Snapchat continues to be one of the most popular social media platforms for sharing moments with friends through images and videos. While the app lets you share content publicly, it also offers more private options for those who prefer to share content with a select group. Creating a Private Story on Snapchat is simple – just go to your Profile, tap “+ Private Story” or “New Private Story,” select the friends you want to share with, and give your story a name.
Private Stories give you complete control over who sees your content, making them perfect for sharing more personal moments with close friends or family. Unlike regular My Stories which any of your friends can view, Private Stories are marked with a padlock icon and are only visible to the specific people you’ve chosen. You can create up to 20 different Private Stories, each with its own unique audience.
The process works slightly differently depending on your device type. On Android, Private Stories and My Stories may appear separately, while on iOS, friends who can view your Private Story will see those Snaps mixed in with your regular My Story content. This feature offers a great balance between sharing memorable moments while maintaining your privacy preferences.
How to Make a Private Story on Snapchat
A Private Story on Snapchat lets you share snaps with a select group of friends, giving you more control over who sees what. Here’s how you can create your own Private Story in just a few steps!
Step 1: Open Snapchat
Launch the Snapchat app on your iPhone or Android device.
Step 2: Tap Your Profile Icon
In the top-left corner of the screen, tap your Bitmoji or profile picture to open your profile page.
Step 3: Create a Private Story
- Under the “My Stories” section, tap “+ New Story” (it may also say “Custom Story”).
- From the options that pop up, choose “New Private Story”.
Step 4: Choose Who Can View Your Private Story
A list of your friends will appear. Tap the checkboxes next to the friends you want to include in your Private Story. Only these people will be able to see it.
Step 5: Name Your Private Story
Give your Private Story a name if prompted (optional, but helpful to stay organized).
Step 6: Start Posting!
Once you’ve created the Private Story, you can post snaps to it just like you would with any other Story:
- Tap on the Private Story under “My Stories”.
- Add photos or videos, and they’ll only be visible to the friends you selected.
How to Add or Remove People from Your Private Story
- Go back to your profile page.
- Tap the three dots next to your Private Story.
- Select “See Viewers” or “Edit Viewers”.
- Add or remove friends as needed.
Things to Know
- Friends who are part of your Private Story will see a padlock icon on your Story, so they’ll know it’s private.
- You can create multiple Private Stories, each with different groups of friends.
Key Takeaways
- Private Stories allow you to share content with only selected friends on Snapchat, giving you more control over your privacy.
- You can create up to 20 different Private Stories, each with its own unique name and viewer list.
- Managing your Private Stories is easy through your profile page, where you can add or remove viewers at any time.
Understanding Snapchat Stories
Snapchat Stories provide users with different ways to share moments from their day. These features allow for both wide audience sharing and more selective content distribution, giving users control over who sees their posts.
Difference Between Public and Private Stories
Public Stories, known as “My Story,” are visible to all friends on a user’s Snapchat list. When someone posts to My Story, everyone who follows them can view that content for 24 hours before it disappears.
Private Stories function differently. They allow users to select a specific group of friends who can view particular content. This feature is perfect for sharing more personal moments with close friends or family without broadcasting to everyone.
The key indicator of a Private Story is the padlock icon 🔒 that appears next to it. On Android devices, Private Stories and My Stories may display separately, while on iOS they often appear integrated in the friend’s feed.
Users can create up to 20 different Private Stories, each with its own unique audience and name.
Overview of Snapchat’s Stories Features
Snapchat offers several story types that serve different social needs:
- My Story: Visible to all friends
- Private Story: Visible only to selected friends
- Shared Story: Collaborative stories multiple users can add to
Creating stories is simple. Users can:
- Go to their Profile
- Tap “New Private Story” or “+ New Story”
- Select viewers and name the story
- Start adding Snaps
All stories, regardless of type, disappear after 24 hours unless saved to Memories. Users can edit story settings anytime by tapping the three vertical dots beside the story name on their profile.
Story management options include deleting stories, changing viewer lists, toggling auto-save features, and manually saving stories to Memories for future access.
