What Does "Pending" Mean on Snapchat? A Comprehensive Guide

As a frequent Snapchat user, I‘ve encountered my fair share of confusing "Pending" statuses. You send a perfectly snappy Snap, only to see it stuck in limbo with that ambiguous Pending notification. Why does Snapchat say Pending, and what does it actually mean?

Based on my experience as a social media marketing expert, that Pending status could signify several different issues on Snapchat‘s end or the recipient‘s end. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk through all the potential causes of seeing Pending on Snapchat so you can decipher what‘s really going on.

Prevalence of the Mysterious Pending Status

Let‘s first discuss how common the Pending status is on Snapchat these days. According to [DATA ON % OF SNAPS PENDING], a significant portion of Snaps sent within the platform show as Pending rather than Received or Opened.

In Snapchat user surveys, over [XX%] of respondents reported regularly seeing Pending notifications when messaging friends. I‘ve certainly encountered my share of Pending Snaps and statuses in daily use.

It‘s clear the Pending notification is a ubiquitous part of the Snapchat messaging experience. But what exactly does it mean when your perfectly crafted selfie or hilarious video gets stuck in pending purgatory?

Reason 1: The User Hasn’t Added You Back Yet

The most common reason your Snap will show as Pending is because the recipient simply hasn‘t added you back as a friend yet.

Here‘s a quick breakdown of how the Snapchat friending process works:

• You can add someone as a friend by inputting their username.
• Once added, you can immediately start sending that user Snaps and Chats.
• However, until they add you back, your Snaps will remain in a Pending status.

According to [DATA], [XX%] of Pending Snapchat statuses are caused by the recipient not officially adding the sender as a friend yet.

Once the user adds you back, the status will change from Pending to Received if they‘ve viewed your Snap or Opened if they‘ve opened the full contents.

But if they never add you back, your Snaps will continue to show as Pending indefinitely.

If your status has been stuck on Pending for a while after adding someone new, don‘t panic. I recommend waiting [X days/weeks] before following up to ask if they got your request. That gives the user sufficient time to notice and add you back if they want.

[SCREENSHOTS SHOWING PENDING CHANGING TO RECEIVED/OPENED]

So be patient if your Snaps are temporarily lurking in Pending purgatory after sending a new friend request. With any luck, that status will update once they accept and start engaging.

Reason 2: The User Removed You as a Friend

Another possible cause for a Pending status is getting removed as a friend by the recipient.

Getting removed from someone‘s Snapchat friend list doesn‘t prevent you from viewing their public Stories or sending them Snaps. You actually have no indication that you‘ve been removed.

The only change is that your older Snaps and Chats that once showed as Received or Opened will revert to the Pending status.

Here‘s a quick play-by-play of what happens when you get removed:

• You become friends with another user and exchange Snaps back and forth.
• Your Snaps display as Opened, indicating they‘ve viewed them.
• Out of the blue, they remove you from their friend list.
• Your previously Opened Snaps switch to a Pending status.

According to [DATA], approximately [XX%] of users have removed a friend from their Snapchat account at some point.

Removing friends can be motivated by several factors: clearing out inactive friends, distancing oneself from an ex, or eliminating connections with those no longer part of your life.

There are certainly etiquette considerations around social media removing. Typically it‘s safest to remove someone you‘re no longer close with or someone overly inappropriate. Removing very suddenly in an active friendship can cause hurt feelings.

So if you notice your Snap statuses flipped from something friendly to Pending, there‘s a decent chance you got removed. Don‘t take it personally – pruning social circles is common. The bright side is you can still engage through public channels if desired.

Reason 3: You‘re Blocked

Beyond removing, getting blocked by another user will also lead to a Pending status on Snapchat.

Blocking is much more severe than removing someone as a friend. When you‘re blocked by a Snapchat user, it means:

• They won‘t receive any of your Snaps or Chats at all.
• You‘re completely invisible to them on the platform.

According to [DATA], [XX%] of Snapchat users have blocked another user at some point.

People often block others on social media platforms like Snapchat due to:

• Harassment or bullying behavior
• Excessive messaging
• Inappropriate or abusive content
• Spam messaging
• Impersonation accounts

I recommend avoiding these behaviors that tend to trigger blocking. Always chat respectfully and disengage from any conflict.

If you suspect you may have been blocked based on a Pending Snap status, send a test Chat. If your message continues to show as Pending indefinitely, being blocked is the most likely cause.

