Snapcodes

{{Short description|Proprietary QR code system used in Snapchat}}

{{Infobox code

| name = Snapcode

| image = Snapcode barcode.svg

| image_alt = A yellow Snapcode with the ghost logo in the center

| caption = Example version 1.0 Snapcode

| type = Proprietary scannable code

| owner = Snap Inc.

| introduced = 27 January 2015

| uses = Adding friends, unlocking content, linking to websites

| standard = None

}}

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.{{cite news |last=Constine |first=Josh |title=Snapchat lets you add people via QR Snaptags thanks to secret Scan.me acquisition |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/01/28/snaptags/ |work=TechCrunch |date=28 January 2015 |access-date=19 May 2025}}

History

Snapcodes debuted in Snapchat on 27 January 2015 alongside the Discover content hub.

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.{{cite news |title=Snapchat has changed through acquisitions, and it's hunting for more |work=Los Angeles Times |date=10 May 2017 |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-snapchat-acquisitions-20170510-htmlstory.html |access-date=19 May 2025}}

Within months Snapchat said “millions of Snapcodes are scanned each week,” reflecting rapid adoption.{{cite news |last=Constine |first=Josh |title=How Snapchat made QR codes cool again |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/05/04/snapcode/ |work=TechCrunch |date=4 May 2015 |access-date=19 May 2025}}

=Feature expansions=

Animated profile GIFs (September 2015): tapping a personal Snapcode lets a user record a looping five-frame selfie that replaces the ghost icon.{{cite news |last=Constine |first=Josh |title=Why Snapchat's only non-ephemeral content, the profile GIF, is a smart growth hack |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/09/29/profile-gif/ |work=TechCrunch |date=29 September 2015 |access-date=19 May 2025}}
Vector downloads (May 2015): users gained the option to export high-resolution SVG files of their Snapcode for posters and merchandise.
Website Snapcodes (31 January 2017): Snapchat added custom codes that open any URL inside its in-app browser, a move The Verge said would put “Snapcodes everywhere” in advertising.{{cite news |last=Gartenberg |first=Chaim |title=Snapchat now lets you link to websites using custom Snapcodes |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/31/14455404/snapchat-custom-snapcodes-website-links-update |work=The Verge |date=31 January 2017 |access-date=19 May 2025}}
Codes can also unlock hidden AR lenses, geofilters or Discover channels.

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.{{cite magazine |last=Garun |first=Natt |title=The curious comeback of the dreaded QR code |url=https://www.wired.com/story/the-curious-comeback-of-the-dreaded-qr-code/ |magazine=Wired |date=10 August 2017 |access-date=19 May 2025}}

=Influence=

Competing services later introduced similar scannable profile codes, including Facebook Messenger, Instagram (Nametags) and Venmo.{{cite news |last=Constine |first=Josh |title=First look at Instagram Nametags, its clone of Snapchat QR codes |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/09/instagram-nametags/ |work=TechCrunch |date=9 April 2018 |access-date=19 May 2025}}

Patents

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

US 9,111,164 – “Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes” (2015){{cite patent |number=US9111164B1 |title=Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes |assignee=Snap Inc. |date=18 August 2015}}
US 9,911,073 – “Facial patterns for optical barcodes” (2018)