- What the hourglass means on Snapchat in one line
- How a Snapchat Snapstreak works before the hourglass appears
- What to do when you see the hourglass emoji on Snapchat
- Hourglass on Snapchat compared with the other Friend Emojis
- Why the Snapchat hourglass appears or disappears
- Should a business care about the Snapchat hourglass?
- Reading other Snapchat symbols after the hourglass
- Frequently asked questions
The hourglass on Snapchat means your Snapstreak with that friend is about to end. According to Wikipedia's list of Friend Emojis, it appears when a streak is going to end soon. Send that friend a Snap before the time runs out and the hourglass will be replaced by the fire emoji and your day count.
You open Snapchat, scroll to your chats and there's a little hourglass sitting beside a friend's name. Nothing has broken and nobody has blocked you. It's a nudge from the app, and it's time sensitive. I explain emojis like this for parents, business owners and social media managers, because the small symbols in an app often tell you more than the big buttons do. Here's what the hourglass means, how long you've got, and how to act on it.
The meaning below comes from Wikipedia's Snapchat article, which lists the default Friend Emojis and cites Snapchat's own support pages. Snapchat can change its emojis and let people customise them, so what you see may differ a little by app version. Where I'm not sure, I say so.
What the hourglass means on Snapchat in one line
The hourglass emoji appears next to a friend's name when your Snapstreak with them is about to end. Wikipedia's list of Friend Emojis describes it as showing when a Snapstreak is going to end soon. In plain English: you and that friend have a run of days going, and one of you needs to send a Snap before it runs out.
The hourglass doesn't mean the streak is lost. It means the clock is running. Think of it as the warning light, not the breakdown.
How a Snapchat Snapstreak works before the hourglass appears
To make sense of the hourglass, you need the thing it's warning you about. A Snapstreak is the count of consecutive days two friends have sent each other Snaps. Wikipedia explains that a fire emoji appears next to the number of days, and that if both people don't send a Snap within 24 hours, the streak is lost.
- Both of you need to send a Snap. A chat message alone isn't the same thing as a Snap.
- The fire emoji and the number of days sit next to the friend's name when a streak is running.
- When the time is getting short, the hourglass shows up beside the name.
- If nobody acts, the streak ends and the count starts again.
Snapchat's help centre also has an article on what to do if you lose a streak. I couldn't read the full text, so I'd check the current wording there if it happens to you. It's the official place to see what is and isn't possible in your version of the app.
What to do when you see the hourglass emoji on Snapchat
If you care about keeping the streak, the action is simple:
- Open Snapchat and look at your Chat screen for the hourglass next to a name.
- Tap the camera and take a Snap, or choose a photo or video you want to send.
- Send it directly to that friend, because a streak is about Snaps between the two of you.
- Check the chat again. The hourglass should be replaced by the fire emoji and your streak count.
If you don't care about the streak, you can ignore the hourglass. Nothing bad happens to your account. You only lose the number.
Hourglass on Snapchat compared with the other Friend Emojis
Snapchat uses a whole set of default emojis to show how you and a friend interact. The hourglass is just one of them. Wikipedia lists these defaults, and my full guide to every Snapchat Friend Emoji goes through the rest in detail. Here are the ones most likely to appear alongside it:
| Emoji | Name | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Snapstreak | You and a friend have Snapped each other on consecutive days |
| Hourglass | Snapstreak ending | Your streak is going to end soon unless you send a Snap |
| Yellow heart | Besties | You're each other's number one Best Friend |
| Red heart | BFF | Number one Best Friend for a sustained stretch |
| Birthday cake | Birthday | It's that friend's birthday |
| Sparkles | Group Chat | Appears next to your group chats |
The hearts are the ones people mix up most. My comparison of the red heart and yellow heart explains how Snapchat decides which one you get.
Why the Snapchat hourglass appears or disappears
People sometimes say the hourglass appeared with no warning, or vanished before they could act. A few things can explain it:
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- Timing. The hourglass shows when the streak is close to ending, so it can pop up at any time of day depending on when you last sent a Snap.
- One side sent, one didn't. If you've sent your Snap but your friend hasn't replied, the streak is still at risk.
- Customised emojis. Wikipedia notes that Friend Emojis can be customised, so an emoji you see may not be the default one.
- App version. Features and icons shift between releases, so menus and symbols vary.
If the hourglass has gone and your streak number has disappeared, the streak has probably ended. Check Snapchat's help centre for the current options.
Should a business care about the Snapchat hourglass?
If you run a brand account, streaks are an interesting signal rather than a target. A streak shows someone is replying to you regularly, which is a sign of real attention. I'd treat it as a loyalty cue, not a tactic to chase.
- Use streaks sparingly with customers. Pressure to reply every day gets old fast.
- If you manage a community, a friendly reminder works better than nagging.
- Never use the hourglass as a guilt trip in your messages. "Don't lose our streak!" can sound needy.
- Pay attention to who keeps replying. Those are your most engaged contacts.
For ideas on using the app for your company, my guide to Snapchat tips and tricks for business covers the practical side. And if someone's presence on the app is a worry rather than an opportunity, how to block someone on Snapchat is the page you want.
Reading other Snapchat symbols after the hourglass
Once you know what the hourglass means, other symbols start to make sense too. The icons on Stories, chats and profiles each have a job, and my page on Snapchat symbols on Stories lists them. If you're wondering whether someone's online, the green dot on Snapchat is a different signal altogether, and it's separate from streak emojis.
Frequently asked questions
What does the hourglass mean on Snapchat?
It means your Snapstreak with that friend is about to end. Send them a Snap before the time runs out to keep the streak going.
How long is left when the hourglass appears?
Wikipedia says a streak is lost if both people don't send a Snap within 24 hours. The hourglass appears as that window gets close to closing, so send a Snap as soon as you can.
Does the hourglass mean someone has blocked me?
No. The hourglass is a Friend Emoji tied to Snapstreaks. It has nothing to do with blocking or privacy settings.
How do I get rid of the hourglass on Snapchat?
Send a Snap directly to that friend. Once the streak is safe again, the hourglass should be replaced by the fire emoji and your day count.
Can I get a lost Snapstreak back?
Snapchat's help centre has an article about restoring a lost streak. Check the current wording there, because what's available can change between app versions.
