Adding friends on Snapchat is how you build your network on the platform, but the app has several different methods depending on whether you have a username, a Snapcode, or just their phone number. This guide covers every way to add someone, what happens after you add them, why Snapchat sometimes says “Forbidden,” and what to do when it will not let you add a specific person.
Method 1: Add Someone by Username
Adding by username is the most straightforward method and works for anyone whose username you know.
Open Snapchat and tap the search bar at the very top of the camera screen. Type the person’s exact username. Their profile appears in the results. Tap their name to open their profile, then tap the Add Friend button. They receive a notification that you added them and can choose to add you back.
If the username search returns no results, double-check the spelling. Snapchat usernames are case-insensitive but must be exact. The person may also have their account set to private, which limits discoverability.
Method 2: Add Someone by Snapcode
A Snapcode is Snapchat’s version of a QR code, unique to each user. This method works well for adding someone in person.
Tap your profile icon in the top left corner of the camera screen. Tap the ghost icon or your Snapcode image. Tap Scan Snapcode. Point your camera at the other person’s Snapcode. Snapchat recognises it instantly and brings up their profile with an Add button.
Method 3: Add Someone from a Photo (Snapcode in Your Camera Roll)
If someone has shared their Snapcode as an image, you can add them without scanning in real time.
Tap your profile icon, then tap your Snapcode. Tap Scan Snapcode, then tap the small image/photo icon that appears. Select the saved Snapcode image from your camera roll. Snapchat reads the code and opens the person’s profile to add them.
Method 4: Add from Contacts
This method finds Snapchat users already in your phone’s contact list.
Tap your profile icon, then tap Add Friends. Tap All Contacts. Snapchat matches your saved phone contacts against Snapchat accounts. Any contact who has a Snapchat account linked to their phone number appears here. Tap Add next to anyone you want to connect with.
You must grant Snapchat permission to access your contacts for this to work. You can enable this in your phone’s Settings under Privacy.
Method 5: Add via Snap Link
Every Snapchat user has a personal link in the format snapchat.com/add/username. If someone shares their Snap link with you (via text, DM, email, or bio link), tap it on your phone and it opens Snapchat directly to their profile with an Add prompt ready.
How to Add Someone on Snapchat with a Snapcode from a Picture
This is a commonly searched question and it is covered in Method 3 above. The key step is: when the Snapcode scanner is open, look for the small camera roll/image icon (usually at the bottom or corner of the screen). Tap it to select a saved image rather than scanning live. Snapchat can read Snapcodes from screenshots and saved photos just as well as from live camera scanning.
What Happens When You Add Someone on Snapchat?
When you add someone, they receive a push notification saying you added them. Your request appears in their Added Me section showing your username, display name, and how you added them (by search, by Snapcode, from contacts, and so on).
Until they add you back, you appear as Pending in your friend list. You can see their public profile but cannot send them snaps yet.
Once they add you back, you become mutual friends. You can send snaps and messages to each other, start streaks, and see each other’s stories if set to Friends.
If they do not add you back, the request remains pending indefinitely. They can also ignore or block the request.
Does Snapchat Still Show “Added by Search”?
Yes. When someone adds you by searching your username, your Added Me notification shows Added by Search. Adding via Snapcode shows Added by Snapcode. Adding from phone contacts shows Added from Contacts. This helps you understand how someone found your profile when they send a friend request.
If You Add Someone on Snapchat, Will They Know?
Yes, always. Snapchat sends an immediate push notification to the person you added. They can see your username and display name before deciding whether to add you back. There is no way to add someone silently without them being notified.
What Does “Forbidden” Mean on Snapchat?
“Forbidden” is an error message Snapchat shows when you try to add someone and the request is blocked at the account level, not just pending. It is one of the most searched Snapchat error messages and one of the least clearly explained by the app itself.
When you see Forbidden, it typically means one of the following:
The person has their Who Can Contact Me privacy setting set to My Friends only. This means only people they have already added can send them requests. You cannot add them unless they find and add you first.
They have blocked you. A blocked account cannot receive friend requests from the blocked user. The Forbidden message appears rather than a clear “you are blocked” indicator.
Your account has been temporarily flagged for sending too many friend requests in a short period. Snapchat’s spam prevention sometimes triggers this temporarily. Waiting a few hours and trying again usually resolves it.
Why Can’t I Add Someone on Snapchat?
Beyond the Forbidden error, there are other reasons why adding someone might fail or not work.
They deleted their account. If someone deleted their Snapchat account, their username may still appear briefly in search but the add request will not go through.
The username no longer exists. Snapchat usernames can be changed. If someone changed their username recently and you are trying to add their old handle, it will not work.
Server issue. Snapchat occasionally has temporary outages that affect friend adding. Check Snapchat’s support social channels to see if there is a known issue.
You previously blocked them and unblocked them. After unblocking someone, there may be a brief period before you can add them again.
How to Add Contacts on Snapchat
The contacts method is the most efficient way to add multiple friends quickly, especially when you are new to Snapchat and want to connect with people you already know.
Go to your profile, tap Add Friends, then tap All Contacts. If you have not already granted Snapchat contact permission, it will prompt you to do so. Once contacts are synced, every phone contact who has a Snapchat account linked to their number appears in a list. Tap Add individually or use Add All if available.
Your contacts do not receive a notification that you synced contacts. They only receive a notification when you actually tap Add for their specific account.
How to Find Someone You Unfriended on Snapchat
If you removed someone from your friends list and want to re-add them, use the username search method. Unfriending does not block them, so searching their username will bring up their profile and you can add them again. They will receive the standard add notification and can choose to add you back.
If you cannot remember their exact username, check if you have any mutual friends whose profile might tag them, or look for any old chat threads before you unfriended them, as the username may still appear in conversation history.
Snapchat Add Tips for Businesses and Creators
For brands and creators using Snapchat to build an audience, making it easy for people to add you is as important as the content you post.
Add your Snap link (snapchat.com/add/yourusername) to your Instagram bio, TikTok bio, and Twitter/X profile. Share your Snapcode as a highlighted story on Instagram. Include your Snapchat username in your email newsletter. The more places your Snapchat handle appears, the more inbound add requests you receive without having to actively prospect.
Understanding how your activity on Snapchat translates into your overall Snapscore, and how quickly your score grows as your friend count and engagement increases, is covered in depth in the complete guide to how Snap Score works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tap the search bar at the top of the camera screen, type their username, tap their profile, and tap Add Friend.
It means the person has restricted who can add them (Friends only setting), or they have blocked you, or your account has been temporarily flagged for too many add requests.
Yes. They receive a notification immediately showing your username and how you added them.
They get a notification and see your request in their Added Me section. Until they add you back, you show as Pending. Once they add back, you are mutual friends and can exchange snaps.
Common reasons: they have their privacy set to Friends only (Forbidden error), they blocked you, their account no longer exists, or a temporary server issue. Try again after a few hours if it is a technical issue.
Yes. Open the Snapcode scanner, tap the image/photo icon, and select the saved Snapcode image from your camera roll.
Yes. The Added Me notification shows whether you added them by Search, by Snapcode, or from Contacts.
Alex Bennett is an entrepreneur whose practical tips have helped thousands improve their careers and grow with confidence.