What is Snap Map?
Snap Map is a Snapchat feature that shows where you—and your friends—are on a live map. Think of it like a friendly GPS circle with Bitmoji avatars that appear when you open the app. You can choose who sees you, and your location only updates when Snapchat is open—unless you opt in to share live background location.
Who can see your location—and how you control it
Snap Map gives you full control over your privacy. You can share your location with:
- Just you (Ghost Mode)
- All your friends
- Only selected friends
You pick your preference in the Snap Map settings. Your Bitmoji stops updating on the map if you don’t open Snapchat for 24 hours—unless you’ve enabled continuous live location sharing.
What’s the difference between Snap Map and Live Location?
- Snap Map updates your last-known position only when you have the app open.
- Live Location lets you share your real-time location continuously for a set duration (e.g., 15 minutes, an hour, or longer), even if the app is closed—perfect for safety during meet-ups.
Can I see what’s happening elsewhere?
Yes! Snap Map highlights “hotspots” with colored heatmap overlays:
- Blue means a few Snaps.
- Orange or red means lots of activity.
Tap a hotspot to watch community Snaps from events, travels, or news stories. It’s like exploring mini Stories around the world.
Why did Snapchat build this—and why it matters to you
Snap Map launched in June 2017 after Snapchat acquired Zenly, a social mapping app.
It’s not just a fun map feature. It helps you:
- Find friends hanging out nearby
- Stay in the loop about community events
- Share your adventures through our public Story collection
And, according to recent data, Snap Map has over 400 million monthly users—especially popular with younger audiences who use it for safety, meet-ups, and FOMO (fear of missing out).
Is Snap Map safe to use?
Good question — location sharing comes with trade-offs. Safety reminders on Snapchat ask you to:
- Share only with people you trust
- Turn on Ghost Mode when you don’t want to be tracked
- Be mindful when sharing background (always-on) location
- Review sharing alerts and adjust your privacy when needed
Tips to get the most from Snap Map
Here are some quick tricks to keep you savvy and secure:
- Use Ghost Mode when you’re off the grid—ghosting removes your Bitmoji entirely.
- Share selectively—choose a few close friends rather than everyone.
- Try Live Location only when it matters (e.g., meeting friends, safety check-ins).
- Explore hotspots to discover what’s going on in your city or abroad—great for inspiration or planning.
- Contribute to Our Story in interesting places and get featured on the public map.
Snap Map is a smart, visual way to stay connected, discover events, and share moments—so long as you use it thoughtfully. It can help you, and your friends, show up—literally and figuratively—in each other’s lives.