Snapchat Tips and Tricks You May Not Know About
IMAGE: MASHABLE, ISAR CHANG
Snapchat's latest update brings a number of impressive improvements to the popular photo-sharing app we all know and love.
From convenient shortcuts to new tools for creating snap masterpieces, many of the app's best features are difficult to find. Well, you can end your search now, because we're covering the ins and outs of navigating Snapchat's hidden features, which will help transform your snap into a work of art.
SEE ALSO: The Beginner’s Guide to Snapchat
Whether you're a Snapchat newbie or power user, you can step up your snap game by learning how to unlock these tips, tricks and secrets.
1. Activate cool features in your settings.
First, make sure you have an up-to-date version of Snapchat downloaded on your device. To download the latest version of the app, visit the Google Play or iTunes store.
Once the app is updated, open it up. Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner of your feed, and then tap "Manage" under "Additional Services."
IMAGE: SCREENSHOT SNAPCHAT
In this section, you can enable bonus features such as filters, front-facing flash, replay and special text, and also choose the number of best friends you want displayed on your "Send To" screen.
IMAGE: SCREENSHOT SNAPCHAT
2. Use special text.
Typing captions on top of snaps is great, but what if you want to overlay your snap with larger text and emoji? This is when the special text feature, an alternative caption style, comes in handy.
Tap the letter "T" next to the pencil icon in the top-right corner of your snap draft. The characters you type will now be magnified.
IMAGE: DASHA BATTELLE, MASHABLE
3. Draw with secret colors.
Doodling on your snap is one of the app's most popular features. We all know you can pick a color by sliding the rainbow color bar. But what you may not know is that you don't have to limit yourself to the color palette on the rainbow slider. Check out the next steps to find out how to draw with secret crayon colors.
IMAGE: TARN SUSUMPOW
Draw in the color white.
Draw with a white crayon by touching the rainbow color slider and dragging your finger to the top-left corner. Android users already have the white crayon built into their rainbow slider.
Draw in the color black.
Similarly, you can draw with a black crayon by touching the rainbow color slider and dragging your finger to the bottom. Android users already have the black crayon built into their rainbow slider.
Draw in hidden colors.
You’ll notice when you drag your finger from the rainbow slider to the left or to the bottom of the snap, you’ll be able to use a bunch of in-between colors that aren't available on the palette.
Draw with a transparent color (only on Android devices).
If you have an Android device, you're in luck. Snapchatters using Androids can draw with a see-through color. Press down on the rainbow slider until the full color palette appears, and then select the transparent color.
IMAGE: ISAR CHANG
4. Add fun filters.
Snapchat's latest upgrade allows you to add Instagram-like filters, art and other data labels to your snap. Just swipe your finger left or right to preview each filter. Here's a rundown of all the filters offered.
Geolocation
Based on your location, you can overlay art and other labels on your snap. For example, if you're in New York City's Flatiron District, you can add art like the one below.
IMAGE: SCREENSHOT SNAPCHAT
Time
Use the time filter to display what time you took your snap.
IMAGE: TARN SUSUMPOW
Temperature
If you want to display what the temperature was when you captured the snap, use this filter. You can tap the temperature to change it from Fahrenheit to Celsius.
IMAGE: MASHABLE
Speed
This filter captures the speed at which you're moving when you take the snap. However, the feature can be a bit buggy, and doesn't always work.
IMAGE: TARN SUSUMPOW
Black and white, saturated and sepia filters
The old version of Snapchat used to have codes for three secret filters. But the latest version of Snapchat makes it easy to find them, and the codes don't work anymore. Continue to swipe your finger left or right to preview these filters.
IMAGE: TARN SUSUMPOW
5. Front-facing flash
Want to take a selfie but the lighting is too dark? No worries. Snapchat has a front-facing flash feature that will white out your screen, brightening your photo. Simply turn on the flash by tapping the lightning icon in the top-left corner.
6. Change rear-facing camera to front-facing camera
Here's a shortcut for those who love snapping selfies. Instead of tapping the camera icon in the top-right corner of the screen to switch the camera view, just tap the screen twice. It will automatically switch from the rear-facing camera to the front-facing camera, and vice versa.
7. Replay a snap.
The replay feature allows you to replay a snap that was sent to you within the past 24 hours. Keep in mind, however, that it will only allow you to replay the snap you last viewed. To replay, simply tap on the snap you want to view again, and a notification like the one below will pop up. Tap "Replay."
IMAGE: SCREENSHOT SNAPCHAT
8. Tap to go through Stories.
Sometimes you may want to fast-forward through certain Stories. Instead of waiting for the next snap to appear in a Story, you can tap the screen (while pressing down to view the Story), and it will take you to the next snap.
