What Does the Green Dot Mean on Snapchat? (2025 Guide)

Snapchat is packed with icons and status indicators to help you connect with friends—but let’s be honest, some of these symbols can be downright confusing. One that trips up a lot of users is the mysterious green dot. If you’ve spotted it next to someone’s Bitmoji or profile and wondered what it really means (or if people can see it when you’re online), you’re not alone!

In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly what the green dot is, how long it sticks around, and how you can take control of your visibility. You’ll find clear, practical tips on what the green dot actually indicates, what it means for your privacy, and how to tweak your settings so you decide who gets to see your online status.

Understanding the Green Dot on Snapchat

On Snapchat, you might see two kinds of green dots:

• Activity Indicator: This green dot shows up next to someone’s Bitmoji or profile in the Add Friends or Quick Add screens. It means the person has used Snapchat recently, usually in the last 24 hours.
• Privacy Indicator: This green dot appears at the top of your screen when your camera is being used. It’s a general phone feature, not just for Snapchat.

You’ll only see the Activity Indicator in Add Friends or Quick Add screens, not in chats or your main friend’s list. The Privacy Indicator shows up whenever any app, including Snapchat, uses your camera.

How Long Does the Green Dot Stay on Snapchat?

The length of time depends on the type of indicator:

1. Activity Indicator:
   • This shows when someone is using Snapchat and usually goes away 3–5 minutes after they leave the app.
   • Sometimes, it can stay for up to 24 hours to show recent activity.
2. Privacy Indicator:
   • This only shows when your camera is being used and disappears as soon as you stop using the camera.

What Affects the Green Dot’s Visibility?

How long the green dot stays on depends on a few things:

1. User Activity: The green dot shows up when someone is using Snapchat. If they stop using the app, the dot usually goes away in a few minutes.
2. Settings: If you turn off the Activity Indicator in privacy settings, other people can’t see the green dot.
3. App/Connectivity Issues: Sometimes, problems with the app or your internet can make the dot stay on longer or disappear later than usual.

Green Dot vs. Other Snapchat Indicators

Snapchat uses different icons to show what’s happening. Here’s what the green dot means compared to others:

1. Activity Indicator: Shows if someone was recently active in Add Friends or Quick Add.
2. Privacy Indicator: Appears at the top when your camera is on (see above).
3. Bitmoji Movements: Bitmojis can move or do things on Snap Map, but this isn’t because of the green dot.
4. Green Battery Icon: This shows your phone’s battery on Snap Map, not your activity.

How to Turn Off the Green Dot (Activity Indicator) on Snapchat

If you want to keep what you do private, you can turn off the Activity Indicator:

1. Open Snapchat and tap your Bitmoji in the top left corner.
2. Tap the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
   
   
3. Scroll down and find “Privacy Controls.”
4. Tap “Activity Indicator.”
5. Switch off the Activity Indicator.
   
   

When it’s off, other people won’t see the green dot next to your profile in Add Friends or Quick Add, but you’ll still see it for people who haven’t turned theirs off.

Troubleshooting: Green Dot Not Showing

If you don’t see the green dot where you expect it, it could be because:

1. The user turned off their Activity Indicator.
2. You are not on the Add Friends or Quick Add screen.
3. Your app needs to be updated.
4. There is a temporary glitch—try restarting the app.

Snapchat’s Green Dot vs. Other Social Apps

Other platforms have similar status features, but they work a bit differently:

1. Instagram: Shows a green dot in Direct Messages when someone is online, so you can easily see which friends are available to chat.
2. WhatsApp: Shows “online” when a user is using the app and also shows “last seen” times to let you know when someone was last active.
3. Facebook Messenger: Uses a green dot to show when someone is online and also tells you the last time they were active, making it easy to check if friends are available.

Snapchat’s green dot is less exact than these. It only shows up in certain parts of the app and is meant to signal recent activity, not real-time online status. This means you can’t always tell exactly when your friends are active.

Conclusion

The green dot on Snapchat shows when someone was recently active or using their camera. It helps people connect, but you can control it for privacy. Use the Activity Indicator and Privacy Indicator in the way that works best for you on Snapchat.

Check out these helpful guides too:

• Snapchat Spotlight: How to Post, Go Viral, and Get Paid
• How to Pin Someone on Snapchat for Quick Access
• Snapchat Planets Order and Meaning – How Does It Work?
• How to Block and Unblock Someone on Snapchat