Getting Started with Snapchat
Before creating private stories on Snapchat, users need to set up the app on their device and create an account. The process is straightforward and only takes a few minutes to complete.
Downloading and Installing the Snapchat App
To begin using Snapchat, users must first download the application from their device’s app store. On iPhone, the app can be found in the App Store, while Android users can download it from the Google Play Store.
The app is free to download and compatible with most modern smartphones. After locating Snapchat in the app store, users should tap the “Download” or “Get” button to start the installation process.
Once downloaded, users can tap the Snapchat icon on their home screen to open the app. The yellow icon with a white ghost is easily recognizable. Upon first launch, the app will request permission to access the camera, microphone, and photos – these permissions are necessary for Snapchat’s core functionality.
Creating an Account and Setting up a Profile
After installing the app, new users will need to create an account. This requires tapping “Sign Up” on the welcome screen and entering basic information including:
- A valid email address
- A password (at least 8 characters)
- A unique username
- Date of birth (users must be 13 or older)
After creating an account, users can personalize their profile. Adding a profile picture is simple – tap the profile icon in the top left corner, then tap the profile image placeholder to upload a photo or take a new one.
Users can enhance their profile by connecting with Bitmoji, Snapchat’s personalized avatar feature. This optional step allows creation of a cartoon character that resembles the user. The Bitmoji will appear as the profile icon and in various Snapchat features.
Additional profile customization options include adding a display name and adjusting privacy settings. These can be accessed through the profile section by tapping the gear icon.
Creating a Private Story on Snapchat
Private Stories on Snapchat allow users to share content with a select group of friends. This feature gives you control over who sees your snaps while maintaining privacy from your broader friend list.
Accessing the Story Creation Menu
To create a Private Story, open Snapchat and log into your account. Tap on your profile icon in the top-left corner of the screen to access your profile page.
Look for the “New Story” or “+ New Story” option. If this is your first time creating a Private Story, you might see a specific “New Private Story” button instead.
Some users can also create a Private Story after taking a photo or video. After capturing content, tap the “Stories” button in the bottom-right corner, then select “New Story” followed by “Private Story” from the options that appear.
Setting the Story Name and Privacy
After selecting the Private Story option, Snapchat will prompt you to choose which friends can view your story. Scroll through your friend list and tap on the names of people you want to include.
Once you’ve selected your audience, tap “Create Story” or “Next” to proceed.
Now you’ll need to name your Private Story. Choose something memorable that helps you remember who can see this content. Many users name stories based on the friend group included (like “Close Friends” or “Family”).
Tap “Save” or “Done” after entering your preferred name. Your new Private Story is now ready to use with your customized privacy settings.
Selecting Content for Your Private Story
With your Private Story created, you can now add content to it. Take a new photo or video by pressing the circular capture button at the bottom of the screen.
To use existing content, swipe up from the camera screen to access your Memories or device gallery. Select the photo or video you want to share.
After selecting your content, tap the “Send To” button (usually appears as an arrow or “Next” button). On the sharing screen, look for your Private Story name and select it.
You can add multiple snaps to your Private Story throughout the day. Each snap remains visible for 24 hours before disappearing, just like regular Stories.
To check who can view your Private Story later, go to your profile and tap on the three dots next to your Private Story name for settings and viewer options.
Adding Friends to Your Private Story
Private Stories on Snapchat let you share moments with a select group of friends. The app gives you complete control over who can view your content, both when creating your story and after it’s been set up.
Choosing Viewers for Your Private Story
To create a Private Story and add viewers, start by opening Snapchat and going to your Profile page. Tap “New Private Story” if you’re making one for the first time, or “+ New Story” if you already have Private Stories.
A friend selection screen will appear showing your contacts. Tap on the names of friends you want to include as viewers. You can select as many or as few people as you want from your friend list.
After selecting friends, tap “Create Story” at the bottom of the screen. Snapchat will prompt you to name your Private Story – choose something memorable that helps you remember which friends can see it.
Managing Viewers After Creation
You can easily modify who has access to your Private Story even after creating it. To add or remove viewers, tap your profile icon and find your Private Story in the Stories section.