9. Change the number of 'best friends' displayed.
By default, Snapchat displays three friends you most interact with the most on the "Send To" screen. According to Snapchat, these friends are selected automatically by the app's friendship algorithm.
If you want to change the number of friends shown, go to your settings (see the first step on this list). Tap on "# of Best Friends," and you can choose to display three, five or seven friends.
IMAGE: SCREENSHOT SNAPCHAT
If you have additional questions about Snapchat, visit the app's support page.
IMAGE: MASHABLE, ISAR CHANG
Famed Snapchat artists like Michael Platco, Miologie, Dasha Battelle, and Shaun McBride make creating multicolor masterpieces look like, well, a snap. Imitating their techniques, however, can be daunting. If you’ve ever tried to turn one of your selfies into Frodo or Harry Potter and then given up, frustrated that your fingers were too chubby to paint it, you’re not alone.
Pro users claim they can look at any snap and know exactly how it was made. But the rest of us are left gawking: How did he do that?
Here’s a secret: Many of Snapchat’s best features are hidden. Some functions, like a “send all” button, are nonexistent, with no workaround. In order to get the most out of the app, you’ve got to learn a few tricks of the trade.
Here are our best Snapchat hacks, tips, tricks, and secret functions to transform any ordinary snap into a work of art.
Save snaps from friends forever
Snapkeep is the premier third-party app for saving your photo messages. It allows you to save all snaps and videos from the app without the sender knowing. It’s free of advertising, and you can save unlimited snaps at no additional cost. (Saving unlimited stories, though, requires a small upgrade fee of $0.99.)
To use the app, download it from the iTunes store and log in with your Snapchat username. Note: You can only be signed into your Snapchat username on one application at a time. Signing into the Snapkeep app (or any of the third-party apps listed here) will sign you out of the Snapchat app. You can always sign right back in. This is a Snapchat security feature, not a bug.
Once you’ve logged into Snapkeep, you’ll be confronted with a screen very similar to Snapchat’s snap-viewing screen. However, unlike Snapchat, on Snapkeep you can easily tab between snaps and stories.
Click into the snap you want to view, and voila! No time limit. You can review the snap or story anytime, as many times as you like, or choose to save it to your camera roll. In all cases, the sender will never be alerted.
How to draw perfectly even, super-fine lines
How do artists like Michael Platco, the “Van Gogh of Snapchat,” draw such intricate lines? For their most complicated work, they often use an iPad.
Drawing on an iPad is infinitely easier than drawing on a phone. Once inside the app, the lines themselves don’t get smaller, so it’s like your finger is shrunken down times 100. You’re able to sketch fine lines that would be impossible to achieve on any smartphone, and a stylus can be used for advanced snap art.
To download Snapchat onto your iPad, enter the App Store, but swap the device listing from “iPad only” to “iPhone only.” After downloading, a blown-up version of the app will appear on your device. Before you know it, you’ll be snap-sketching chantilly lace.
How to access Snapchat’s secret color gradient
Snapchat’s secret palette of colors is probably one of the most elusive and difficult tricks to learn. Master it, and a technicolor world is just a few swipes away.
Michael Platco discovered the gradient while messing around with the app one day. He developed the clearest tutorial on how to unlock this secret feature.
“Let’s say you’re on green,” he explains. “Hold your finger down, and begin to drag it to the left very slowly. You’ll notice that the shade begins to get lighter, the color will become softer and have more and more white in it. As soon as you notice the color has changed, you can also drag your finger directly straight down. This will give you darker versions of the same color.”
This trick also works for black and white. Drag your finger down, over, and up to access infinite shades of grey.
On Android, the base functionality is similar, but the colors are organized in a locked palette instead of a gradient. It’s less customizable, but you also won’t lose colors like you do in the iPhone app.
The Android version also offers a secret highlight and shadow feature that you can access via the pallette. This allows you to sketch translucent shades, highlighting or darkening areas of the snap. Sadly, this feature is unavailable on the iPhone app.
How to create an infinite customizable Best Friends list
Snapchat automatically sorts your most snapped friends into a “Best Friends” list on the “Send To” screen, but the list is non-customizable and capped at seven users.
To work around this, you’ll first need to rename your contacts. Decide who you want in your extended list, and navigate to their username on the “My Friends” page. Click on a name, and a drop-down list should appear. Here you can view her score and see a list of the top three friends with whom she snaps most often.
To the right of the name, you’ll notice a small, circular settings icon. Click this icon and a pop-up will appear on the screen. Click the first option, “Edit Display Name.” Another pop-up window will appear with a field where you can change your friend’s name. (Note: This will only change her name on your phone).
To add the user to your new “Best Friends” list, add an “a_” before her name. For instance, if the user’s name is Beyoncé Knowles, you’d edit her display name to read “a_ Beyonce Knowles.” This will automatically force her name to the top of the A category on the “Send To” screen, allowing you to easily snap all your closest friends without having to scroll through your entire contact list.
