Snapchat allows you to celebrate your birthday or that of friends. After entering your date of birth in the app profile, you will have the option to use a special lens on your birthday. You can also send greeting snaps to friends who have entered their birthdays, using an effect reserved for these occasions.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Using the Special Lens for Your Birthday
Step 1. Update Snapchat
To use the birthday lens, you must have version 9.25.0.0 or later. This is the update released in February 2016. Check that you have installed the latest version of the app using your device's store.
Step 2. Enter your date of birth in Snapchat settings
To use the special lens on your birthday, you need to complete this step.
- Press the ghost icon at the top of the Snapchat screen.
- Press the gear button in the top right corner. The app settings will open.
- Press "Date of Birth", then enter it. You can only change this information a couple of times. The date entered will be when the Birthday lens becomes available.
Step 3. Check the "Birthday party" box
This way on the day of the party you will have access to the happy birthday lens and you will have the cake emoji next to your name, which allows other people to send you special greeting snaps. Your age will not be revealed.
Step 4. Press and hold your face on the Snapchat camera
After a few moments, a circle will appear around your face and you can choose one of the lenses.
- Make sure your face is completely within the frame and that the lighting is sufficient.
- If you don't see the lenses appearing, they may not be available on your device. This feature requires a recent phone with an up-to-date operating system. On older cell phones, the lenses may not work, or they may do so very slowly.
Step 5. Select the Birthday lens
It should be the first option if the day is right. If you don't see it appear, make sure you entered the correct date.
To send a snap to a friend using the special lens on their birthday, you need to double tap on their name from the friends list. Read the section below for more details
Step 6. Take a snap with the Birthday lens active
Once you have selected the effect, you will see confetti appear and the word "Happy Birthday" with the letters in the shape of balloons at the bottom of the screen. You can press the circle to take a photo, or hold it down to record a video.
Part 2 of 2: Sending a Greeting Snap to a Friend
Step 1. Open your Snapchat friends list
If one of your friends has a birthday and has Birthday Party enabled on their account, you can send them a snap with the special lens.
Press the ghost button at the top of the screen, then select "My friends"
Step 2. Find a friend who has the cake emoji
The figure indicates that it is her birthday and will only appear if she has entered her date of birth in Snapchat settings and has enabled Birthday Party.
Step 3. Double tap on the user you want to send greetings to
This command automatically applies the special lens to the snap you will send.
Step 4. Take the Snap and send it
You can press the circle to take a photo, or press and hold to record a video. You will see the special effect of the Birthday lens and you can send the snap once you have finished making changes, for example by adding drawings and emojis.