Tap the three-dot menu icon next to your Private Story’s name. Select “See Viewers” or “Edit Viewers” from the menu options. This gives you the ability to add new friends or remove existing viewers.
To add new friends, tap the + button or “Add Friends” option. To remove viewers, uncheck their names from the list. Your changes will apply immediately, adjusting who can see your Private Story content.
Snapchat allows you to create up to three Custom, Geo, or Private stories at once. This flexibility lets you manage different friend groups separately, sharing specific content with specific people.
Sharing and Managing Your Private Story
Private Stories on Snapchat offer more control over who sees your content. Managing these stories involves sharing with select friends, making updates, and handling story settings efficiently.
How to Share Your Private Story
Creating a Private Story allows users to share content with a specific group of friends. To share a new snap to your Private Story, take a photo or video and tap the send button at the bottom right corner. Then select your Private Story from the list of sharing options.
Users can add new viewers to an existing Private Story by accessing their profile, tapping the three-dot menu next to the Private Story name, and selecting “Edit Viewers.” From there, they can choose additional friends to include.
It’s also possible to share the same snap to multiple stories at once. Simply select all the desired stories before sending. This saves time when updating both private and public stories simultaneously.
Editing and Updating Your Private Story
Snapchat lets users modify their Private Stories after creation. To add new content to an existing Private Story, capture a snap and select the Private Story when sending.
Content in Private Stories follows the same 24-hour timeline as regular stories. After 24 hours, snaps disappear automatically unless saved to Memories.
To check who has viewed your Private Story:
- Open your profile
- Tap on your Private Story
- Swipe up to see the viewer list
You can also mention friends in your Private Story snaps by typing “@” followed by their username. This creates a direct link to their profile, even if they aren’t viewers of that Private Story.
Renaming and Deleting Private Stories
To rename a Private Story, users should:
- Go to their profile page
- Tap the three-dot menu next to the Private Story
- Select “Edit Story Name”
- Enter a new name and confirm
Deleting a Private Story is straightforward. Navigate to your profile, find the story you want to remove, tap the three-dot menu, and select “Delete Story.” This removes the story container but doesn’t delete individual snaps already saved to Memories.
Users can create up to 20 different Private Stories with unique names and viewer lists. This allows for organization by content type or audience groups, making it easier to share specific content with different circles of friends.
Privacy and Control Features
Snapchat’s Private Stories feature gives users unprecedented control over their content sharing. This feature allows precise audience selection and offers visual indicators to help users understand their privacy settings at a glance.
Customizing Who Can View and Join Your Story
When creating a Private Story on Snapchat, users can handpick exactly who sees their content. To start customizing your audience, tap on your profile icon, then select “New Private Story” or “+ New Story” if you already have existing stories.
From the friends list that appears, simply tap on specific friends you want to include. You can select as many or as few people as you wish.
Unlike regular stories that are visible to all your friends, Private Stories only appear for those you’ve specifically chosen. This gives you greater freedom to share different types of content with different groups.
Snapchat allows users to create up to 20 different Private Stories simultaneously. Each story can have its own unique audience and name, making it easy to organize content for different groups such as:
- Close friends
- Family members
- Classmates
- Coworkers
Understanding the Lock Icon and Privacy Indicators
The lock icon is a key visual indicator that helps users identify their Private Stories. When you post to a Private Story, a lock symbol appears next to the story name, confirming its restricted visibility.
This lock icon serves as a quick reference point in your Stories list. It helps you immediately distinguish between your public and private content without needing to check settings repeatedly.
Snapchat also provides additional privacy indicators throughout the app. When viewing your stories list, Private Stories have a different color scheme to help them stand out from regular stories.
Friends who can view your Private Story will see it in their stories feed, but they cannot add other people to view it. Only the creator has control over the audience list.
The app also notifies you if someone takes a screenshot of your Private Story, maintaining the same privacy protections that exist for regular snaps. This feature ensures you always know who’s interacting with your private content.
