snapchat beyonce
Snapchat explained its new "best friends" emoji-based ranking with photos of Beyoncé. Snapchat

Snapchat has brought back its long missed “Best Friends” feature with its latest update. But this time, like most conversation and explainers nowadays, they are expressed with emoji.

On your friends’ list (access by tapping the ghost at the top of the camera mode screen and then selecting ‘My Friends’), there will be emoji next to certain names that reveal some information about your Snapchat relationships. The app is not pulling who your significant other is from Facebook or digging through your texts; the rankings are based on your Snapchat history. Six emoji explain connections.

  • Heart: Friend you send the most snaps to
  • Sunglasses: You snap some of the same people often
  • Grimace: Person you snap the most is the same
  • Smirk: Friend snaps you a lot but not as high on your list
  • Smile: Someone you snap a lot
  • Fire + Number: Snap back and forth consecutively

Previously on Snapchat, any friends used to be able to view the "best friends" or a list of whomever a user messages the most often. The function -- that could easily reveal a cheating spouse or a cheating BFFL -- could not be turned off and was pulled in January. This new emoji-based ranking is private to individual users.

Another new feature adds a "Needs Love" section that lists friends you have not snapped recently but perhaps used to. Basically, Snapchat is trying to save your friendships. The list is found below the "Recents."

The update also introduced a much-needed low-light camera mode. Click the half-moon in the left corner of the camera screen, and you can lighten the photo. Gone are the days of brightening selfies by using filters or the horror of asking someone else to take a picture of you.