Snapcodes

Last updated
Snapcode
Snapcode barcode.svg
Classification
TypeProprietary scannable code

Snapcodes are proprietary two-dimensional barcode images used by the social-media platform Snapchat to add friends, open web pages, unlock lenses and perform other in-app actions. Each Snapcode is a yellow square containing a central Ghostface Chillah logo ringed by black dots that encode a unique identifier. Scanning the image with the Snapchat camera triggers the associated action, avoiding the need to type usernames or URLs. [1]

Contents

History

Snapcodes debuted in Snapchat on 27 January 2015 alongside the Discover content hub. [1] The feature was built on technology from Utah-based QR start-up Scan, Inc., which Snap had quietly acquired for about US$50–54 million in late 2014. [2]

Within months Snapchat said “millions of Snapcodes are scanned each week,” reflecting rapid adoption. [3]

Feature expansions

Design and technology

Snapcodes borrow the visual grammar of the QR code but use a proprietary dot pattern readable only by Snapchat. The central ghost cut-out can display a selfie or brand logo without affecting scannability. All decoding occurs on-device; Snap has not published the specification.

Usage and adoption

Acting as Snapchat’s equivalent of a follow button, Snapcodes are shared on social profiles, business cards, billboards and even concert screens. Brands such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola have printed them on packaging. Wired credited Snapcodes with reviving mainstream interest in QR technology in the United States. [6]

Influence

Competing services later introduced similar scannable profile codes, including Facebook Messenger, Instagram (Nametags) and Venmo. [7]

Patents

Snap holds several United States patents covering the dot pattern and customization of Snapcodes, among them:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Constine, Josh (28 January 2015). "Snapchat lets you add people via QR Snaptags thanks to secret Scan.me acquisition". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  2. "Snapchat has changed through acquisitions, and it's hunting for more". Los Angeles Times. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Constine, Josh (4 May 2015). "How Snapchat made QR codes cool again". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  4. Constine, Josh (29 September 2015). "Why Snapchat's only non-ephemeral content, the profile GIF, is a smart growth hack". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  5. Gartenberg, Chaim (31 January 2017). "Snapchat now lets you link to websites using custom Snapcodes". The Verge. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  6. Garun, Natt (10 August 2017). "The curious comeback of the dreaded QR code". Wired. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  7. Constine, Josh (9 April 2018). "First look at Instagram Nametags, its clone of Snapchat QR codes". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  8. US9111164B1,"Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes", assigned to Snap Inc.