Decode What Does Hourglass Mean on Snapchat?

| Updated on July 26, 2024 |
Fact checked by Manpreet Kaur Sandhu

Being a passionate Snapchat user, you might be sensitive to your Snapstreak number game. But what if you suddenly see an hourglass emoji? With that, you start struggling, to decode the meaning of the sand timer on Snapchat. 

So if you are one of those confused individuals, continue reading to see what does hourglass mean on Snapchat and how to get rid of it. 

 

Quick Answer

An hourglass is almost identical to a countdown timer that helps to indicate that your snap streak will end anytime soon. 

What Does Hourglass Mean on Snap: Is Your Streak in Danger?

The hourglass is one of the emojis placed next to the usernames, and if you see that, it’s time to act fast. The symbol indicates that your streak with the user is about to die. But, this icon becomes visible only if you start maintaining snap streaks. To start a streak, you must continuously send the snap for a minimum of three days, and after that, you will see a 3-digit and a flame icon in front of your friend’s name. 

Aside from this, remember that this hourglass indicates that you may lose the Snapchat streak in the next few hours. You can say that was a final call to save your buddy. 

How Long Does the Hourglass Last on Snapchat?

Well, there is no such official statement from the Snapchat team regarding how long the hourglass lasts. But many users have run an experiment, and the results have said, that the sand clock emoji appears at the 20th hour since your last sent snap and will continue to appear for the next 4 hours. Once it exceeds the time limit of 24 hours, your snap streak will disappear automatically.

But it is worth noting that the observations cannot be marked as accurate and can vary from profile to profile and, importantly, the snap streak count. 

For instance, if you manage to maintain a streak for a few months, so there is a possibility that the hourglass icon will last longer. On the other hand, if you have just started a streak, the sand clock Snapchat icon may last for a shorter timeframe. It is worth noting that this condition will be the same whether you are using a free version or Snapchat Plus

How to get Rid of Snapchat Hourglass Icon?

Looking for how to get rid of the Snapchat Hourglass emoji. Don’t worry, we have listed some solutions below that will work for you. 

  • The first, and the most used, way to get rid of the sand clock Snapchat emoji is to send the snap to continue your streak. And if it still appears, you may alert your friend to send a snap back.
  • Secondly, if you are not concerned about snap streaks, just wait for some time until the icon disappears. 
  • Lastly, you can clear the conversation of the person in the chat thread. But the hourglass icon will still appear if you get to start a conversation again.
  • The best bet to avoid the hourglass icon is by setting a mutual reminder to not forget to send a daily snap. 

Despite using these methods, if you still see the sand clock Snapchat emoji, then your Snapchat may not be working. Consider resolving it to fix the glitches and bugs.

Do Both Users See the Hourglass on Snapchat? 

The answer is yes. Both users will see the hourglass on Snapchat at the same time. This is useful because it helps remind the one who hasn’t sent the streak for the day. Therefore, if you figure out that the other person should send the snap, consider sending a reminder text to save the snap streaks. 

Measures to Take if Your Snap Streaks Disappear?

Somehow, if you miss saving the snap streaks. Do not panic, you can still revive it by taking some potential measures. 

Click on the Restore Option

Every snapchatter receives a 3 to 5 free restore of streak per person for every month. But after that, to revive your streaks, you have to pay the minimum price shown (mostly ₹16)  on your device at that time for the remaining month. Moreover, both users can buy more restores to get it back. Hence, the price may vary in different countries.

Don’t forget, that the streaks can be restored only if you see the timeframe sign with the Restore prompt right next to the user’s name. And if you don’t see the flame icon, probably the streak may have ended a long ago. 

Notes

Unused free restores do not roll in the next month regarding any of the users.

To buy additional restores:

Open Snapchat>> Tap on the flame icon>> Restore>> Make the payment

Snapstreak Restoration Request  

One of the prime ways to restore your streaks is to fill out the Snapchat Restoration Request. Here’s how you can do that:

  • Tap on your Bitmoji in the upper left corner.
    Tap on Bitmojis
  • Head over to Settings.
    Head over to Settings
  • Scroll down and navigate to I Need Help, under the Support section.
    Navigate to I Need Help
  • Next, tap on, I Lost My Snap Streak.
    Tap on I Lost My Snapstreak
  • Now you will see a text in blue that says this form, open that link. 
    Open this form link
  • Scroll down and fill out the required information. 
    Fill out the important information1
    Fill out the important information2

Notes

Always remember to double-check the username, device model including series (for instance, iPhone XR), and mainly the friend’s username.

  • After incorporating all the required information with a description, generate and enter the captcha.
    Enter the captcha
  • To send the form, tap on Submit.  
    Tap on Submit

Following the submission of the form, you are required to wait for up to 2 hours for responsive feedback. Until then, do not re-submit the form. 

After implementing the above-mentioned measures, you should prefer waiting for some time till the app updates the steak count. In some cases, due to technical glitches, the restored streak fails to reflect on your chat thread. 

Conclusion: Save your Snap streaks ASAP!

That’s all for the mysterious hourglass on Snapchat mean, as it indicates a final call to save your snap streaks from ending. Therefore, it is suggested to plan a strategy to send a daily snap to avoid hourglass Snapchat popping frequently.

Always remember that texting, group chats, and stories don’t count towards a snap streak. 

FAQ

What does a sand timer on Snapchat mean?

A sand timer denotes that your snap streak is going to end anytime soon.

Why is Snapchat hourglass still there even though I sent a snap?

The Snapchat hourglass will remain appear because your friend may not have exchanged a snap with you. Technical glitches bugs and errors can also be the reason.

How long does it take to lose a snap streak?

If both users don’t exchange the snaps in the 24-hour timeframe, they are likely to lose a streak.

What doesn’t count towards a snap streak?

Group chats, forwarding memories, and stories, and enrolling in a conversation don’t count towards a snap streak. A simple exchange of snaps will help maintain a streak.

Sources


Muskan Saini

Social Media and Tech Expert


Related Posts
×