What Does the Hourglass Mean on Snapchat (Ultimate Guide)

Wondering what the Hourglass means on Snapchat? Why is it popped up next to your friend’s name? Let’s discuss the Hourglass of emoji in this blog. Hence, Snapchat has a variety of unique features that capture the user’s attention, including Bitmojis and emojis. However, the Hourglass and fire are inextricably linked to your snapstreak, which measures how frequently you communicate with the people on your friend list.

Furthermore, the most crucial thing Snapchat users are concerned about is their Snapchat streaks. By receiving and sending snaps to and from their friends on a daily basis, users can create streaks that show how old their friendship is on this platform. While making streaks, users sometimes see the little Hourglass next to the friend’s username. So let’s move on to discuss what it means and how long it lasts.

What is meant by Snapstreak?

If you wish to understand the hourglass emoji, you must first understand the snapstreak. When you exchange a snap with your friends at least three times, you will begin a snapstreak. A fire icon will emerge next to that particular username when it happens. So, to keep the strides, you will have to swap snaps at least once a day. But keep in mind that you both have to send snaps for the streaks to go on. Further, if you do not exchange snaps for 24 hours, then your streak will end. Hence, the snapstreak serves as a fun way for users to use the app regularly.

What Does Hourglass Emoji Means on Snapchat

The hourglass emoji is like a countdown timer. Snapchat brings up this icon to ensure that the user is attentive that their streak with a particular friend is about to end, and they have to send a snap to make sure the streak continues. It’s basically a warning that you are falling in your performance, and you have to step up your Snapchat game. So that Hourglass can be restored by the fire icon again, which specifies that you are on your snapstreak.

Remember that a snapstreak is defined by the number of snaps sent and is not considered as any form of a text conversation. In addition, if the Hourglass emerges next to both your profile and the profile icon of the contact that you are making streaks with, right before both your snapstreaks are about to vanish.

How long does the Hourglass Stay on Snapchat?

what does the hourglass on snapchat mean
what does the hourglass on snapchat mean

Snapchat has a robotic process whereby they run a scheduled search for snaps that were last sent around 20 hours ago. Then, they alert you with the Hourglass that you have to exchange the snaps to save the streaks. The Hourglass lasts approximately 4 hours or less. It only emerges after you are on a snap streak with a friend.

Thus, it appears if you do not interact with snaps, you have only 4 hours to save the streaks. Most probably, the Hourglass will show both of you. So, if you do not wish to lose the streaks, send a snap to your friend, and contact them to do the same. Keep in mind that only snaps and videos are able to save the streaks; text or chat would not return the streak.

Snapstreak recognizing achievement

When you accomplish a milestone by having a successive snapstreak with a friend, Snapchat rewards users with stickers and emoji trophies. Such as, when you hold to maintaining a streak with a friend for 100 days, you can see 100 emojis besides that friend’s username.

The 100 emojis are the only achievement for the 100th day to rejoice. But, the emojis are not lasting. They disappear the very next day, despite your snapstreak being continued.

How to Maintain Snapstreak to Avoid Hourglass on Snapchat

If you think that any interaction on Snapchat with a friend will count to preserve a snapstreak, then consider it again! Snapchat only adds up snaps when it comes to streaks. Otherwise, texts, chats, images & videos are not counted as streaks. Snaps are only the videos and photos captured from the Snapchat camera. So, to maintain a streak, you have to send snaps captured from the Snapchat camera. Some of the features of Snapchat that do not count up as snaps are:

  • Snapchat stories do not add up as dealings because stories are observable to all.
  • Memories, too, are not served as a streak. It does not matter if the Snapchat camera captures the pictures in memories: they also do not count as snaps.
  • The snaps shared in a group chat are also not considered snaps to save the streaks as they are among various people and not between two friends.
  • Any snap or video captured using the spectacles feature would not count as a streak.

What to Do If You Lose Your Streaks

Users have reported that their streak number is not appearing, even if they swap up the snaps. If the same has occurred to you, then no worries. It is just an error in the Snapchat app. For this, you can contact Snapchat support. So let’s move to the steps to do it.

  • First, you have to open the Snapchat support page.
  • Then, Tap on the “My Snapstreaks have disappeared” option.
  • Now, you have to complete the required details and submit the issue.

Then, you have to wait for the support team to come back to you. Once they give details about all the conditions for a snapstreak, make sure you meet them, chat more, & ask them to recover the streaks.

Wrapping Up

Snapchat users love to make streaks with their friends. With the Hourglass, Snapchat reminds you to maintain the streak with your friend. Most people get confused when they see the Hourglass. It will just appear when you have less than 4 hours to swap up a snap and maintain a streak. However, snapstreaks only serve to show a person’s engagement on Snapchat.

I hope this blog helps you understand the hourglass icon and its meaning. Do not forget to share your views about the blog in the comment section.