Compared to simply removing you, blocking is intended to fully eliminate contact and visibility. The only way to revert is if the user chooses to later unblock you.

Reason 4: No Internet Connection

Seeing the Pending status doesn‘t necessarily mean your relationship with the recipient changed. It could simply indicate a lack of internet connectivity on their end.

Let‘s walk through a scenario where internet issues cause Pending:

• You send a Snap to your friend Katie.
• Katie is offline and disconnected from the internet.
• Since your Snap couldn‘t be delivered the status shows as Pending.
• Once Katie reconnects to the internet, the status will update to Received or Opened.

According to Snapchat‘s company statistics, [XX%] of Snaps are sent while the user is connected to WiFi while [XX%] are sent over a mobile data network.

Before assuming you‘re blocked or removed if a status is pending, check if your friend is completely offline. Try sending a Snap to a mutual connection – if they show as Received but your other friend remains Pending, lack of connectivity is the likely cause.

You can also ask the user if they‘re experiencing any internet or cell reception issues. Depending on the service provider, network conditions in a certain area may be poor.

I recommend testing your own connection by toggling between WiFi and mobile data. Rebooting your phone can also fix temporary glitches.

Reason 5: The User Deleted Their Account

The last scenario where Pending rears its head is if the recipient deleted their Snapchat account.

Here is the typical sequence when an account gets deleted:

• The account is first deactivated for 30 days after requesting deletion. During this time, it‘s recoverable if the user logs back in.
• With deactivation, any new Snaps/Chats will show as Pending, but old Snaps still show their previous status.
• After 30 full days of inactivity, the account is permanently deleted by Snapchat.
• Now all Snaps – new and old – will display as Pending for the user.

According to Snapchat‘s public statistics, approximately [XX%] of accounts are deleted every year.

People typically delete social media accounts due to:

• Breaks from social media to improve mental health
• Security and privacy concerns
• Harassment from other users
• Transitioning to new platforms

If your friend suddenly seems to have disappeared from Snapchat and your Snaps show as Pending, there‘s a good chance that account was deleted or deactivated.

Once an account is permanently deleted after 30 days, there is unfortunately no way to revert those Pending statuses. The user and all associated Snaps are gone from the platform.

Does “Pending” on Snapchat Mean You’re Blocked?

A common question I‘m asked about Snapchat‘s Pending status is if it definitely means you‘ve been blocked by the user.

The answer is no – being blocked is only one potential cause of a Pending notification. As we covered, the recipient may have simply not friended you back yet or removed you from their contacts. Pending could also result from internet connectivity issues.

That said, if your statuses flipped from Received/Opened to perpetually Pending, being blocked is a strong possibility in many cases based on [RESEARCH DATA].

To know for absolute certain, you would need to reach out to the user on a different channel like SMS to ask if they blocked you. Pending alone doesn‘t provide definitive proof, since other factors can be at play.

How Long Do “Pending” Snaps Stay Pending?

In most scenarios, Pending Snaps and Chats will remain indefinitely in that status on Snapchat.

The only instances where Pending changes are if:

• The recipient adds you back after initially not accepting your request.
• They unblock you after previously blocking your account.
• They reconnect to the internet after being offline and disconnected.

Barring those exceptions, Pending Snaps stay pending forever. After [XX] days, the status will not expire or flip to something else. I regularly see Pending Snaps from months ago that never resolved.

Think of Pending as a permanent status that requires user action to address. Don‘t expect it to resolve on its own over any length of time. A Snap marked Pending is there to stay unless circumstances change.

Conclusion

Based on my extensive personal use and expertise in social media marketing, the Pending notification on Snapchat can signify several different issues. Whether it‘s account and connectivity problems or changes in your relationship with the recipient, there are many potential causes.

To summarize the main reasons your Snap may show as Pending:

• The recipient hasn‘t added you as a friend yet.
• You were removed from their friend list.
• You‘re blocked by the recipient.
• The recipient has no internet connection.
• The recipient deleted their Snapchat account.

While blocking can trigger a Pending status, keep in mind that not every Pending Snap means you‘re definitively blocked. Follow up respectfully to learn the exact reason in your situation.

I hope this comprehensive guide clears up the mysteries around Snapchat‘s ambiguous Pending designation. With a deeper understanding of what Pending means, you can communicate more effectively and avoid unnecessary confusion going forward.