What Does the Yellow Heart Mean on Snapchat? (2025 Update)

Snapchat isn’t just about sending Snaps—it’s also about building friendships. To help users understand their interactions, Snapchat assigns friend emojis, which change based on how often you communicate with someone. These emojis are a fun way to track your closest connections on the platform.

One of the most sought-after friend emojis is the yellow heart (💛).

Why?

Because it signifies a #1 Best Friend—the person you exchange the most Snaps with and who does the same with you. But how does it work? And what happens if it disappears?

Have you ever wondered why your friend suddenly got a yellow heart next to their name on Snapchat?

If you’re curious about what it means, how to get it, and how to keep it, you’re in the right place!

Let’s break it down.

What Does the Yellow Heart Mean on Snapchat?

The yellow heart emoji (💛) on Snapchat is a unique indicator of your #1 Best Friend on the platform. It appears when you and another user send the most Snaps to each other—meaning you interact more with them than anyone else, and they do the same with you.

To earn the yellow heart, you and the other person must consistently Snap (not just chat) each other more than anyone else for at least two consecutive days. Once Snapchat’s algorithm recognizes this mutual interaction, the yellow heart will appear next to their name on your chat list.

In short, the yellow heart = mutual #1 Best Friend status! But it’s not permanent—you can lose it if your snapping habits change. Keep reading to learn how to maintain it!

How to Get the Yellow Heart on Snapchat?

Earning the yellow heart (💛) on Snapchat isn’t random—it’s based on your snapping habits with a specific person. If you want to secure this #1 Best Friend status, follow these steps:

Step-by-Step Guide to Getting the Yellow Heart

1️⃣ Send Snaps Frequently – Send photo or video Snaps (not just chats) to the person you want as your #1 Best Friend. The more you Snap them, the higher your chances.

2️⃣ Maintain Daily Streaks – While streaks don’t directly affect the yellow heart, consistently snapping each other increases the likelihood of becoming each other’s most-snapped friend.

3️⃣ Engage Through Snapchat Messages – Although Snaps are the priority, messaging also helps strengthen interaction. A mix of Snaps and chats keeps you at the top of their list.

4️⃣ Ensure the #1 Best Friend Status is Mutual – The yellow heart only appears when you and the other person snap at each other more than anyone else. You won’t get the emoji if one of you is snapping someone else more often.

💡 Pro Tip: To get the yellow heart faster, avoid sending too many Snaps to other people and focus your interactions on one person!

How Long Does the Yellow Heart Last?

The yellow heart on Snapchat isn’t permanent—it lasts only as long as you and your friend continue snapping each other more than anyone else. Here’s what you need to know about its duration:

Stays Active—The yellow heart remains as long as both of you keep snapping each other the most.

Turns Into a Red Heart – If you maintain your #1 Best Friend status for two consecutive weeks, the yellow heart upgrades to a red heart (❤️), symbolizing a stronger connection.

Can Disappear Quickly—If you or your friend snap someone else more often, the yellow heart will be replaced or lost. It’s all about who you interact with the most on Snapchat.

💡 Tip: Want to keep the yellow heart?

Stay consistent with your Snaps and avoid letting someone else take your #1 spot!

Why Did My Yellow Heart Disappear?

Losing the yellow heart on Snapchat can be frustrating, but it happens for a few common reasons. Here’s why it might have disappeared:

You or Your Friend Started Snapping Someone Else More – The yellow heart is based on mutual snap frequency. If either of you starts sending more Snaps to someone else, Snapchat will update the #1 Best Friend status accordingly.

Inactivity on Snapchat – If you and your friend stop snapping at each other as frequently, another person might take the top spot, causing the yellow heart to vanish.

Snapchat Glitch or Emoji System Refresh—Sometimes, Snapchat experiences temporary glitches or refreshes friend rankings, making the yellow heart disappear unexpectedly. If this happens, check back after some time.

💡 Want to Get It Back? Start repeatedly snapping your friend, and you might reclaim your #1 Best Friend status!

Can You Get the Yellow Heart Back?

Yes, but it’s not guaranteed! If you’ve lost the yellow heart on Snapchat, your #1 Best Friend status has changed. However, you can work to get it back by following these steps:

Ways to Regain the Yellow Heart:

📸 Start Snapping Your Friend More Than Anyone Else – The yellow heart is based on mutual Snap frequency. To reclaim it, increase your Snaps to that person and reduce Snaps to others.

