Snapchat has changed a lot over the years, and in 2025, the way “following” works is clearer than ever. Many users still get confused about who they follow and who follows them back. Understanding this feature helps you control your privacy and see who’s interested in your stories. It’s a simple way to manage your Snapchat connections better.
When you follow someone on Snapchat, you can view their public stories and updates without needing to be friends. It’s similar to social media like Instagram, where following doesn’t always mean a mutual connection. Knowing the difference between following and being friends keeps your Snapchat use smart and secure. Let’s break down what “following” really means in 2025.
Understanding “Following” on Snapchat
In 2025, Snapchat’s “Following” feature helps users control their connections more privately than traditional social apps. When you follow someone, it means you’ve added them, but they haven’t added you back yet creating a one-way interaction. This system defines who can see your stories and how much access they have to your content.
Here’s how the “Following” feature works on Snapchat:
1. When You Follow Someone
- You add them, but they haven’t added you back yet
- Your name appears in their “Added Me” list
- You can only view their public stories
2. When They Follow You Back
- The connection becomes mutual, making you both friends
- You gain access to private stories and can exchange snaps
- Full chat and sharing features become available
3. If They Don’t Follow You Back
- You stay as a follower, not a friend
- Your snaps remain “Pending” until accepted
- You only see limited, public content from their account
4. Managing Your Following List
- You can view who you follow but isn’t following you back
- Remove or unfollow users anytime to control your privacy
- Helps you keep your Snapchat connections clean and secure
This setup gives both users complete control over their interactions on Snapchat, allowing them to decide who can access their content while keeping their privacy and safety protected.
Key Differences Between “Following” and “Friends” on Snapchat
Knowing the difference between “following” and “friends” helps you understand how Snapchat’s privacy and interaction features work. Below is a detailed comparison of both:
| Feature | Following | Friends |
| Story Access | Can view only public stories | Can view both public and private stories |
| Snap Delivery | Snaps stay pending until accepted | Snaps deliver instantly |
| Chat Messages | Messages remain pending | Full chat access available |
| Notifications | No direct alerts for new posts | Receive full notifications |
| Snapchat Score | Not visible | Fully visible |
| Snap Map | Location not visible | Can see location if enabled |
| Bitmoji Interaction | Limited or unavailable | Full Bitmoji reactions and stickers |
| Group Chats | Cannot add to group chats | Can add to or join group chats |
| Friendship Emojis | Not available | Friendship emojis appear beside names |
| Privacy Level | More restricted access | Mutual sharing and higher trust level |
Following Status Indicators
- Snaps show as “Pending” with a gray arrow
- You can’t see their Snapchat score
- Their activity status remains hidden
Friends Status Indicators
- Snaps and chats deliver with colored arrows
- Full visibility of score and story views
- You can see “last active” if enabled
How to Know If Someone is Following You on Snapchat?
Snapchat doesn’t directly notify you when someone follows you, but there are easy ways to find out using in-app sections and activity clues. Here’s how you can check if someone is following you:
1. Check the “Added Me” Section
- Go to your profile and tap “Added Me”
- You’ll see users who have added you recently
- If you haven’t added them back, they’re following you
- You can add them back to make the connection mutual
2. Review Your “Friends” List
- Open your profile and tap “My Friends”
- Search for their username in the list
- If their name doesn’t appear, they’re not your friend yet
- It means they’re following you, but you haven’t accepted
3. Observe Snap or Chat Status
- Send them a snap or message
- If it says “Pending,” they haven’t added you back
- The arrow icon will appear gray instead of colored
- It’s a clear sign you’re following them, not friends yet
4. Check Story Visibility
- Look for their story in your “Subscriptions” section
- Stories under “Subscriptions” mean one-way following
- “Friends” stories appear in the main Stories feed
- This helps you identify follower-only connections
5. Use Search and Profile Info
- Search their username in Snapchat’s search bar
- Tap on their profile to view public info
- If you can only see public stories, you’re just following
- Mutual friends may appear if there’s a shared connection
6. Notice Snap Map and Score Access
- Open Snap Map to check if you can see their location
- If you can’t, they haven’t added you back
- Try viewing their Snapchat score
- Hidden score means you’re not yet friends
Managing Your Followers on Snapchat
Keeping track of your followers helps you control who can see your content and maintain your privacy on Snapchat.
Check Who You Are Following
To manage your connections better, start by reviewing the people you follow and see who hasn’t added you back yet.
