Snapchat has always been an app that’s been full of juicy secrets. From it’s first moments on the scene as a so-called premier “sexting app,” which we all know it isn’t, Snapchat has always revolved around secrecy, fleeting emotions, and creative impulse. With about 26 million users according to research by the Pew Center, Snapchat has quickly risen to the top as a one-of-a-kind communication platform for ephemeral messaging — picture and video messages that disappear after 10 seconds of viewing them. Although having been met with vicious competitors (see Facebook’s “Poke” app), Snapchat has proven that it is here to stay due to it’s loyal fan base. And what more can Snapchat give is loyal users than a few sneaky secrets to help them Snap more enjoyably? Here are the five tips and tricks for using hidden Snapchat features:
Coloring in Black:
For as long as Snapchat has been around, its users have used the drawing feature to much enjoyment. Using the drawing tool, users can choose from an array of colors and doodle on their snaps before sending them along to friends. And yet, to the dismay of many, the color black had always been left out of the mix. No need to fear! Tip: If you hold down on the color picker and slide down past the colors to the bottom of your smartphone’s screen (very un-intuitive, I know), your drawing tool will magically be set to the color black!
Coloring in White:
Similar to the color black, the color white never made it into the color palette of the Snapchat drawing tool. Too often would people who wanted to draw white, long beards and moustaches on snaps of themselves and their pets exclaim: “why doesn’t Snapchat have white!?” Tip: If you hold down on the color picker and slide down to the middle of your phone’s screen, and then slide your finger all the way to the left side of your screen, your drawing tool will automatically set to the color white! With this new knowledge, now you, too, can turn your Snapchat selfies into elaborate Gandalf the White snaps.
Going Sepia:
When people think of photo filters, Instagram is usually the first service that comes to mind. With its ease of use and array of photo filters, anyone can turn a mediocre picture into a vibrant, professionally-edited photograph. Now Snapchat wants to provide its users with a similar feature set and is doing so with secret filters! Tip: Tap on a snap that you’ve just taken and enter the secret phrase “Sepia…” while making sure to match the text exactly (with a capital “S” and three periods). Once you enter the last period, your snap should automatically apply a sepia filter. Note: Once you’ve entered the phrase and your sepia filter has been applied, you may click it again and delete the phrase so you can enter the text entry of your choice.
Going Black and White:
Similar to the sepia filter, the black and white filter can be used to make your pictures feel retro and classy. Tip: Tap on a snap that you’ve just taken and enter the secret phrase “B&w…” while making sure to match the text exactly (with a capital “B,” ampersand “&,” and three periods). Your snap should instantly apply a black and white filter.
Going Negative:
Lastly, you can apply a negative filter to your snaps to get a spooky Snapchat effect. Tip: Tap on a snap that you’ve just taken and enter the secret phrase “Negative…” while making sure to match the text exactly. Your snap should instantly apply that negative filter that you’re looking for.
So that’s it! Now you know all about the secrets of Snapchat and can get to sending some of the best snaps in the history of Snapchat. What will you snap next?
