SocialGlyphsWhat the Hourglass on Snapchat Means — and How Long You Have Left
The ⏳ hourglass on Snapchat means your Snapstreak is about to end. Here's how much time you usually have, how to make it go away and how to save the streak.
You open Snapchat and there’s an ⏳ hourglass next to a friend’s fire emoji. Don’t panic yet: the streak isn’t gone. The hourglass is a warning that it will end soon unless you both snap.
What the Snapchat hourglass means
A Snapstreak (the 🔥 with a number) counts how many days in a row you and a friend have sent each other Snaps. To keep it alive, each of you has to send at least one Snap within every 24-hour window.
When that window is close to running out, Snapchat swaps in the hourglass to remind you.
How long do you have?
Snapchat doesn’t give a countdown. Based on widely reported testing, the hourglass usually appears in the last ~4 hours of the window, and sometimes earlier. Treat it as “snap now”, not “snap later tonight”.
How to get rid of the hourglass
- Open the chat with that friend.
- Send a Snap — a photo or video taken with the Snapchat camera.
- Make sure they send you a Snap back before the window ends.
Once both Snaps are in, the hourglass turns back into the 🔥 and the count keeps going.
What doesn’t count
- Chats (text messages)
- Posting to your Story
- Snaps to a group don’t reliably count for individual streaks
Lost the streak anyway?
If the streak ended in the last few days, check for a Restore option on that friend’s chat — Snapchat offers restores for recently broken streaks, with some included in Snapchat+. If you don’t see one, you can submit a request through Snapchat Support.
Hourglass vs other Snapchat symbols
The hourglass is a friend emoji, not a message icon. If you’re seeing arrows and squares instead, read our Snapchat symbols chart. For every heart and face next to names, see Snapchat friend emojis.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you have when the hourglass appears on Snapchat?
Snapchat doesn't publish an exact time. In practice the hourglass usually appears around the last four hours of the 24-hour window, sometimes earlier.
Do Chats count toward a Snapstreak?
No. Text Chats don't count. You need to send photo or video Snaps to each other.
Do both people need to send a Snap?
Yes. A streak needs a Snap from each of you within the window. If only one person snaps, the streak can still end.
Can I get a lost Snapstreak back?
Sometimes. Snapchat offers a Restore option for recently lost streaks, with restores included in Snapchat+, and you can also ask Snapchat Support.
Does the other person see the hourglass too?
Usually yes — the streak belongs to both of you, so you both get the warning.
Affan Ahmed is an SEO specialist with a BSc in Computer Science who has worked in search and social media marketing since 2022. He tests every symbol and feature on SocialGlyphs on his own phone before writing about it.