Step-by-Step Process
- Open your Snapchat profile and tap on “My Friends”
- Scroll through your list to see who you’ve added
- Users not showing a “Mutual” tag are one-way follows
- You can unfollow anyone directly from their profile
- It helps declutter your friend list and maintain privacy
- Regular checks ensure your connections stay genuine
What You’ll See
- Go to their profile and tap the three-dot menu
- Choose “Remove Friend” or “Block” if needed
- Blocking stops all communication instantly
- Removing them means they can’t view your private stories
- You can still re-add them anytime later
- This keeps your Snapchat experience safe and personal
Regular Maintenance Tips
- Open Snapchat settings from your profile
- Tap on “Privacy Controls” under the settings menu
- Limit who can contact you or view your story
- Choose between “Everyone,” “Friends Only,” or “Custom”
- Turn off “Quick Add” to reduce unwanted follows
- Regularly update these settings for stronger protection
Manage Story Visibility
- Tap your profile and go to “Story Settings”
- Choose who can see your stories (Friends, Custom, or Everyone)
- Hide stories from specific followers if needed
- Create Private Stories for close friends only
- You can edit story visibility anytime
- This helps you share content confidently and securely
Review Friend Requests Regularly
- Open “Added Me” from your profile
- Check who recently followed or added you
- Accept only people you know or trust
- Decline unknown or suspicious accounts
- Regular reviews prevent spam or fake followers
- Keeps your Snapchat connections authentic and safe
Remove Someone You’re Following
If you want to clear unwanted connections or maintain more privacy, Snapchat allows you to easily remove people you’re following with just a few steps.
Method 1: Through Friends List
- Open your Snapchat profile and tap “My Friends”
- Search for the username you want to remove
- Tap and hold their name until a menu appears
- Select “Manage Friendship” or “Remove Friend”
- Confirm your choice to stop following them
- They’ll no longer have access to your private content
Method 2: Through Their Profile
- Open the person’s profile directly from search or chat
- Tap the three-dot icon (⋮) in the top-right corner
- Choose “Manage Friendship” from the dropdown
- Select “Remove Friend” and confirm
- This action instantly unfollows them on Snapchat
- You can still re-add them later if you change your mind
Method 3: Through Chat
- Open your chat list and find their conversation
- Tap and hold on their name to open options
- Select “Manage Friendship” or “Remove Friend”
- Confirm the removal when prompted
- Their chat will disappear from your inbox soon after
- You’ll no longer be able to send or receive snaps from them
What Happens When You Remove
- The person is deleted from your friends and following lists
- Your stories and snaps become hidden from them
- Any pending messages or snaps will be canceled
- They won’t receive a notification of the removal
- You can still see their public stories if their account is public
- The connection can be restored by re-adding them later
Adjust Your Privacy Settings
To keep your Snapchat experience secure and personalized, you can fine-tune your privacy settings. These controls help you decide who can contact you, view your stories, and interact with your profile.
Who Can Contact Me
- Open Snapchat and tap your Bitmoji icon to access settings
- Scroll down to the “Privacy Control” section
- Tap “Contact Me” and choose who can message or snap you
- Options include Everyone, Friends, or Friends and Contacts
- Selecting Friends keeps your chats limited to trusted people
- This setting helps reduce unwanted messages and spam
Who Can View My Story
- Go to Settings → View My Story
- Choose between Everyone, Friends Only, or Custom
- The Custom option lets you hide stories from specific users
- Select Friends Only for a more private experience
- You can change this anytime based on your comfort level
- Helps protect your personal moments from public visibility
Who Can See Me in Quick Add
- Open Settings → See Me in Quick Add
- Toggle the option on or off depending on your preference
- Turning it off prevents your profile from appearing in Quick Add
- This means strangers or distant contacts can’t easily find you
- Recommended if you want a smaller, more personal friend list
- Keeps your account more secure and private
Who Can See My Location
- Open Settings → See My Location under the Snap Map section
- Turn on Ghost Mode to hide your location from everyone
- Or choose specific friends who can view your location
- You can set a duration for Ghost Mode (3 hours, 24 hours, etc.)
