Snapchat’s messaging app features icons, each with a specific meaning and function. It can be a bit difficult for a new user to learn their meanings. One of these indicators is the green dot that appears next to someone’s profile icon. We explain all the details those curious about what this means need to know.
What Does the Green Dot Indicate on Snapchat?
The green dot found next to someone’s Snapchat profile icon indicates that the person is currently active on the platform. Snapchat calls this the Activity Indicator. This icon means the person has been active on the app recently.
Snapchat does not give clear information on how long the green dot remains visible after an active session. However, based on the description appearing on the “Add Friends” screen, we can predict that the indicator will be visible on profiles active within the last 24 hours.
The green dot only appears on the Add Friends screen within the Snapchat app. Even if both you and your Snapchat friend are using the app, you will not see this icon in the Chat window.
How to Turn Off the Green Dot Icon on Snapchat?
If you don’t want other Snapchat users to know whether you have been active recently, you may want to disable the green dot. Follow these steps to turn off the green dot icon for yourself:
- Open Snapchat and tap on the profile icon in the top left corner.
- On the Profile page, tap the gear icon in the top right corner.
- Here, scroll down and select Activity Indicator under “Privacy Controls”.
- Toggle off the Activity Indicator switch to disable the green dot on your profile.
- Now close the app and restart it for the settings to take effect.
After turning off the feature, other users cannot check when you were last active on Snapchat on the Add Friends screen. If they haven’t disabled the activity indicator on their Snapchat accounts, you can still see which users have been active recently on the Add Friends screen.
Enable Ghost Mode to Hide Your Active Location
In addition to your recent activity, if you don’t want your friends on Snapchat and others to gain information about your current location, you can enable Ghost Mode included in the app. When you enable Ghost Mode, your friends cannot check your location on the Snap Map. Here is what you need to do:
- Tap the location pin icon from the bottom toolbar to launch Snap Map in Snapchat.
- From here, tap the gear icon in the top right corner.
- In the next section, toggle on the Ghost Mode switch.
- Select the duration you want to keep it on. You can choose from three options: 3 hours, 24 hours, and Until Turned Off.
As we mentioned above, if you are looking for the right time to send someone a friend request and start a chat with them, the green dot can be helpful. However, if you find yourself under a bombardment of messages when you are online, it will be best to disable the green dot.