Draft:Snapcodes

Snapcode
Snapcode
Classification
Type	Proprietary scannable code
	v; t; e;

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Instructions · What links here · Snapcodes (talk: + · bio) · (log) · Copyvios report · reFill · Citation Bot · (Search: Google, Wikipedia) · Submitted 7 hours ago by Kirk Ouimet (talk: D · +) · Last edited 3 seconds ago by Scaledish

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]

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

Animated profile GIFs (September 2015): tapping a personal Snapcode lets a user record a looping five-frame selfie that replaces the ghost icon.^[4]
Vector downloads (May 2015): users gained the option to export high-resolution SVG files of their Snapcode for posters and merchandise.^[3]
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.^[5]
Codes can also unlock hidden AR lenses, geofilters or Discover channels.^[3]

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:

US 9,111,164 – “Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes” (2015)^[8]
US 9,911,073 – “Facial patterns for optical barcodes” (2018)

References

^ ^a ^b Constine, Josh (28 January 2015). "Snapchat lets you add people via QR Snaptags thanks to secret Scan.me acquisition". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
^ "Snapchat has changed through acquisitions, and it's hunting for more". Los Angeles Times. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c Constine, Josh (4 May 2015). "How Snapchat made QR codes cool again". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
^ 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.
^ Gartenberg, Chaim (31 January 2017). "Snapchat now lets you link to websites using custom Snapcodes". The Verge. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
^ Garun, Natt (10 August 2017). "The curious comeback of the dreaded QR code". Wired. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
^ Constine, Josh (9 April 2018). "First look at Instagram Nametags, its clone of Snapchat QR codes". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
^ US9111164B1, "Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes", assigned to Snap Inc.

External links

Official website

[Snaptags-1] 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.

[CoolAgain-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.

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