🔄 Be Consistent with Messages and Snaps – While Snaps matter the most, regular conversations through chat also help maintain engagement and boost your chances.

👀 Check Your Best Friends List – Go to Chat > Tap on Your Friend’s Name and look at the emoji next to them. Someone else is currently their #1 Best Friend if another emoji appears.

💡 Pro Tip: Avoid sending too many Snaps to other people to increase your chances. Focus on daily Snaps with your friend until the yellow heart returns!

Difference Between Yellow Heart and Other Snapchat Friend Emojis

Snapchat uses different friend emojis to represent the strength and duration of your friendships. Here’s how the yellow heart (💛) compares to other #1 Best Friend emojis:

Each emoji represents a deeper level of connection, rewarding consistent interaction with the same person over time.

💡 Want to upgrade your yellow heart? Keep snapping your #1 Best Friend daily, and you’ll move up to the red heart (❤️) and eventually the pink hearts (💕)!

When Did Snapchat Introduce the Emoji Functions?

Snapchat introduced its friend emoji system in 2015 as a way to visually represent users’ relationships and interactions with their friends. The feature was designed to enhance the social experience by making it more interactive and fun.

Initially, the system was simple, using emojis to indicate the best friends and frequent user interactions. Over time, Snapchat expanded the system to include different emojis for various levels of friendship, such as the yellow heart (💛), red heart (❤️), and pink hearts (💕), all reflecting the amount of interaction a user has with their Snapchat contacts.

These emojis quickly became integral to Snapchat’s identity, allowing users to track their social connections and engagement levels. The emoji system remains one of the app’s most popular features, giving users a fun way to visualize their friendship dynamics.

How to Customize Your Friend Emojis?

Snapchat allows you to personalize the emojis you see next to your friends’ names, so you can make the app feel more tailored to you! Here’s how to customize your friend emojis:

Step-by-Step Guide to Customize Your Friend Emojis:

1. Open Snapchat: Launch the Snapchat app on your device.
2. Go to Your Profile: Tap your Bitmoji or profile icon in the top-left corner to open your profile.
3. Access Settings: Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner to open your settings.
4. Select ‘Customize Emojis’: Scroll down until you see the ‘Customize Emojis’ option under the ‘Additional Services’ section and tap it.
5. Choose an Emoji to Change: You’ll see a list of emojis representing your friends’ interactions (like Best Friends, Recent Friends, etc.). Tap on the one you want to change. For example, you can change the emoji for Best Friends or #1 Best Friend.
6. Pick Your Emoji: Select an emoji from the list or tap the ‘Use Default’ option to revert to Snapchat’s original emoji.
7. Save Your Changes: Once selected, your changes will be saved automatically.

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FAQs

Q1. Can you have multiple yellow hearts on Snapchat?

No. You can only have one #1 Best Friend at a time. The yellow heart appears with the person you snap the most; they must snap you the most in return.

Q2. Does the yellow heart mean the other person likes me?

Not necessarily! The yellow heart only signifies frequent Snapchat interactions. It doesn’t indicate romantic interest—just that you both send Snaps to each other more than anyone else.

Q3. Can I manually change my Snapchat emojis?

Yes! You can customize your friend emojis in Settings > Customize Emojis to change how they appear to you. However, this doesn’t affect how Snapchat assigns them based on interactions.

Q4. What happens if I lose the yellow heart?

If the yellow heart disappears, it means your Snapchat interactions changed—either you or your friend started snapping at someone else. Try sending more Snaps consistently to regain it.

Conclusion

The yellow heart (💛) on Snapchat is more than just an emoji—it’s a sign of a strong Snapchat friendship, showing that you and someone else are each other’s #1 Best Friend. However, it’s not permanent! You must keep snapping consistently to maintain or upgrade it to a red or pink heart.

If you ever lose the yellow heart, don’t worry!

Increase your Snaps with that person, stay active on the app, and avoid snapping at others more frequently. With consistent effort, you can regain or keep your Best Friend status.

Now that you know what the yellow heart means, how to get it, and how to keep it—go ahead and start snapping!