Snapchat Groups has rolled out, now allowing users to send snaps and chats to up to 16 of their friends at a time.
The new feature, which comes just in time for the holidays, will now save users the hassle of having to go through their contacts list to send the same image or message to more than one person.
Snapchats Groups Explained
Snapchat has added a dedicated Group Chat page to its support website, explaining in detail what the new feature is all about and how users can take advantage of it.
To send an image or message to a group, Snapchat users can simply hit the blue arrow in the bottom right of the preview screen to call up their contacts list. They can then select the users who will be a part of the Group Chat, and then tap on the new Group button displayed in the upper right corner. The created group will be stored in the new Groups section under the user's contacts.
According to the support page, snaps and chats sent within a Group Chat will be automatically be deleted after 24 hours, by default.
Whenever a member of the group opens the Group Chat, their name on the list will light up within a bubble above the user's keyboard. This signals that the group member is currently present in the Group Chat, and if the user would like to start a separate conversation to a group member, tapping on his or her name would launch a Quick Chat.
Users can either tap or press and hold on a Chat to see which group members have read it or have saved it. Group members who have opened a Snap will also see their name appear below the image within the Group Chat.
The settings for a Group Chat can be accessed by tapping the menu icon in the upper left corner. This will allow users to see and edit the members of the group, give the Group Chat a new name, and mute any notifications.
Users who leave a Group Chat will see their Snaps and Chats removed from the group, even if they were saved by another group member.
Snapchat noted that Snaps that are sent to a group do not count for Snapstreaks with other users, and that voice calls and video chats are currently not available within Group Chat.
Two New Snapchat Creative Tools
In addition to Group Chat, Snapchat has also added two new Creative Tools for users to enjoy. The first tool is Scissors, which allows users to cut out part of a Snap in the preview screen to use it as a sticker, and the second tool is Paintbrush, which allows users to paint over the Snaps in their Memories section.
