Snapchat is one of the most popular messaging apps on the internet at the moment thanks to its unique take on messaging and privacy-focussed features, among other things that make the app a fun experience to use. Not to mention its primary function as a camera app that has tons of filters and features built right into the camera itself. 

However, if you’re just starting out with Snapchat, things can get a little confusing. In this article, we’re taking a look at the differences between adding a friend and accepting a friend request on the platform. 

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What does ‘add friend’ mean on Snapchat?

As you can probably guess, a messaging app isn’t of much use unless you have friends you can message. Snapchat automatically syncs itself with your contacts to find any of your existing contacts who already are on Snapchat and suggests they be added as friends. Over time, these suggestions will become more far-reaching as Snapchat eventually builds a network around you and your friends. 

This is Snapchat’s equivalent of adding a friend on Facebook or sending a follow request on Instagram. You see a contact that you want to add, and you add them as a friend to send a request to the particular contact. If they approve, both of you are added as friends and can now text and share snaps.

How to add friends on Snapchat?

Adding friends on Snapchat is rather simple, just follow these steps.

• Open Snapchat and tap the add friend icon in the top right.
• Either look through the suggestions or enter their Snapchat username to search for your friend and tap the Add button to send a request.

What does ‘accept friend’ mean on Snapchat?

Accepting friend requests is the other side of the coin. Just like you can see other people and add them as friends if you want, other people can also see you and do the same. 

In case someone adds you as a friend, you’ll receive a notification asking you to accept the request. Once you do, Snapchat adds both of you as friends allowing you to text, snap and see other relevant information only shared among friends such as their Snap Score or location. 

Snapchat: Add friends vs Accept friend request

As you can probably guess by now, adding a friend and accepting a friend are just two parts of the friend-adding process on Snapchat. Adding a friend initiates the process by sending a request to a specific person, and the other person can complete the process by accepting that request. 

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