Written by Admin Alex · Fact-Checked by M.Ali · Info Verified October 2026
We review and update this article regularly as new information becomes available.
TL;DR: A red heart ❤️ next to someone’s name on Snapchat means you have been each other’s number one Best Friend for two weeks in a row. It comes after the yellow heart and before two pink hearts, which appear after two months. It is based only on how often you Snap and chat, not on romance, and only you can see it.
A red heart on Snapchat looks romantic, which is why it causes so many questions. Seeing it next to a friend, a sibling or an ex can feel confusing. In reality, the red heart is an activity badge. Snapchat gives it automatically when two people stay each other’s top Snapchat friend for a set amount of time.
This guide explains exactly what the red heart means, how to get it, why it disappears, and how it compares with the other Snapchat hearts.
What Does a Red Heart Mean on Snapchat?
The red heart is Snapchat’s “BFF” emoji. It means:
- You are this person’s number one Best Friend on Snapchat, and
- They are your number one Best Friend, and
- That has been true for two weeks in a row.
Snapchat ranks Best Friends by how often you exchange Snaps and chats, with more weight on recent activity. When you and one person rank each other first, you get a yellow heart. Keep it up for two weeks and it turns red.
The Snapchat Heart Progression
| Stage | Emoji | Snapchat label | How long you must be mutual number one |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 💛 | Besties | Right now |
| 2 | ❤️ | BFF | Two weeks in a row |
| 3 | 💕 | Super BFF | Two months in a row |
The progression only moves forward while you both stay at number one. If either of you starts snapping someone else more, the heart is lost and the count starts again from the yellow heart.
Does a Red Heart on Snapchat Mean Someone Likes You?
Not necessarily. Snapchat does not know whether two people are partners, siblings, best friends or classmates. It only measures activity. A red heart can appear between:
- Couples who Snap all day
- Best friends who keep long Snapstreaks
- Siblings or cousins who share memes daily
- Coworkers or classmates coordinating a project
It does show that the other person interacts with you more than anyone else on Snapchat. That says something about your connection on the app, but it is not a message from them. They never chose it.
Red Heart on Snapchat vs. Red Heart in a Message
The same emoji means two different things depending on where it shows up.
| Where you see ❤️ | What it means | Who decided |
|---|---|---|
| Next to a name in your Chat list | Mutual number one Best Friends for two weeks | Snapchat, automatically |
| Sent inside a Snapchat chat | Love, affection or strong appreciation | The person who sent it |
| As a reaction to your Snap or Story | They liked or loved what you posted | The person reacting |
If someone types a red heart to you, that is a choice they made, and it usually carries more emotional weight than a yellow or blue heart. If the red heart sits beside their name in your Chat list, it only reflects how much you both use Snapchat with each other.
Can Other People See Your Red Heart?
No. Friend emojis are private. Only you see the emoji next to a friend’s name in your own Chat list. Your friend sees their own emoji for you. Because a red heart requires both of you to rank each other first, you will usually both see a red heart, but nobody else can.
Common Red Heart Situations
Your partner has a red heart with someone else
You cannot see your partner’s friend emojis on your phone, so this usually comes up when someone looks at their screen. A red heart with another person means your partner has snapped that person more than anyone else for two weeks, including you. That can simply be a sibling, a best friend or a streak partner. If it worries you, talk about it directly rather than reading too much into an automatic badge.
You have a red heart with your ex
This happens when old habits continue, such as keeping a long Snapstreak alive after a breakup. If you want it gone, snap someone else more often. The heart will drop within days.
You have a red heart with a parent or sibling
Very common. Families who share daily photos or keep streaks often reach the BFF and Super BFF stages. It means exactly what Snapchat says: you are each other’s most active contact.
The red heart keeps switching back to yellow
One of you is occasionally snapping someone else more, which breaks the two-week run. The count restarts each time.
How to Get a Red Heart on Snapchat
- Become each other’s top friend. Snap and chat with this person more than anyone else, and make sure they do the same with you. This earns the yellow heart.
- Stay consistent for 14 days. Keep interacting daily. Photo and video Snaps both count toward your ranking.
