Snapchat is a free social networking application for Android and iOS that has its lenses and filters that can transform the faces of users. Some of the most famous are the puppy that sticks out the tongue and what turns the person into their baby version.
If you don't know Snapchat yet and want to know more about Snapchat and how to use it, check out this guide that AppGeek has prepared for those just starting out!
What is Snapchat and how does it work?
Snapchat was launched in 2011 as an iPhone messenger, which aimed to exchange messages and images that self-destruct after a certain period of time. The following year, the program came to Android devices and, in 2014, launched the Stories.
The publications consisted of photos or videos of up to 10 seconds that aired for only 24 hours. In 2015, the lenses arrived to make the posts even more fun. The app turned fever, especially among the younger ones.
Today Snapchat no longer limits published video times and offers a number of editing tools, such as typing, including stickers, and creating your own stickers. It is also possible to include filters, make hand drawings, among other options.
Chat is still active on the platform and maintains self-destruct of messages and photos after being read as differential. You can also follow well known and famous people to follow their posts and explore third party posts around the world through the Snaps Map.
Rivalry with Facebook
There is evidence that this possible rivalry began in 2013, when the app's owners declined Facebook's offer of $ 3 million (more than $ 12 million). The company sought to run after a public it had not yet conquered: the teenagers.
In addition, young adults were also increasingly using the app. Then in 2016, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the purchase of the MSQRD app. The program created filters similar to those present in snaps.
Anyone active on social networks might notice that as of 2016, Facebook has added the Stories feature to a number of company-owned apps. Among them are Facebook itself, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp.
Soon, comparisons and hints began that the company was copying the functionality created by Snapchat. The filters used technology acquired with the acquisition of MSQRD.
The action seems to have worked, as in 2019 over 500 million Instagram, Facebook (and Messenger) and WhatsApp accounts used Stories daily in each app. Already on Snapchat, this number is only 190 million.
How to create a Snapchat account and add friends
To use Snapchat, you first need to download the app in its Android or iOS version. The free program on both platforms.
Once installed, the user should open the app and tap Create an account. Then you need to enter first and last name and go to the item at Create account and accept. As you must be over 13 to use the program, enter your date of birth, and then press Continue.
The program will suggest a username. To change, tap Change my username and enter the one you want. If available, go back to Continue.
Now set an access password and then enter your email and mobile phone number. An access code will be sent to your mobile phone. Enter the number you receive and you are ready to start using Snapchat.
How to add friends on Snapchat
You can add friends to Snapchat in a few ways. When creating the account, the app suggests syncing with your mobile contacts, which immediately makes a friend request to everyone on your phone book using the program.
This may include people with whom you are not so close and members of the work, with whom you may not want to share some jokes.
Upon entering the application, the user comes across, on the home screen, a cone of a little doll with a plus symbol. By tapping on it, directed to the Add Friends section. Enter the name or username you are looking for.
One can also submit their snapcode, a kind of individual QR Code that gives access to each user profile. In that case, just go to the square icon with the little ghost located inside the search bar. Then tap on the Snapcode image and the contact is added.
Using Snapchat Filters
One of Snapchat's main attractions is its amazing effects filters. In addition to changing the appearance, they can also change the voice. To use them, just open the program and touch the cone of a smiley face, which is next to the central button.
Dragging your finger from right to left displays the available options. Tap the one you want to apply, either through the rear or front camera.
If you want to make a photo, just touch the filter button again. If you prefer a video, press the button and hold until recording is complete. Note that shortly afterwards a number of options appear in the right corner. They allow you to edit the snaps.
In addition, dragging your finger from right to left of the screen displays filters that can be overlaid on the captured content. For videos, there is also the ability to speed up or slow down the voice and put audio backwards.
How to post or share Snaps
To post the photo or video to Snapchat itself, tap the blue arrow at the bottom right of the screen. If you want everyone to see, go to My story. If you choose that all Snapchat users also have access to the content, if they search for their geographic zone, choose Our story.
But if you prefer to share with one or some specific contacts, tap on their names in the list. Regardless of your choice, confirm it on the blue arrow at the bottom of the screen.
If you don't want to share the result with anyone or prefer to post it to other social networks, you can save it to your mobile gallery. To do this, tap on the down arrow icon in the lower left corner.
They will also be stored in the section Memories. The folder can be accessed through the two photo icon, located below the main circle of the app's homepage.
Does the baby filter (or any other) not appear on Snapchat? See how to find
After the baby filter went viral, not only on Snapchat but also on other social networks, a lot of people went back to downloading the app to use the effect on their photos and videos.
But what was not lacking was disappointment, since the lens was not available to all users. If that was your case, no need to worry, you will not be left out of the latest trends.
Just open the app and drag the screen from right to left on the home screen to access the section find it out. In it are displayed the Stories of friends and people that the user follows, as well as suggestions made from the app itself.
Find one of these options that has made a video with the baby filter or some that you want to use but don't have yet. At the bottom of the screen, the option Try Lens.
Then, as the program suggests, tap to unlock the effect. Immediately, the feature will be available among other Snapchat filters. Then just use it like any other lens, as explained above.
Snapchat Chat: Self-Destroying Messages
In its first version, Snapchat was just a chat app with ephemeral messages, that is, that went out after a while. The appeal continues today. After the user reads the received message, it disappears.
With the photos and videos exchanged through the chat, it is possible to have a second chance. The image is in the air for a few seconds and closes. To see for the second time, just hold the message that appears on the screen.
After that, the record is stored only in the user's head as it can no longer be displayed. The person may even try to save the content by taking a screenshot, but the submitter knows that this has been done.
Snapchat chat supports text chat and voice and video calls with up to 15 participants. During chat, lenses can be used to make the conversation even more fun.
What does the rocket and other cones on Snapchat mean?
Beside the names of some of your contacts are icons like a rocket, hearts or smiley face. They are the so-called Friend Emojis and change according to your interaction with other users.
Understand what they mean:
- Foguinho: indicates people you talk to every day. If you go almost 24 hours without exchanging messages, an hourglass () appears, indicating that the fire between you is going out.
- Yellow heart: best friends
- Red heart: best friends for at least two weeks.
- Two hearts: The two are best friends two months ago.
- Tense smile: You and this person have a mutual best friend;
- Smile with closed eyes: good friend, but not the best.
- Guy with dark glasses: you and this person share a great friend;
- Cake: This person's birthday.
Bitmoji: what is this?
your custom avatar within Snapchat. To create one, you need to download the Bitmoji app for Android and iOS and set all its features on the character.
Once created, go to Snapchat and tap the profile icon at the top left of the home screen. Among the options that appear, see Add Bitmoji and follow the app instructions.
The emoji can be used in both profile picture and sticker in photos and videos and chat with friends. The options for stickers are many (really!) And the characters usually look very similar to their owners.
If you make image editing apps, you'll like our list of apps that turn your photos into caricatures. And for those who want to gain even more followers on Instagram, need to check out our 10 tips to make your stories much more attractive!
