If you are new to Snapchat and notice a little padlock on someone’s Snapchat story, you might get confused. From the very first look, it seems to be shrouded in mystery. So, what does the lock mean on Snapchat? It signifies a Private Story for a selective audience. Unlike the standard stories, which all the concerned person’s connections can view, a private story is disclosed to a selected group of people only.
But how and why do you create such private stories? Also, how will you know if you are added to your friend’s private circle or not? This blog has answers to all your queries. Let us get you the specifics of the same –
Table of Contents
What does the lock mean on Snapchat?
When you see a padlock on a Snapchat story, it means that it is a Private story. Also, lucky for you, you have been added to that Private story, hence, unlike general people, you will be able to view the story.
For the unversed, a private story is one for a selected group of people who are tagged to that story. When you see that padlock, it is a visual cue that you, too, have been added to that story.
This is especially suitable for those Snapchat profiles that are open to the public. In these private stories, one can add videos and photos that disappear after 24 hours. This is one of the best ways to keep certain things private.
What is the difference between regular and private stories?
You have decoded all about that ‘special lock’ on the Snapchat story and what it means. Now, before proceeding further, let us quickly update you about the critical differences between the everyday Snapchat stories and the padlocked Private ones –
| NORMAL SNAPCHAT STORY | PRIVATE PADLOCKED STORY |
| Everyone can see it | Selected people who have been added can only see the story |
| This story comes with a default name | The creator can name it according to their preference |
| The story is accessible to one and all | It is a private story and you must browse the list to get it |
| Ca appear in the Snap Map | This story is unavailable to anyone apart from the chosen few’s feeds |
How do you create this private story?
Now that you are aware what does the lock mean on Snapchat and how beneficial it is, would you like to try it for yourself? Let us show you how to create such private stories –
Step 1 – Open your Snapchat profile and on the top left corner you will find the Bitmoji icon. Click on that icon.
Step 2 – When you scroll down, you will see next to the My Stories icon – there is a ‘Add New Story.’ When you tap on that icon, a menu opens up which creates a new custom story for you.
Step 3 – You can select the New Private Story from the available options.
Step 4 – From here, you can choose the ‘people’ whom you want to share the story with. Browse through your friend list to pick the selected people.
Step 5 – Now, you have to assign a name to this story. You can also use a host of Snapchat tools like drawings and filters.
Step 6 – If you want to edit the Snapchat story, then you have to see the Setting icon. From there opt for Story Settings.
Why do people create such private stories?
Once you have seen for yourself what does the lock mean on Snapchat it is only natural for you to wonder – why would people do that? Let us tell you some of the primary reasons –
- Not everyone wants to give out every piece of information. Hence, this Snapchat story offers complete privacy wherein you can share your whereabouts only with a selected group of people.
- Also, with this feature, you do not need to customize your list whenever you share something personal.
- This feature allows those with a public Snapchat profile to hide their stories from random people.
- Lastly, the Snapchat story may sometimes be directed at someone to seek advice. Keeping it private is the best way to ensure your story receives the desired feedback.
Can you add someone later to the private story?
Indeed, you can! Say, for example, you realize after posting your Snapchat Private padlocked story that you forgot to add your Bitmoji friend to the story. What would you do then? We have the answers right here –
Step 1 – Visit your Snapchat profile and on the top left of the app, you will see Profile Bitmoji. Click on that.
Step 2 – When you scroll down, you will see the View More option. You must click on that.
Step 3 – You can already figure out which private story you created. Simply long-press that.
Step 4 – On following the above-mentioned step, you will find the icon of Edit Viewers. Select it.
Step 5 – Now, from there, choose the friend whom you want to add at the last moment. Click on the Save button! Bingo! Your ‘missed-out’ friend has been added to the story!
Some quickies about Private stories
Given that you are better aware of what does the lock mean on Snapchat it is time to check out some quickies about Private stories that you are perhaps unaware of –
- Snapchat allows you to create 20 Private Stories simultaneously for different friend groups.
- Depending on the ‘seen’ status of stories, the padlock’s hue keeps changing. Especially for a private story – if you have not yet viewed it, then you will notice a purple lock to it. For stories that you have seen, you will see a grey lock attached to it (almost like a blue circle format).
- In terms of security, Snapchat is enabled with – a feature called My EyesOnly. With this, you can password-protect those snaps that you wish to keep only for yourself.
- For the unaware, according to Snapchat’s policy, every piece of content disappears after 24 hours. But in the meantime, people who are tagged in a specific story can screenshot it.
For the newbies to this app, you can easily spot the specifications now!
Wrapping up
Snapchat, since its inception, has been a fun app to share moments with your family, and near and dear ones. Now that you have figured out what does the lock mean on Snapchat, one can assume that you are thrilled to be so close to someone. After all, without a doubt, the concerned person considers you trustworthy and close enough to share their private stories with you on this app. We sincerely hope the bond between both of you continues to flourish as ever!
If you enjoyed reading this post, and want to see such enlightening posts about multiple apps and their functioning – keep an eye on our website.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many private stories can you add on Snapchat?
At a time, you can curate up to 20 stories on Snapchat, and that too for multiple friend groups.
2. Can you view someone’s story without letting them know?
There is technically no way to view someone’s private story without alerting that person. The profile is set characteristically so that the person will know if you have viewed their story.
However, some individuals with malicious intent may view the stories in a Ghost mode. But that interferes with Snapchat’s terms and conditions, and you might face consequences of the same.
3. Will a private story notify the concerned people attached to that?
There is no alert system that notifies the people attached to that private story. Only when the concerned individuals open the app and check your story do they learn of your tagging them (thanks to a little sparkle formed around your Bitmoji).
4. Can you rename an existing Snapchat story?
To rename a private story, you have to log into the Snapchat profile page and then go to the View More option. From there, you must long-press the Private story, which you wish to rename. You will automatically get the option to Rename the story. Do the needful now.
5. How do you delete a private Snapchat story?
You must opt into your Snapchat profile to delete the private story. From there, visit the Profile Bitmoji and scroll down to View More. When you long-press the Private Story, there will be an option to delete it. You can follow the same.