- Avoid big spikes with other friends. A day of heavy snapping with someone else can push them to number one and reset the count.
There is no way to force or buy a red heart. It is earned purely through mutual activity.
Why Did My Red Heart Disappear on Snapchat?
| What happened | What you will see |
|---|---|
| You snapped someone else more | The red heart becomes a smiley face or another emoji |
| They snapped someone else more | The heart disappears even if your habits did not change |
| You stayed mutual number one for two months | The red heart upgrades to two pink hearts 💕 |
| App glitch or old version | Emojis missing for everyone; update and restart the app |
| Friend emojis customized | A different emoji now represents the BFF status |
Losing a red heart is not a sign someone removed or blocked you. It usually just means their snapping habits shifted for a few days.
Red Heart vs. Other Snapchat Emojis
| Emoji | Meaning | How it differs from the red heart |
|---|---|---|
| 💛 Yellow heart | Mutual number one Best Friends now | No time requirement yet |
| 💕 Pink hearts | Mutual number one for two months | The next level after red |
| 😊 Smiling face | One of your Best Friends | Not your number one |
| 😬 Grimacing face | You share the same number one Best Friend | Describes a third person, not each other |
| 🔥 Fire | Active Snapstreak | Tracks daily Snaps, can appear alongside a heart |
For every symbol, see our complete Snapchat emoji meanings chart.
A Short History of Snapchat Hearts
Snapchat originally showed a public Best Friends list on each profile, so anyone could see who you snapped most. In early 2015, Snapchat removed that public list and replaced it with private friend emojis. The heart progression from yellow to red to pink came out of that change. It keeps the fun of tracking close friendships while hiding the details from everyone else.
Snapchat+ subscribers now get a related feature called the Friend Solar System, which shows how close you are to a friend by ranking them as planets around you. Free users still see the standard friend emojis, including the red heart.
Can You Change the Red Heart Emoji?
Yes. Snapchat lets you choose a different emoji for each friend status. Go to your profile, tap the gear icon for Settings, and open the Friend Emojis customization option. Select “BFF” and pick a new emoji. The change only affects your own screen.
Red Heart, Snapstreaks and Best Friends: How They Connect
The red heart and the fire emoji often appear together, but they measure different things.
- The red heart depends on your Best Friends ranking, which reflects overall activity.
- The fire emoji counts consecutive days on which you both sent each other photo or video Snaps.
A long Snapstreak often helps a friend reach number one, because daily Snaps add up. But you can have a streak without a heart, or a heart without a streak. Learn how streaks work in our guide to Snapchat streaks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a red heart on Snapchat?
Two weeks. You must be each other’s number one Best Friend for 14 days in a row.
Is a red heart on Snapchat romantic?
Not by itself. It only measures activity, so it can appear between friends, family members or partners.
What comes after the red heart on Snapchat?
Two pink hearts 💕, the Super BFF emoji, after two months of being mutual number one Best Friends.
Can I have a red heart with more than one person?
No. A red heart requires each person to be the other’s single number one Best Friend, so you can only have one at a time.
Does the other person see a red heart too?
Usually yes, since the condition is mutual. However, friend emojis are private, and either of you may have customized the emoji.
Is there a black or blue heart friend emoji on Snapchat?
No. The official heart friend emojis are yellow, red and two pink hearts. Other colored hearts only appear if someone customized their friend emojis or sent the heart in a message.
Will the red heart come back if I lose it?
Yes, if you both become each other’s number one again. You start at the yellow heart and need another two weeks to reach red.
Why do I have a red heart with someone I barely talk to?
Snaps count more than conversations. If you exchange quick streak Snaps with someone every day, they can become your number one Best Friend even if you rarely chat.
Bottom Line
A red heart on Snapchat means you and one person have ranked each other as number one Best Friend for two weeks straight. It reflects consistent activity, not a declaration of feelings, and only you can see it. Keep the mutual top spot for two months and it becomes two pink hearts. Lose it for even a day and you start again at yellow.
Sources
- Snapchat Support, Friend Emoji and Streak help pages
- Digital Citizen, Snapchat Emoji Meanings Explained
