Hey there! I’m Martin, and if you’re like me, you probably spend a little too much time checking those tiny icons next to your friends’ names on Snap. It’s 2026, and honestly, Snapchat has turned friendship into a literal science project.
One day you’re rocking a Yellow Heart, and the next, you’re wondering why on earth you’ve been demoted to Mercury in someone’s Solar System—or worse, Neptune. It’s confusing, right? I’ve spent the last few years obsessing over these updates, and I’m here to help you decode the madness of Snapchat Friend Emojis versus those spacey Planet Icons.
My Personal Experience with Snapchat Friend Emojis
A few months ago, I had a minor “social crisis.” My younger sister, who lives across the country, and I had been Super BFFs (the double pink hearts) for nearly a year. It was our digital badge of honor. Then, I decided to try out Snapchat Plus to see what the hype was about.
Suddenly, I saw a “Best Friends” badge on her profile. I tapped it and saw myself as Venus. Wait… Venus? That’s the second planet. If we were Super BFFs, shouldn’t I be Mercury? I actually called her, half-joking, asking who she’d been snapping more than me.
It turns out, she had started a massive group project for her Master’s degree and was snapping her lab partner “study proof” every hour. Even though we had the long-term Super BFF status (which is about consistency over months), the Planet Icons are cold, hard data about the current week’s volume. That’s when I realized: Emojis are about the history of your friendship, but Planets are a “What have you done for me lately?” ranking. It changed how I looked at my feed forever.
Read More: Snapchat Solar System Algorithm (2026): How it Works
Decoding the 2026 Snapchat Friend Emojis
Before we get into the “space stuff,” let’s refresh the basics. These Snapchat Friend Emojis are available to everyone, whether you pay for the app or not. They appear right next to names in your chat list.
The “Heart” Hierarchy
- Yellow Heart (Besties) 💛: You are each other’s #1 Best Friend. You send the most snaps to them, and they send the most to you. It’s the “New Relationship” phase of Snap-friendship.
- Red Heart (BFF) ❤️: You’ve been each other’s #1 Best Friend for at least two weeks straight. Things are getting serious.
- Pink Hearts (Super BFF) 💕: The holy grail. You’ve been #1 Best Friends for two months in a row. This is the super bff meaning—it’s all about long-term loyalty.
The “Social Circle” Icons
- Smiling Face 😊: They are one of your Best Friends (top 8), but not your #1.
- Sunglasses Face 😎: You share a close friend. One of your Best Friends is also one of their Best Friends.
- Grimacing Face 😬: This one is awkward. Your #1 Best Friend is also their #1 Best Friend. You’re competing for the same person’s attention!
The Snapchat Plus Solar System: Planet Icons Explained
If you’re a Snapchat Plus subscriber, things get a bit more “intergalactic.” While emojis are visible to everyone involved, the Friend Solar System is mostly for you to see where you stand in their world.
When you tap a “Best Friends” or “Friends” badge on someone’s profile, you’ll see your Bitmoji as a planet orbiting their Sun.
The Planet Rankings (1-8)
- Title: Snapchat Plus Friend Solar System Ranking
- Alt-Tag: Diagram of the Snapchat Plus Friend Solar System showing the 8 planet positions relative to the Sun.
- Prompt: A stylized, cosmic-themed diagram of a solar system. The Sun is at the center. Eight planets orbit it: Mercury (red), Venus (yellow-orange), Earth (blue/green), Mars (red with stars), Jupiter (orange/brown), Saturn (with rings), Uranus (light blue), and Neptune (deep blue). Each planet has a small placeholder for a Bitmoji.
Yellow Heart vs. Mercury: What’s the Difference?
This is the big question I get all the time. Yellow Heart vs. Mercury—aren’t they the same? Not quite.
Think of it like this: The Yellow Heart is a mutual agreement. You both have to be each other’s #1. However, Mercury just means you are their #1. They might be your #3 (meaning you’d be Earth in your own system).
| Rank | Planet | What it Means | Mutual? |
| #1 | Mercury | You are their absolute closest friend on Snap. | Not necessarily. |
| #2 | Venus | You are their 2nd closest friend. | No. |
| #3 | Earth | You are their 3rd closest friend (always has the Moon!). | No. |
| #4 | Mars | You are their 4th closest friend. | No. |
| #5 | Jupiter | You are their 5th closest friend. | No. |
| #6 | Saturn | You are their 6th closest friend (look for the rings). | No. |
| #7 | Uranus | You are their 7th closest friend. | No. |
| #8 | Neptune | You are their 8th closest friend. | No. |
Pro Tip: If you see a “Best Friends” badge (with a gold ring), you are in their Top 8 and they are in yours. If it just says “Friends,” you are in their Top 8, but they didn’t make the cut for yours! (Ouch, right?)
Why Did My Emoji Disappear? (The 2026 Troubleshooting)
I’ve had friends message me in a panic because their Super BFF hearts turned back into a Yellow Heart. Here’s why that usually happens:
- The Interaction Dip: If you stop snapping for even a day or two, or if someone else starts snapping your friend more than you do, the “streaks” and “rankings” reset.
- The “Plus” Effect: Sometimes, looking at the Planet rankings makes you realize the Emoji system is lagging. The Emojis update based on long-term patterns, while the Solar System is much more reactive to daily changes.
- Customization: Did you know you can change these? Go to Settings > Manage > Friend Emojis and you can make your Super BFF a “Pizza” emoji if you want. Check if your friend (or you!) accidentally changed the default settings.
FAQs: What the Internet is Asking
1. Does the other person know if I check their Solar System?
Nope! As of 2026, Snapchat does not notify users if you tap on their friendship badge to see which planet you are. It’s your little secret.
2. Can I be Mercury without having a Yellow Heart?
Yes! You can be someone’s #1 (Mercury), but if they are only your #2, you won’t get the Yellow Heart. The Heart requires both of you to have each other at #1.
3. What does it mean if I’m Neptune?
It means you just made the cut. You are their 8th closest friend. It’s better than not being in the solar system at all, but maybe send a few more Snaps if you want to move toward the Sun!
4. How do I get the Super BFF (💕) emoji back?
You have to put in the work. You need to be each other’s #1 Best Friend for two months straight. If you lose it, the timer usually resets.
Martin’s Final Tip
At the end of the day, these icons are just algorithms trying to map out your human connections. Don’t let a Saturn icon ruin a real-life friendship! My advice? Use the Planet Icons to see who you might be losing touch with, and use the Friend Emojis to celebrate the ones who have been by your side for months.
Would you like me to create a custom “Cheat Sheet” image of all the 2026 emojis that you can save to your phone for quick reference?
