If you’re one of the many people who use Snapchat on a regular basis, you’ve likely noticed the app is filled with features meant to make it a more pleasant experience for all. Some are standard and easy to navigate, like using the search bar to find friends and other users. Others require a little more knowledge, like the Quick Add feature.
You’d be forgiven for mistaking the Quick Add section for your friend list as the two appear rather similar at first glance. Quick Add is just one of many ways to add friends on Snapchat, aside from entering another user’s info and adding them manually.
What does Quick Add mean on Snapchat?
The Quick Add section is similar to getting a “people you may know” notification on other apps like Facebook or Instagram. Quick Add is Snapchat’s way of recommending friends to its users; it shows accounts belonging to your phone contacts and mutual friends in Quick Add, allowing users to add new friends easily. Just by simply pressing the plus button next to a user’s name, you can quickly add them to your friends; though, do note the other user has to accept your friend request first before they show up as a friend.
Snapchat’s Quick Add feature won’t just recommend friends in your phone contacts list but will also recommend people with similar interests (say you post about similar things in your stories or are subscribed to the same accounts) as well as people in your location. While this can be a fun way to meet new people, it can also bring users unwanted attention.
How to turn off Quick Add on Snapchat
Unfortunately, users can’t disable Quick Add at this time; however, there are some workarounds to help protect your peace. You can remove individuals from your section by viewing them in the Add Friends section, and tapping the small grey X near their name. This will tell Snapchat you are not interested in seeing this user as a recommendation and you should stop seeing them as such. Note that Quick Add may be viewable in the Chat section, but the little x is not, so make sure you go to Add Friends when you want to remove a suggestion.
Another way to get around the Quick Add feature is to prevent your profile from being suggested to other users. To do this, go to your account by tapping on your Bitmoji on the top left of the screen. Next, tap on the gear icon located on the top right to access your Settings. Scroll down until you reach the section titled Privacy Controls. There, you’ll see an option titled “See Me in Quick Add.” Tap on that, and you’ll see a toggle you can press to control whether your account is suggested to others. Simply press the toggle and your account will no longer be featured in other users Quick Add sections.
Now that you know how to use Quick Add as well as how to remove yourself from being a recommendation, you have more control over your contacts list on Snapchat and can add and delete friends as you see fit. Happy snapping!
