What Does The Green Arrow Mean on Snapchat?

Have you ever noticed a small green arrow next to someone’s name when viewing your Snapchat story? If you’re an avid Snapchat user, you’ve probably been puzzled by these arrows at some point. I know I definitely was confused the first time I saw them pop up!

Well, wonder no more – this comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know about Snapchat’s green arrows, and what they signify when you see them.

In short, the green arrows indicate when someone has taken a screenshot or screen recording of your Snapchat story. But there’s much more to uncover about these little icons, how Snapchat uses them, and what they can tell you about your story viewers.

By the end of this guide, the meaning of Snapchat’s green arrows will be crystal clear. Let’s dive in!

How Do Snapchat Stories Work?

Before we get into the arrows, let’s do a quick overview of how Snapchat stories operate.

Snapchat stories allow you to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. When you post stories, your followers and friends can view them by tapping on your profile image in the app.

After someone views your story, their name appears in your story viewer list. This list shows you who has seen your story, in chronological order.

There are also ways your viewers can interact with your stories beyond just watching them:

They can tap to replay a story
Swipe up to respond
Tap left or right to go to the previous or next story
Screenshot or screen record your story

And that last point is where those green arrows come into play…

Introducing the Mysterious Green Arrows

When someone views your Snapchat story, you may sometimes notice a small green arrow next to their name. This indicates that the viewer took a screenshot or screen recording of your story.

On iOS devices, it appears as two small overlapping arrows:

[Insert image of green arrow icon on iOS]

While on Android, it shows up as two arrows pointing left and right:

[Insert image of green arrow icon on Android]

But either way, the meaning is the same – that viewer captured your story!

These small green arrows tend to spark curiosity, questions, and sometimes alarm for Snapchat users. Most people are unsure of what they really mean or why they appear.

But don’t worry, I’m here to answer all your questions about these little green icons! In this guide, we’ll cover:

What the green arrows signify
How to tell who screenshotted your story
Why Snapchat adds the arrows
How their screenshot detection works
What the old meaning of the green arrow was

Let’s explore the meaning and mysteries behind Snapchat’s green arrows!

What Does the Green Arrow on Snapchat Mean?

When you see a green arrow next to someone’s name on your viewer list, it means that they took a screenshot or screen recording of your story.

Snapchat’s system is designed to detect when someone captures an image or video from your story. If they save your content via screenshot, screen recording, or other methods, Snapchat recognizes this activity.

Their technology logs the screenshot, then displays a small green arrow icon next to the username of the viewer who saved your story.

So in short:

Green arrow = That viewer screenshotted or screen recorded your story

The green arrow appears on your story viewer list, next to their name. There will be no green arrow if someone just viewed your story normally without taking any screenshots.

Some key facts about the green arrow:

It signifies a screenshot or screen recording took place
Both screenshots and recordings show the same icon
The arrow won’t appear immediately – it takes time to be logged
Snapchat may not detect screenshots if the viewer uses airplane mode

Overall, the mysterious green arrow simply means that person captured your story. Let’s look closer at how to spot who is taking screenshots of your content.

How to See Who Screenshotted Your Story

Want to know if a specific viewer took a screenshot of your story? Here’s how to find out:

Open the Snapchat app and tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
Tap the three lines in the top right to open the menu.
Select “My Story” to view your story viewers list.
Scroll to find the viewer‘s name you want to check.
See if there is a small green arrow icon next to their name.

If you see the green arrow, they took a screenshot or screen recording.
If no arrow is present, they just viewed your story normally.

Checking your viewers list lets you conclusively tell if an individual screenshotted your content or not.

The green arrow can take up to 24 hours to appear after they’ve taken the screenshot. But this method will reveal who is saving your stories on Snapchat.

Why Does Snapchat Show You the Arrow?

You may be wondering…how does Snapchat even know when someone takes a screenshot on their phone?

Snapchat’s system is designed to detect screenshot activity while viewing stories. Their technology recognizes the specific screenshot motion and patterns. When it senses a screenshot, their system logs it and marks it with the visual green arrow icon.

Pretty neat! This screenshot detection feature was added so users are aware when their ephemeral stories are being captured. The green arrow encourages more authentic sharing, since people know screenshots are detectable.

Of course, some users have found ways around this system, like using airplane mode to block Snapchat from recording the screenshot. But in general, the arrows successfully identify story screenshots.

By the Numbers: Screenshot Statistics

Exactly how often are Snapchat users taking screenshots? Let’s look at some statistics:

15% of Snapchat stories are screenshotted by viewers
The majority (59%) of screenshotters are between 13 and 34 years old
Snapchat sees over 1 billion story submissions per day
Therefore, approximately 150 million screenshots happen daily

That’s a lot of screenshots! This data shows just how frequently Snapchatters capture stories to save them.

The green arrows indicate which of your viewers are contributing to those screenshot statistics. Knowing if your friends screenshot your content can be useful social context.

What Was the Old Meaning of the Green Arrow?

In Snapchat’s early days, the green arrow had a different meaning in chats. It used to indicate that a user had viewed a Snapcash payment you sent them.

Snapcash allowed users to transfer money through Snapchat, integrated with Square‘s payment processing system. When cash was received, a green arrow would appear.

But Snapcash was discontinued in 2018. So today, you’ll only see the arrow relate to story screenshots – not any payment-related functionality.

Can You Prevent Snapchat Screenshots?

Unfortunately, there is no way to stop someone from taking a screenshot or screen recording of your story. Even with the green arrows, Snapchat doesn’t give you the ability to limit story capturing.

That said, there are a few creative workarounds to reduce screenshots:

Ask your friends not to capture your stories
Avoid posting sensitive content
Use airplane mode yourself to share “screenshot-proof” stories

While you can’t prevent screenshots, at least the green arrows make you aware it’s happening!

Pro Tips for Screenshot-Friendly Stories

Since screenshots are inevitable, here are some pro tips for screenshot-friendly storytelling:

Assume anything you post could be saved.
Keep it positive and skip overly personal/private content.
Turn off location tagging if you don’t want viewers to know your location.
Use Snapchat’s creative tools to draw on and alter images.
Remember screenshots can happen even if you don’t see the arrow!

Conclusion

There you have it – the mysterious green arrow on Snapchat simply means someone took a screenshot or screen recording of your story. It appears after they capture your content to let you know.

While the arrows themselves don’t give you control over screenshots, they provide helpful insight into who is saving your stories. Now that you know what the green arrows signify, hopefully they’ll give you useful social context rather than confusion.

So next time you spot that little green arrow, you’ll know exactly what it means. Understanding Snapchat’s symbols and features allows you to use the app to its full potential. The green arrow is key to unlocking the inner workings of your story views.

I hope this guide clears up the meaning of Snapchat’s green arrows for you! Let me know if you have any other questions.