can do this with either the front or the rear camera, but you'll find it easier if you're taking a selfie.
Tap the Camera button in the upper-right corner to switch to your front-facing camera.
You can't apply the Lenses effects to Snaps you've already taken.
You'll need to activate Lenses before you take a Snap. , Many offer prompts like "Open your mouth" to ensure you get the effect's best results.
The selections of effects rotates on a daily basis, with the oldest Lens in the list being replaced by a new one.
If you don't see the effect you want, check back in the next few days.
If you can't get Lenses to start, your device may not be compatible.
Lenses requires Android
4.3+ on newer devices, or the latest version of iOS on iPhone 4S or newer.
Older iOS and Android devices may not work, even if they're running the latest software versions. , While the effect is active, you can take and record Snaps just like you would normally.
Tap the circle button (which displays the Lenses choice) to take a photo Snap with the current effect, or press and hold to record a video., Follow the steps in the previous section to open the list of available Lenses., Swipe through the menu until you find the Face Swap option.
The icon has two smiley faces on a yellow background, with arrows pointing between them.
If you don't see Face Swap, it may have rotated out of the available selection.
Check back in a few days to see if it's back. , Users report that the Face Swap effect works best if neither of you are wearing glasses., These will turn yellow when a face is aligned with it.
Once both faces are aligned, they'll be swapped! You don't have to be standing next to each other, you just need to have both faces aligned in the frame. , Like other Lenses, you can take a Snap by tapping or holding the circle at the bottom of the screen., If you want to be able to give the picture to your friend or family member that isn't using Snapchat, save it to your phone or to Snapchat Memories by tapping the Save button in the lower-left corner of the scree and sending it ike you would any picture., It's the button in the upper-right that looks like a sticky note with a folded corner.
You can place these anywhere on your picture., There are a variety of stickers to choose from., You can drag it around the screen with your finger to place it where you'd like.
You can place as many stickers as you'd like., Pinch the sticker in and out to adjust the size.
Rotate your two fingers on the screen to rotate the sticker., Tap the scissors icon at the top of the screen, then use your finger to outline any part of the video, such as a person's face.
Now you've created a sticker that you can move to any place on the screen with your finger., It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
This will open a text field and your device's on-screen keyboard., Use the slider on the right side of the screen to select the text color you want to use.
Holding your finger on the slider will display more color options., Like stickers, you can use your fingers to move the text, rotate it, and change the size., It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Drag your finger to draw freeform images on your Snap.
The slider on the right will allow you to change the color of the line.
You can tap the Undo button to erase the last drawing you made., If you're doing this for the first time, you may be prompted to allow location access for Snapchat, as some filters such as Weather and City are based on your device's location.
You may need to enable filters in Snapchat's Settings menu.
Swipe down anywhere on the camera screen and tap ⚙️ in the upper-right corner.
Scroll down and tap '"Manage Preferences in the "Additional Services" section.
Slide the button next to "Filters" to the "On" position.
It will turn green. , It's in the lower-left corner and looks like a downward-pointing arrow in a box.
When you send a Snap it's gone forever, so it's a good idea save Snaps you want to keep before you send them., Once you're satisfied with how your Snap looks, tap the blue Send button to open your Snapchat contacts list., You can send the Snap to as many people on your list as you like.
The recipient can view your Snap once before it disappears, unless they use their Replay on it (more on Replays later on)., Snaps that are added to your Story can be viewed by anyone who has access to your Story for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, the Snap is permanently deleted.
By default, anyone can view your Story as long as they know your Snapchat username.Snaps in your Story can be replayed as many times as the viewer wants for up to 24 hours.
You can change your Story's privacy settings by swiping left on the camera screen and tapping ⚙️ in the upper-right corner of the screen. , It's in the lower-right corner of the screen.
Your Snap will be sent immediately to everyone that you selected., It's shaped like a chat bubble and is in the lower-left corner of the screen.
You'll see a number in this button indicating how many new Snaps you've received.
Red Snaps are photos.
Purple Snaps are videos.
Blue Snaps are text chats. , The Snap will disappear as soon as the timer runs out.
If you've received multiple Snaps from the same person, you'll be able to view them back-to-back while you continue to hold the screen.
You can tap with a second finger to advance to the next Snap early.
You can take screenshots of Snaps, but the sender will be notified that you did.
Most Snapchat users don't like it when people take screenshots, as it's contrary to the spirit of Snapchat.
Check with the sender for permission before screenshotting, or you may get blocked. , Snapchat allows you to replay a Snap once before you navigate away from the Chat screen.
If you leave the screen, you lose your replay.., Doing so takes you to the screen where you can view your friends' Stories., When you tap a Story, it will begin to play from the oldest Snap.
Each Snap will play through its timer and then move on to the next one.
Tap the right side of the screen while the Story is playing to move on to the next Snap, or the left side to go back one Snap.Swipe down on the screen to quickly close a Story. , At any time during a Story (as long as you're friends with the person), you can send a reply to the Snap you are viewing.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the onscreen keyboard., This will only appear if you've added Snaps to your Story., You'll be able to see how many people have viewed each Snap, as well as how many have screenshotted it.
You can tap the Trash button to delete that particular Snap from your Story, or tap the Download button to download it to your phone., It's in the lower-left corner or swipe right on the camera screen to open your inbox., This opens a list of all of your Snapchat contacts., This will open the chat screen., Type messages like you would with most chat programs., Tap the "Photos" button to open your phone's gallery.
Doing so allows you to send pictures that have been saved to your phone.
Tap the "Phone" button to place an audio call.
The recipient will be notified that they are receiving a call.
Press and hold the "Phone" button to record an audio note.
You can record up to ten seconds of audio that the recipient can listen to when they are in the chat.
Tap the "Video" button to place a video call.
The recipient will be notified that they are receiving a video call and can choose to answer.
Press and hold the "Video" button to record a video note.
Like the audio note, you can record up to ten seconds of video that the recipient can view.
Tap the "Smiley" button to open stickers, emojis, and Bitmojis.
Private chats have more sticker options available than regular Snaps.
Scroll down through the list to view all of the available stickers.
Tap the "Circle" button to open the camera screen.
This will let you create a Snap and send it directly to that person.
About the Author
Theresa West
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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