How to upload photos and videos from your phone
Some Snapchat artists consider this cheating. “If you’re going to do that,” Platco told me, “why not just upload a whole Photoshop file?” Others consider it essential to protecting their work while crafting complex images in a young and buggy app.
“If 20 people decide to send me a snap at the same time, my app will crash and I’ll lose my work,” Shaun McBride, also known as Shonduras on Snapchat, explained in an interview with Forbes as he took a quick mid-drawing screenshot. “But I can go back in and load this one up to keep going.”
Unfortunately, uploading images requires a third-party app. The best upload tool available right now is Snap Up. It’s easy, simple to use, and offers a clean interface. Search for “Snap Up” (two separate words) in the iPhone App Store, and click on the “Pro” version with the blue background and white ghost with a rainbow tail.
Once you sign in with your Snapchat username and password, you can easily upload photos and videos straight from your iPhone library. For videos longer than 10 seconds, Snap Up allows you to highlight and select the portion you’d like to snap or add to your story.
Snap Up also allows you to add custom filters and fonts that aren’t available in the traditional Snapchat app (but beware, these features can sometimes be buggy). Other Snapchat photo-upload apps such as Snaphack or Hacksnap offer additional image editing, frames, and stickers.
One small note of caution: Because these apps aren’t officially Snapchat-sanctioned, they are frequently shut down and removed from the App Store. Your best bet is to Google around until you find one that’s right for you.
How to draw in black and white
Drawing in black and white is old-hat to many novice snappers, but the functionality still remains well hidden to those just starting out. The good news: It’s easy to learn.
To draw in black, touch the color palette with one finger. Then, without lifting it, drag your finger to the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Lift your finger, and the cursor will be set to black.
To draw in white: touch the color palette with one finger. Without lifting it, drag your finger to the top left-hand corner of the screen. Lift your finger, and the cursor will be set to white.
How to enable new geofilters
Snapchat recently unveiled a new range of location-specific geofilters. These fun, customized (sometimes branded) filters will pop up depending on where you snap. Money rains down in one filter from New York City’s Financial District; another Los Angeles–specific filter features brightly cut-out shops and shoes.
Many users complain that they can’t access these sticker-like decals. The simple fix: Make sure they’re turned on! To activate geofilters, navigate to the settings page and scroll down to “Additional Services.” Click “Manage” and a page will appear with several options.
Flick the “Filters” option to “on” and ensure you have location services enabled. Geofilters should begin to appear in certain locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Famed Snapchat artists like Michael Platco, Miologie, Dasha Battelle, and Shaun McBride make creating multicolor masterpieces look like, well, a snap. Imitating their techniques, however, can be daunting. If you’ve ever tried to turn one of your selfies into Frodo or Harry Potter and then given up, frustrated that your fingers were too chubby to paint it, you’re not alone.
Pro users claim they can look at any snap and know exactly how it was made. But the rest of us are left gawking: How did he do that?
Here’s a secret: Many of Snapchat’s best features are hidden. Some functions, like a “send all” button, are nonexistent, with no workaround. In order to get the most out of the app, you’ve got to learn a few tricks of the trade.
Here are our best Snapchat hacks, tips, tricks, and secret functions to transform any ordinary snap into a work of art.
Save snaps from friends forever
Snapkeep is the premier third-party app for saving your photo messages. It allows you to save all snaps and videos from the app without the sender knowing. It’s free of advertising, and you can save unlimited snaps at no additional cost. (Saving unlimited stories, though, requires a small upgrade fee of $0.99.)
To use the app, download it from the iTunes store and log in with your Snapchat username. Note: You can only be signed into your Snapchat username on one application at a time. Signing into the Snapkeep app (or any of the third-party apps listed here) will sign you out of the Snapchat app. You can always sign right back in. This is a Snapchat security feature, not a bug.
Once you’ve logged into Snapkeep, you’ll be confronted with a screen very similar to Snapchat’s snap-viewing screen. However, unlike Snapchat, on Snapkeep you can easily tab between snaps and stories.
Click into the snap you want to view, and voila! No time limit. You can review the snap or story anytime, as many times as you like, or choose to save it to your camera roll. In all cases, the sender will never be alerted.
How to draw perfectly even, super-fine lines
How do artists like Michael Platco, the “Van Gogh of Snapchat,” draw such intricate lines? For their most complicated work, they often use an iPad.
Drawing on an iPad is infinitely easier than drawing on a phone. Once inside the app, the lines themselves don’t get smaller, so it’s like your finger is shrunken down times 100. You’re able to sketch fine lines that would be impossible to achieve on any smartphone, and a stylus can be used for advanced snap art.
