Don’t Let Your Snapstreak End! Pay Attention to the Hourglass

On the surface, Snapchat Streaks seem simple. Unless you and a friend send each other Snaps within 24 hours, you lose your Streak. But what does the Snapchat hourglass mean? How long does the hourglass last on Snapchat? Why do some Streaks seem not to follow the rules? The process is surprisingly complicated. 

What Are Snapchat Streaks and How Do They Work?

A Snapchat Streak shows people how many days they’ve sent pictures or videos to another user. It only appears after three consecutive days of Snapping back and forth. When they start a Streak, they’ll see an emoji and a number next to their friend’s name. This number will go up every 24 hours as long as they keep Snapping each other.

What is the meaning of the Snapchat hourglass? What purpose does it serve? For one, it creates a sense of urgency, encouraging people to use the app at least once daily. It can also inspire conversations, helping distant friends stay in touch. To some, Streaks are a point of pride. The bigger the number, the better the bragging rights. 

Does the Hourglass Mean Your Snapstreak is Ending?

Let’s put the Snapchat hourglass’ meaning into perspective. This emoji only pops up if a Snapchat Streak — typically called a Snapstreak or Streak — is active. Its appearance signals a Streak is about to expire. Unless a person takes action quickly, it will reset, dropping the number back down to zero. 

With very few exceptions, there is no quick way to get a Streak back. Whether it has lasted just three days or well over 3,000 days, it will be gone for good once the 24-hour window passes by without any activity. Knowing the timing specifics can help users maintain their Snapstreaks. So, how long does the hourglass last on Snapchat, exactly? 

How Long Do You Have When the Hourglass Appears?

Snap Inc. hasn’t said how long a person has to send a Snap after the hourglass appears. So far, there is no word on the official website — it uses vague language and dances around the question. What we do know is that Snapstreaks are supposed to reset after 24 hours. While some people have said they’ve exceeded that limit, their claims are unsubstantiated.

So, how long does the hourglass last on Snapchat? Many users agree that it appears after around 20 hours of inactivity, giving them roughly four hours to Snap each other. Others have said they’ve gone longer, with some claiming they’ve even gone over the 24-hour limit. 

Some Snapstreaks Take Longer to Expire

On one forum, multiple users chime in on the issue with their experiences. One says they have “personally witnessed” their Snapstreak go “well beyond 24 hours” despite the other party not replying with a Snap of their own. Another claimed they went around 40 hours without seeing the hourglass. In another case, their Streak ended in under 24 hours.

To these people’s credit, Snapchat’s rules may give some people more flexibility than others. An algorithm or rule-based formula likely plugs them into a calculation to determine the timing. If random internet users’ claims are to be believed, there is no one answer to the question “How long does the hourglass last on Snapchat?”

Factors That Influence How Long the Hourglass Lasts

Even though Snap Inc. hasn’t revealed exact timeframes for Snapchat Streaks, there is still a way to figure out how long the hourglass lasts on Snapchat. Although it isn’t an exact science, it’s more accurate than using the broad range most people accept at face value. In other words, it may save individuals from losing their Streaks.

Longer Snapstreaks may take longer to expire than newly created ones — Snapchat’s way of rewarding committed users. In addition to Streak length, the app may also factor in an account’s friendship level, Snap habits and Snapchat Score. Of course, the actual metrics will remain a mystery until Snap Inc. officially unveils its metrics. 

What To Do if an Hourglass Emoji Appears on Snapchat

Once the hourglass emoji pops up, Snapchat users must act fast. After all, since the time frame for expiration varies, there’s virtually no way for them to tell when it initially appeared. Do they have four hours to send a Snap or four minutes? Generally, it’s better to be safe than sorry. They should Snap their friend as soon as possible — and ensure they get a timely reply. 

What to Do if the Snapchat Hourglass Won’t Go Away

What does it mean if the Snapchat hourglass still shows up after you send a Snap? It may be a glitch. There are several reasons this could happen. 

Snap Sent but Not Received

Many people don’t realize they need to receive pictures or videos to maintain their Snapstreaks. Both parties have a responsibility to send at least one every 24 hours. If one doesn’t, the timer will keep counting down — no matter how many Snaps the other sends. 

Internet Connectivity Issues

People experiencing internet connectivity problems may still see the hourglass icon even after sending and receiving a Snap. Fortunately, there are several solutions. They can restart their phone, reconnect to their network, restart their router or temporarily rely on data instead of Wifi. 

Server Congestion or Errors

Sometimes, the problem isn’t on the end user. Server congestion and unplanned downtime are relatively uncommon but not impossible. For instance, in January 2024, outage detection websites were flooded with thousands of reports about issues with server connection and app functionality issues. Many couldn’t send Snaps — the one requirement for maintaining Streaks.

Too Many Missed App Updates  

App updates are critical to functionality. Without them, even simple features start to break. Updating the app is a good strategy if Snapchat users have already restarted their phones, double-checked their internet connection and ensured no outages have been reported. 

