Green Dot On Snapchat
Have you ever wondered what the green dot on Snapchat means? No need to scratch your head as we have got you covered in this guide. It is one of the confusing slots of Snapchat that you can spot next to your friend’s profile. It is actually an activity indicator showing that your friend was recently active on Snapchat. However, it does not imply that your friend is active right now or chatting with someone, as it stays for 24 hours and tells if a person has opened the app in the last 24 hours or not. Therefore, taking it in the context of “Active Now” will be somehow deceptive.
Also, it is totally up to the users to enable or disable it. You can hide your activity status from your friends or make it visible for them; your privacy is your call. We have explained the steps to disable so that there remains no confusion. Moreover, to make it all clear for you, we have covered all about what the green dot on Snapchat means, along with how you can disable it. So, bear with us and learn all about it.
Key Highlights
What Does Green Dot On Snapchat Mean?
Snapchat features an array of icons arousing curiosity among the users, and one of them is the tiny green dot, which can be spotted right next to someone’s profile. It is actually an activity indicator that shows that a person was recently active, pacing your way to begin your conversation at the right time. Just like Snapchat planets, this feature adds another layer of insight into how you interact with friends. But it does imply that a person is active right now and chatting with someone.
Rather, it means that someone has turned their activity indicator on, allowing their friends to measure their active status on the Snapchat app in the last 24 hours. Enabling your activity status paves the way for a foster communication domain by making others feel that they can contact you and you will reply back. Also, you can disable it and keep it all private. It is totally up to you, and to make it all done for you, we have come up with this guide. Just explore it and learn how you can keep your activity to yourself.
Why Green Dot Matters?
While using Snapchat, you might have noticed a green dot on your friend’s emoji that refers to the activity and the privacy status of that person. It is one of the most talked about icons of Snapchat that comes with various worthwhile slots, making it worth knowing. Here are some of the key slots.
Privacy Indicator
The Green dot is the key privacy indicator that shows your camera is in use.
Activity Indicator
A tiny green dot on your friend’s profile shows they have recently used the app.
Foster Communication
It plays a role in striking up conversations with an active status indication.
How To Disable Green Dot On Snapchat?
Want to make your activity status private? If yes, then you might be wondering about the ways to turn off the green dot on your Snapchat. For this, the section below will be good to go for you. Here is how you can easily turn it off and set your privacy settings yourself.
1. To begin with, open the Snapchat app and tap on your Profile icon.
2. Go to the “Settings” and navigate to the “Privacy Controls” option.
3. Scroll down and find the “Activity Indicator” icon.
4. Click to Disable it and turn it off.
5. Refresh the app and make your activity status private.

Snapchat Green Dot Vs. Other Social Apps
Understanding the Green Dot
Along with Snapchat, there are other social apps where we can see the tiny green dot, but it does not imply the same meaning as in Snapchat. In most of the apps, it remains restricted to the online status, while varying in others. Let’s compare it and understand this indicator with respect to each app.
Comparison Across Social Apps
1. Snapchat
As we have discussed above, in Snapchat, the green dot indicates activity status that appears next to your profile and stays for 24 hours. Here is the breakdown of its key indicators.
2. WhatsApp
The green dot can also be witnessed in WhatsApp, which is the most used social app worldwide. It is also an indication of certain things, and the following are contributing to it.
3. Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger also contains a green dot icon signaling the online status, “active X minutes ago”, and other indication slots where the following contribute.
How Long Does the Green Dot Stay on Snapchat?
Well, the green dot or the activity dot is a one-day activity indicator that can stay for up to 24 hours on your profile, along with your friends’. While the dot on your screen, when you use Snapchat, shows “your camera is in use,” that only stays on your screen when you use the app. Both of the dots carry different meanings and serve different purposes. Here is the key breakdown of the differences.
| Activity Indicator | Privacy Indicator |
|---|---|
| Indication: Recently Active Status. | Indication: Camera Usage. |
| Location: Next to Bitmoji/Profile. | Location: At the Top of the Screen. |
| Duration: 24 Hours | Duration: Only When the Camera is on. |
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Final Words
Summing up, a green dot on Snapchat indicates the activity status of a person, allowing you to get a view of your friend’s activity on the app. It actually serves to be a visual cue that your friend has recently used the app and allows you to know their active presence. It is the most talked-about feature of Snapchat, which we have very well covered in this post. So, if you are anxious about the green dot that appears on the top of the screen, then our guide will provide an additional helping hand to you. All you need to do is explore our guide and learn all about it, from enabling and disabling it to making perfect use of it.
