What Does Pending Mean on Snapchat? How to Fix It

Sometimes, when you send messages, snaps, etc., to a friend’s Snap account, you may see “Pending” with a grey arrow on the sent messages. So, you might wonder what this “pending” status on Snapchat means.

When you see “Pending” on your sent messages, it means your Snap or message was not successfully sent. It is not delivered, and the reason could be due to either the sender or the recipient.

There are various reasons behind this error. However, we have multiple fixes for this problem too. So you don’t have to worry.

This article will explain what pending means on Snapchat, why it happens, and how to fix it. So please stick with us throughout this guide.

Also, did you know that you can make a public Snapchat profile? If not, you can use this guide to create one for yourself.

Note: With every new update from Snapchat, you may see different words replacing “pending” for the same situations. For example, on some versions of Snapchat, you will see a “waiting to send…” label instead of “Pending…“.

What does it mean on Snapchat when it says pending?

When you see “Pending” in Snapchat, it signifies that Snapchat is unable to send your message as requested.

In such cases, you will see “Pending” under your friend’s username on the chat screen, on their profile, and inside the conversation box.

While “Pending” does signify that Snapchat cannot complete your message request, it also means that it will continue to try sending that message until your friend receives it.

So, if you want to avoid your pending message being delivered at a later time, you must cancel it on your Snap account.

Generally, you will get this error when trying to send a DM to a person who is not on your friend list.

So, you may get this error if you are not on that person’s friend list or they have yet to accept your friend request on Snapchat.

However, other than not being Snapchat friends, there could be other reasons for your message to show as “Pending.”

We’ll go over some possible reasons for this error below so you can fix it based on your specific situation.

Reasons behind the Pending error on Snapchat and how to fix it

There are several reasons for Snapchat’s Pending error. It could be because of you or the recipients.

So, here are some reasons behind a Pending error on your Snap account, along with how to fix it on your device (Smartphone or PC).

Note: Before going through the reasons and fixes for this problem, update your Snapchat application on Play Store (Android) or Apple Store (iOS).

The person is not your friend or has unfriended you on Snapchat

One of the most likely reasons you see a pending error on your Snap account is that you are not friends with that Snapchat user.

Snapchat won’t deliver your message until the concerned person is on your friend list. It does this to prevent spam and unrelated messages.

Also, if you have sent a friend request to someone, but he/she has yet to accept your request, you will see “pending” in your message.

However, the person will receive your message immediately after they have accepted your friend request.

Another reason for this pending error may be that your friend removed you from their friend list. So, make sure you are still friends with that person on Snapchat.

To check this, you can go to your friend’s profile and see if the “Saved in Chat” and “Chat Attachments” options are available.

If you can’t find these options on your friend’s profile, your friend may have unfriended you on Snapchat.

In such a case, you will see the pending error on your Snapchat. To solve this issue, you can send a friend request to that person and wait for that friend to accept it.

And if that person has unfriended you on Snapchat, then you can ask them the reason behind it. It is a good thing to solve misunderstandings at the cradle.

Your friend has deactivated or deleted the Snapchat account.

Another reason you may encounter a pending error when sending a message to a friend is that they may have deactivated or deleted their Snap account.

So, your message will be delivered once your friend reactivates the Snap account. When the account goes online, the pending message will now be delivered automatically.

Note: You can reactivate the deactivated Snap account by logging in within 30 days.

Also, if the Snapchat account is banned due to some violations of guidelines, then your message will remain pending until the ban is lifted.

So, in such cases, your best option is to wait until your friend’s account gets online again.

That person blocks you on Snapchat.

If your friend has blocked you on Snapchat, you cannot send any messages to them. Hence, you will see “pending” when sending any message or snap.

You can check your block status on Snapchat by searching for that person’s username. If you can locate that person, they may have unfriended you.

However, if you can’t see their Snap account, they probably blocked you on Snapchat. Please confirm your suspicion from another account or your friend’s account.

If you find out that your friend has blocked you, you can try to solve the misunderstanding.

However, if you also don’t want to interact with that person, feel free to block them on your Snap account.

You can find a detailed guide on how to block someone on Snapchat here.

You are seeing pending on Snapchat due to the server being down.