Some Actions Won’t Contribute to Your Snapstreaks

There’s a trick to maintaining Snapstreaks. The hourglass only goes away if two people send each other Snaps. Chats don’t count. Neither do Group Snaps. Memories — even the “one year ago, today” Flashback Memories — won’t cut it, either. Many people unexpectedly lose their Streaks because they mistakenly believe Chats and group messages are fine.

Crucially, even if someone sends a Snap, their Snapstreak may still disappear. This is because both parties must send and receive a picture or video within 24 hours. If one doesn’t respond in time, both will lose the Streak. Many people resort to spamming messages, sending texts or even calling to get their friend’s attention in time.

Using Snapchat+ to Maintain Your Snapchat Streak

For a few dollars a month, Snapchat+ users can get exclusive features that ensure they don’t have to worry about sleeping in or traveling without an internet connection. Regardless of how they miss the 24-hour mark, they can maintain their Snapstreaks.

1. Snapstreak Restore

It’s possible to restore Snapchat Streaks with the press of a button — and the opening of a wallet. Snapchat+ is a paid plan that offers prerelease and exclusive options like Snapstreak Restore. With this feature, they can reset their 24-hour clock, making it seem like the untimely expiration never happened. 

2. Instant Streaks

What are Instant Streaks on Snapchat+? They remove the three-day waiting period to start Snapstreaks. Once toggled on, two friends only have to send one Snap back and forth to get started. Notably, it only works for new Streaks. If there’s an option to restore the expired one, they have to wait. 

3. Snapstreak Reminders

This feature works like it sounds. It sends a notification anywhere from one to 22 hours before the Streak will expire, helping users know precisely how much time they have left to send Snaps. If they don’t want to get overwhelmed, they can customize it, enabling it only for a select few friends. 

What Else Can You Do to Restore a Lost Snapstreak?

If someone has used up their single Restore, there is only one way they can restore their Streak without paying. Using Snapchat’s official support page, they can fill out a short form to request help. They enter their username, the contact details associated with their account and their friend’s username. It may take up to two hours to receive a response.

Frequently Asked Questions About Snapchat Streaks 

Despite their seemingly simple nature, Snapstreaks are surrounded by a lot of mystery. Here are the answers to frequently asked questions to help clarify users’ burning questions.

Do Time Zones Affect Snapchat Streaks?

Snapchat doesn’t use local time to determine the 24-hour window. That would quickly get confusing if both parties lived in different time zones. Instead, it uses a 24-hour rolling time frame. As soon as both parties send and receive Snaps, the clock resets, giving them another 24 hours — give or take, if the rumors are true — before their Streak expires. 

How Much Does It Cost to Restore a Snapstreak?

A person can get Snapchat+ for about $3.99 monthly or $29.99 annually as of early 2025. This subscription is the only way to unlock a one-time “Restore” option, which undoes an untimely expiration for $0.49 to $1.49 per use.

Can You Restore Multiple Expired Streaks at Once?

On iOS, it’s possible to restore multiple expired Snapstreaks simultaneously. Tapping the Restore button next to the lost Snapchat Streaks gives iPhone owners the option to Restore All. After hitting that button, they must follow the app’s instructions and confirm their payment method. 

Is There a Way to Change the Snapstreak Emoji? 

By default, Snapstreaks use the fire emoji. To be clear, it is solely aesthetic. The number is the only metric that matters. However, even though changing it isn’t necessarily beneficial, it looks good. Those interested in a fun change can find alternatives in the settings — specifically under Friend Emojis in the app’s Additional Services section.

How Many Snapstreak Restores Do You Get?

Every account gets one Snapstreak Restore to start out with — whether they pay for premium or not. Once that’s used up, they need to buy more. People who pay for Snapchat+ get one free Restore each month. Crucially, they operate under a use-it-or-lose-it policy, meaning they don’t roll over into the next month. 

Advice on Starting and Keeping a Snapchat Streak

Even for people who know how long the hourglass lasts on Snapchat, maintaining a Snapstreak can be tough. Fortunately, there are ways to simplify it. 

How to Start a Streak on Snapchat

Starting a streak is simple — plenty of people do it on accident. That said, it’s only possible if the other person responds on time. Both parties need to want to make it happen. Consistent interaction and collaboration is key. 

To ensure a friend’s sporadic messaging isn’t the cause of a lost Streak, users should send one picture in the morning and one at night. This way, they potentially give themselves a wider 24-hour window while politely reminding their friend of the timer.

How to Keep Your Snapchat Streak Going

Although several major tech outlets reported Snap Inc. planned to unveil a new feature that would allow users to temporarily pause their Streaks, there’s no such option yet. They shouldn’t rely on Restore — it, too, is on a timer. It’s typically safer to maintain a Streak.

Many people have Snapstreaks with multiple friends. In these cases, a morning or evening Snap makes things easier — it reaches everyone at once, ensuring the 24-hour timers start ticking down around the same time. 

You Must Know How Long the Snapchat Hourglass Lasts

Ultimately, people who want to maintain streaks must know how long the hourglass lasts on Snapchat. Of course, the timing has to be based on mystery metrics and is subject to change. Even though understanding the specifics can be almost headache-inducing, it’s worth the trouble to reach triple — even quadruple — digits.