Snapchat Time-Saver Guide: How to Create and Use Shortcuts to Send Snaps Faster
- byManasavi
- 04 Feb, 2026
Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among young users who enjoy sharing quick moments and maintaining Snap Streaks with friends. However, sending the same snap to multiple people one by one can be time-consuming and frustrating. To solve this problem, Snapchat introduced a smart feature called Shortcuts, designed to make sharing snaps quicker and more efficient.
With Shortcuts, users can create custom groups of selected friends and send snaps to them instantly—without manually selecting each contact every time.
What Is a Shortcut on Snapchat?
A Shortcut on Snapchat is a personalized group of friends represented by an emoji. Instead of selecting individual contacts repeatedly, you can simply tap the shortcut emoji and send snaps to everyone in that group at once.
This feature is particularly useful for:
- Maintaining Snap Streaks with multiple friends
- Sending daily updates to close friends
- Sharing snaps with classmates, teammates, or family groups
- Saving time while staying active on Snapchat
The best part is that Snapchat shortcuts are fully customizable and can be edited or deleted whenever you want.
Why Snapchat Shortcuts Are Useful
Before shortcuts were introduced, users had to select friends individually for every snap. This process was inconvenient, especially for users who regularly sent snaps to the same people. Shortcuts simplify this process and offer:
- Faster snap sharing
- Reduced effort for daily streaks
- Better organization of frequent contacts
- A smoother overall Snapchat experience
The feature works seamlessly on both Android and iOS devices.
How to Create a Shortcut on Snapchat
Follow these easy steps to set up your first Snapchat shortcut:
- Open the Snapchat app on your smartphone
- Capture a snap using the camera or choose a photo from your gallery
- Tap the Send To option located at the bottom-right corner
- Tap Shortcut at the top-right corner of the screen
- Select the friends you want to include in the shortcut
- Choose an emoji to represent the shortcut
- Tap Create Shortcut to save it
Once created, the shortcut will appear as an emoji whenever you send snaps.
How to Send a Snap Using a Shortcut
After setting up a shortcut, sending snaps becomes extremely quick:
- Open Snapchat and create a snap
- Tap Send To
- Select the shortcut emoji displayed at the top-left
- Choose Select All to send the snap to everyone in the group
– or manually select specific friends - Tap the Send icon
Your snap will be delivered instantly to all selected friends.
Can You Edit or Remove a Shortcut?
Yes, Snapchat allows complete control over shortcuts. You can:
- Add or remove friends
- Change the emoji
- Stop using a shortcut anytime
Simply revisit the shortcut section while sending a snap and make the necessary changes.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Shortcuts are private and visible only to you
- Friends are not notified when added to a shortcut
- A shortcut does not create a group chat
- You can create multiple shortcuts for different friend groups
Final Thoughts
Snapchat shortcuts are a powerful yet simple feature that makes snap-sharing faster and more convenient. Whether you’re trying to maintain streaks or regularly send snaps to the same group of people, shortcuts help you stay active without wasting time.
If you use Snapchat daily, creating shortcuts can significantly improve your experience and make social sharing effortless.