To download Snapchat onto your iPad, enter the App Store, but swap the device listing from “iPad only” to “iPhone only.” After downloading, a blown-up version of the app will appear on your device. Before you know it, you’ll be snap-sketching chantilly lace.
How to access Snapchat’s secret color gradient
Snapchat’s secret palette of colors is probably one of the most elusive and difficult tricks to learn. Master it, and a technicolor world is just a few swipes away.
Michael Platco discovered the gradient while messing around with the app one day. He developed the clearest tutorial on how to unlock this secret feature.
“Let’s say you’re on green,” he explains. “Hold your finger down, and begin to drag it to the left very slowly. You’ll notice that the shade begins to get lighter, the color will become softer and have more and more white in it. As soon as you notice the color has changed, you can also drag your finger directly straight down. This will give you darker versions of the same color.”
This trick also works for black and white. Drag your finger down, over, and up to access infinite shades of grey.
On Android, the base functionality is similar, but the colors are organized in a locked palette instead of a gradient. It’s less customizable, but you also won’t lose colors like you do in the iPhone app.
The Android version also offers a secret highlight and shadow feature that you can access via the pallette. This allows you to sketch translucent shades, highlighting or darkening areas of the snap. Sadly, this feature is unavailable on the iPhone app.
How to create an infinite customizable Best Friends list
Snapchat automatically sorts your most snapped friends into a “Best Friends” list on the “Send To” screen, but the list is non-customizable and capped at seven users.
To work around this, you’ll first need to rename your contacts. Decide who you want in your extended list, and navigate to their username on the “My Friends” page. Click on a name, and a drop-down list should appear. Here you can view her score and see a list of the top three friends with whom she snaps most often.
To the right of the name, you’ll notice a small, circular settings icon. Click this icon and a pop-up will appear on the screen. Click the first option, “Edit Display Name.” Another pop-up window will appear with a field where you can change your friend’s name. (Note: This will only change her name on your phone).
To add the user to your new “Best Friends” list, add an “a_” before her name. For instance, if the user’s name is Beyoncé Knowles, you’d edit her display name to read “a_ Beyonce Knowles.” This will automatically force her name to the top of the A category on the “Send To” screen, allowing you to easily snap all your closest friends without having to scroll through your entire contact list.
How to upload photos and videos from your phone
Some Snapchat artists consider this cheating. “If you’re going to do that,” Platco told me, “why not just upload a whole Photoshop file?” Others consider it essential to protecting their work while crafting complex images in a young and buggy app.
“If 20 people decide to send me a snap at the same time, my app will crash and I’ll lose my work,” Shaun McBride, also known as Shonduras on Snapchat, explained in an interview with Forbes as he took a quick mid-drawing screenshot. “But I can go back in and load this one up to keep going.”
Unfortunately, uploading images requires a third-party app. The best upload tool available right now is Snap Up. It’s easy, simple to use, and offers a clean interface. Search for “Snap Up” (two separate words) in the iPhone App Store, and click on the “Pro” version with the blue background and white ghost with a rainbow tail.
Once you sign in with your Snapchat username and password, you can easily upload photos and videos straight from your iPhone library. For videos longer than 10 seconds, Snap Up allows you to highlight and select the portion you’d like to snap or add to your story.
Snap Up also allows you to add custom filters and fonts that aren’t available in the traditional Snapchat app (but beware, these features can sometimes be buggy). Other Snapchat photo-upload apps such as Snaphack or Hacksnap offer additional image editing, frames, and stickers.
One small note of caution: Because these apps aren’t officially Snapchat-sanctioned, they are frequently shut down and removed from the App Store. Your best bet is to Google around until you find one that’s right for you.
How to draw in black and white
Drawing in black and white is old-hat to many novice snappers, but the functionality still remains well hidden to those just starting out. The good news: It’s easy to learn.
To draw in black, touch the color palette with one finger. Then, without lifting it, drag your finger to the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Lift your finger, and the cursor will be set to black.
To draw in white: touch the color palette with one finger. Without lifting it, drag your finger to the top left-hand corner of the screen. Lift your finger, and the cursor will be set to white.
How to enable new geofilters
Snapchat recently unveiled a new range of location-specific geofilters. These fun, customized (sometimes branded) filters will pop up depending on where you snap. Money rains down in one filter from New York City’s Financial District; another Los Angeles–specific filter features brightly cut-out shops and shoes.
Many users complain that they can’t access these sticker-like decals. The simple fix: Make sure they’re turned on! To activate geofilters, navigate to the settings page and scroll down to “Additional Services.” Click “Manage” and a page will appear with several options.
Flick the “Filters” option to “on” and ensure you have location services enabled. Geofilters should begin to appear in certain locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