Sometimes, Snapchat itself may occasionally crash and display such errors. So, you might be one of many experiencing this error while the entire server is down.

Snapchat will take a little time to solve this kind of issue. Hence, your friend will get the messages after the issue is solved.

You can delete and reinstall the Snapchat application to solve this problem.

You are seeing pending on Snapchat due to a bug/glitch on Snapchat itself.

There are times when your Snapchat app gets buggy and shows pending errors.

It may be due to the app itself or may be due to your phone’s problem. So, if the problem lies on Snapchat, try reinstalling the app again.

Also, check other devices to know if it is working properly. In some serious cases, you may need to wait for bug fix updates on Snapchat.

However, if the problem lies with your device, we suggest you find the reason behind it. A common reason may be insufficient storage, pending updates, etc.

Hence, we suggest you clear up storage, cache, etc., on your device (Android or iOS) to solve this issue. Here are the steps you can follow to clear the cache on Snapchat from your device.

Note: You can follow the same steps for Android and iOS (iPhone or iPad) devices. However, you cannot clear the cache on the Snapchat web from a web browser on a computer or laptop (Windows or Mac).

1. First, open your Snapchat account on your mobile phone and log in to your Snap account using your credentials.

2. Next, tap the Profile icon from the top left corner to access your Snap profile.

3. Then, hit the Settings icon from the upper right corner.

4. Now, you need to go to the bottom of the settings page and select the “Clear cache” option under the heading “Account Actions“.

You can now tap “Continue” on the confirmation prompt, and all the cache on your Snapchat will disappear immediately.

If you are still having the issue of a pending error on Snapchat, then try restarting your phone or reinstalling the app again.

You are seeing pending on Snapchat due to Poor Internet Connection (Sender or Recipient)

Pending means being unable to deliver the message. So, check to see if your Internet is slow or disconnected.

If the problem lies on your end, try restarting your Wi-Fi or call the customer care center. You can send the messages usually after you solve the internet issue.

However, if the recipient has an internet issue, your friend will receive your message after the Internet is fixed on his/her end.

You see Pending on Snapchat because the recipient’s phone is turned off.

Snapchat needs to be “online” for your friend to receive your message. So, you may see a pending error because your friend has turned their phone off.

Your friend may have turned the phone off due to a dead battery or essential work. So, wait until that person turns on their phone again.

As soon as your friend’s Snapchat is online, they will receive your message immediately.

FAQs

1. Does a pending error on my Snapchat account mean I am blocked?

No, not always. The pending error doesn’t always mean you are blocked on Snapchat. It may be because your friend has removed you from their friend list, internet problems, bugs, server problems, etc.

So, you may be getting a pending error due to other reasons. Therefore, we suggest you confirm your suspicion by checking that person’s profile on your friend’s Snap account or using another account. You can also confirm it with your friend on the phone to avoid misunderstanding.

2. Do I need to send the message again if it says “Pending” on Snapchat?

No, you don’t need to send the messages again if your message is pending. Your friend will receive your message as soon as the problem is fixed.

However, if someone has blocked you and you send some messages or snaps at that time, you need to send that message again if they unblocked you on Snapchat.

3. Why am I still getting pending errors when we are friends on Snapchat?

If you are friends with someone but still receiving pending errors on Snapchat, there could be other reasons behind it.

Some obvious reasons may be server downtime, bugs and glitches on Snapchat, etc. Also, it may be due to the internet issue on the sender or recipient’s side.

So, determine whether the issue is with your device or other factors. After identifying the problem, you can address it appropriately.

4. Can someone see a pending message on their Snap account?

No, the recipient cannot see a pending message on their Snap account. Pending means yet to be delivered. So, the person to whom you have sent messages will be able to receive your messages or snaps once it is delivered. After your friend receives your message, you will see a “Delivered” label with a blue arrow right below that message.

Conclusion

Though not frequent, sometimes we may get the pending error on our Snap account. So, we recommend you first identify the reason and solve the problem.

Furthermore, if you are in a hurry to message your friend, try using another platform or calling directly. You can always fix pending errors on Snapchat in your spare time.

Overall, we hope this guide is helpful to your situation. We will try to update you if further reasons or fixes for this problem are found. Meanwhile, read our guide on how to change your Snapchat username.