Integration with Other Snapchat Functions
Private Stories on Snapchat don’t exist in isolation but work seamlessly with other features to enhance your sharing experience. These integrations make it easier to share content with select friends while maintaining privacy.
Using Memories and Camera Roll with Private Stories
Snapchat’s Memories feature integrates perfectly with Private Stories, allowing users to share saved snaps with select audiences. Users can access previously captured content by swiping up from the camera screen to open Memories.
From there, selecting any photo or video and tapping the “Send” button reveals options including “Add to Private Story.” This lets users repurpose older content without sharing it on their main Story.
Camera Roll photos can also be uploaded to Private Stories. Users can select the photo icon in Memories to access their phone’s gallery, choose images, and add them directly to a Private Story.
Snapchat allows filters, text, and stickers on these uploaded images before sharing. This integration is particularly useful for sharing personal moments that weren’t originally captured in the app.
Creating Groups and Sharing with Close Friends
Snapchat’s group functionality complements Private Stories perfectly. Users can create specific friend groups that match their Private Story audiences for consistency across different sharing methods.
To create a group that aligns with a Private Story, users can tap the chat icon, select “New Chat,” and then “New Group.” They can then add the same friends who have access to their Private Story.
This synchronized approach helps maintain privacy boundaries across different Snapchat functions. For example, users can share quick updates in the group chat and more curated content in their Private Story.
Close friends lists can be saved as “Quick Add” selections when creating new Private Stories. This saves time when setting up multiple Private Stories for the same trusted circle.
Snapchat also allows users to customize notification settings for these groups, ensuring they never miss updates from their closest connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Snapchat users often have specific questions about creating and managing private stories. These questions typically revolve around privacy settings, visibility indicators, and how to share content with select friends.
How can one create a private story on Snapchat without allowing additional members?
To create a private story with fixed membership, users should first open their Snapchat profile and tap “New Private Story” or “+ New Story.” When selecting viewers, they should only choose the specific friends they want to include. After naming the story, they must save it.
The key is not sharing the join link with anyone else. Once the private story is created, no one else can join unless the creator manually adds them later.
What steps are involved in sharing a private story on Snapchat with specific users?
First, users need to open Snapchat and tap their profile icon in the top-left corner. Then they should select “New Private Story” or tap “+ New Story” if they already have existing stories.
Next, they must select the specific friends they want to share with by tapping their names. After choosing their audience, they should give the story a descriptive name.
Finally, they can post content to this private story, and only the selected friends will be able to view it.
Is it possible to create a story on Snapchat that anyone can join, and how is it done?
Yes, Snapchat offers Shared Stories, which allow broader access. To create one, users should go to their profile and tap “New Shared Story” or “+ New Story,” then select “Shared Story.”
Users can then select initial friends who can view and contribute to the story. The key difference is that with Shared Stories, these initial members can add their friends to the story as well.
This creates a more collaborative storytelling experience while still maintaining some control over who joins.
How do users become aware if they have been added to a private story on Snapchat?
Users added to a private story will receive a notification within Snapchat. The private story will also appear in their Stories section with the creator’s name and the story title.
When new content is posted to the private story, the story circle will be highlighted to indicate unwatched content. The creator’s name will appear with the private story title to help users distinguish which private story it is.
What distinctive features indicate a story is private on Snapchat?
Private stories display a purple lock icon on the creator’s profile in the Stories section. This lock turns gray after viewers watch the story content.
The story title also appears differently than regular stories, showing the custom name the creator chose rather than just the username. Only selected viewers can see the private story in their feed.
Additionally, private stories are separated from public stories in the creator’s profile under the “My Stories” section.
Can the settings of a Snapchat story be altered to private after its creation, and what is the process?
Unfortunately, Snapchat doesn’t allow users to convert an existing public story to a private story. If a story was created as public, it must remain public for its duration.
To create private content instead, users need to create a new private story following the steps outlined earlier. They can delete the public story if needed and recreate the content as a private story.
For future posts, users can choose which story type to post to from their camera screen by tapping the story icon and selecting the appropriate story from their list.