- Avoid sharing your live location with people you don’t know
- Helps ensure your safety and prevents unwanted tracking
Additional Privacy Controls
- Go to Settings → Privacy Controls for more options
- Adjust “Mentions,” “Cameos,” and “Activity Indicators”
- Disable Activity Indicators to hide when you’re active
- Control who can see you in public features like Spotlight
- Regularly review your privacy settings for updates
- Keeping these settings updated ensures better safety and comfort
Common Scenarios and Texting Examples
Here are some real-life examples showing how Snapchat’s following feature works in different chat situations:
Scenario 1: Messages showing as pending
Friend: “Hey, why are my snaps not sending to you?”
You: “They’re still pending because I haven’t added you back yet. Once I do, everything will go through fine.”
Scenario 2: Explaining what “following” means
Friend: “What does it mean when it says someone’s following me on Snapchat?”
You: “It means they’ve added you, but you haven’t accepted them yet. It’s like a one-way friend request waiting for your approval.”
Scenario 3: Can’t view private stories
Friend: “Why can’t I see your private stories even though I added you?”
You: “Private stories only show up for mutual friends. You’ll need to wait until I add you back to view them.”
Scenario 4: Snap not delivering
Friend: “My snap to you still says pending. What’s happening?”
You: “That happens when someone isn’t added back yet. Once we’re friends, your snaps will deliver instantly.”
Scenario 5: Dealing with unknown followers
Friend: “A random person followed me. What should I do?”
You: “If you don’t recognize them, just don’t add them back. You can also block them from their profile to stay secure.”
Scenario 6: Checking who follows you
Friend: “Is there a way to see who’s following me?”
You: “Yes! Go to your ‘Added Me’ list anyone there has followed you, but you haven’t added them back yet.”
Scenario 7: Confirming mutual friendship
Friend: “How can I tell if we’re actually friends now?”
You: “If you can see my Snap Score and your messages deliver right away, that means we’re mutual friends.”
Scenario 8: Controlling who follows you
Friend: “I don’t like random people adding me. How can I stop that?”
You: “Open Settings → ‘Who Can Contact Me’ → choose ‘Friends Only.’ Also turn off ‘Quick Add’ to avoid random adds.”
Scenario 9: Ignoring unwanted adds
Friend: “If I don’t add someone back, will they find out?”
You: “Nope! Snapchat doesn’t notify them. You can just ignore or block them anytime they won’t be alerted.”
Scenario 10: Story visibility issues
Friend: “Some people can’t see my story. What’s wrong?”
You: “Check your story settings! If they’re set to ‘Friends Only,’ followers who aren’t added back can’t view them.”
Scenario 11: Managing two accounts
Friend: “I use two Snapchat accounts. Can people follow both?”
You: “Yes! Each account is separate. Followers don’t transfer automatically, so you’ll need to manage each list individually.”
Scenario 12: Group chat access
Friend: “I tried to add someone to our group, but it didn’t work.”
You: “Only mutual friends can join group chats. If one of you hasn’t added the other back, Snapchat won’t allow it.”
Scenario 13: Lost streak confusion
Friend: “Our snap streak disappeared. Did you remove me?”
You: “Streaks only continue between mutual friends. If I removed you or didn’t add you back yet, that’s why it ended.”
Scenario 14: Profile visibility question
Friend: “Can people who follow me see my profile details?”
You: “Followers can only see your public information and stories. Private details stay hidden until you add them back.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Following Mean on Snapchat”?
It means you can see someone’s public stories and updates without them adding you back as a friend.
How do I know if I’m following someone on Snapchat?
Go to their profile if you see “Following,” it means you’re subscribed to their updates.
What’s the difference between following and being friends on Snapchat?
Following lets you view public content, while being friends allows both of you to see each other’s snaps and chats.
Can someone follow me on Snapchat without me knowing?
Yes, if your stories are public, people can follow you and view your updates without sending a friend request.
How can I remove someone I’m following on Snapchat?
Open their profile, tap the three dots, and select “Unfollow” or “Remove Friend” to stop seeing their updates.
Conclusion
In 2025, understanding what “following” means on Snapchat helps you take full control of your social connections. It’s more than just seeing stories, it’s about choosing who you want to stay updated with. Whether you follow friends, creators, or celebrities, Snapchat gives you the freedom to connect your way.
As Snapchat continues to grow, knowing the difference between following and being friends keeps your experience smooth and private. So, stay smart, follow who inspires you, and manage your circle wisely. Because on Snapchat, every follow shapes the story you see and the one you tell.
Hi, I’m Michael Grant. I have 4 years of experience writing for BibleTruthsNow.com, sharing insights on prayer, Bible meaning, and faith to encourage believers in their spiritual journey.