You might not be familiar with all of Snapchat’s features, including a specific lock-shaped icon, if you’re new to the app or just a casual user. So what does a lock on Snapchat mean?

In Snapchat, that lock icon indicates that the Snapchat story you’re seeing is what’s known as a Private Story.

Want to learn more about Snapchat’s private story feature and how to make your stories private? Then, keep reading!

What Does a Lock on Snapchat Mean?

The lock next to a story on Snapchat indicates that whoever posted it has added you to a private story.

With a Private Story, a Snapchat user can limit the audience of their story to a small group of their closest friends.

In other words, you can pick which of your friends can see a Private Story if you post one.

The person who originally created the Private Story is also the only one who can invite other users to it or add Snaps to it.

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How to Make a Private Snapchat Story?

To make a private story on Snapchat, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Snapchat app on your mobile device.
2. Tap your Bitmoji in the top left corner.
3. Press the “+ New Story” button.
4. Tap on the “New Private Story” option.
5. Select one or more friends from the list to add them as the audience of your private story.
6. Tress the “Create Story” button.
7. Enter the name of your story in the “Name Your Story” box, and tap “Done.”

A new private story tab will appear under “My Stories” on your profile, which you can use to create your private story.

Other Things to Know About Private Stories on Snapchat

Here are some other details you should know about Private Stories:

• A maximum of 20 Private Stories may be created at once.
• My Eyes Only is a feature on Snapchat where users can store Snaps to keep them private; private Stories are not the same as My Eyes Only. In essence, once configured, the My Eyes Only feature (and the Snaps you upload there) are only accessible with a passcode. You can therefore set up My Eyes Only and send any Snaps there if you have any in your Memories section that you don’t want anyone else to be able to see.
• You’ll then need to enter the passcode you made when setting up My Eyes Only in order to view the Snaps you’ve saved there. On the other hand, Private Stories are simply Snapchat stories that are restricted to only being visible to a particular audience, a member of which you get to choose.

Conclusion: What Does a Lock on Snapchat Mean

When you see a lock symbol on your friend’s Then you should feel honored, according to your Snapchat story. It is because they have excluded others from their story while choosing you as their audience.

This private story feature is helpful if you are trying to hide your story from a particular group. With this feature, you can categorize your friends and choose who will see your story.