What Does Time-Sensitive Mean On Snapchat? [Best Answer]

Snapchat users with iPhones may have noticed notifications bearing a ‘Time Sensitive’ label. In September 2021, Apple introduced Time-Sensitive notifications as part of iOS 15. This feature enabled apps to send important notifications even when your iPhone is in focus mode.

Snapchat also adopted this feature, allowing certain notifications to take priority on iOS. However, it has garnered significant dissatisfaction among its user base. Users have reported encountering a mysterious message on their iOS devices which appears to prioritize certain notifications while pushing others to the background.  

This new addition, known as ‘time-sensitive notifications’ or ‘Time Sensitive,’ appears to have been rolled out starting Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Users expressed frustration with this new feature and are actively seeking ways to disable it.

Notifications labeled as ‘Time Sensitive’ may not necessarily be urgent; they could result from a system glitch. Regardless, if users wish to turn off these notifications for Snapchat, adjusting the notification settings will end them.

This article will explain everything you need to know about what time-sensitive means on Snapchat and how to disable it.

What does time-sensitive mean on Snapchat?

So what what does time-sensitive Snapchat mean exactly? Snapchat introduced a fresh feature known as “Time-Sensitive Notifications.” These notifications are crucial messages that take precedence and appear on users’ screens. In simpler terms, this feature prioritizes specific messages or Snaps, demanding immediate user attention to prevent missing anything vital.

Time-sensitive notifications will appear prominently even if you have silenced your device or activated “Do Not Disturb (DND)” or Focus mode. They break through any barriers or restrictions you’ve set.

This feature is designed to prevent you from missing important updates on the app and allow you to view snaps and messages from your contacts promptly.

How Do Time Sensitive Notifications Work on Snapchat? 

How Does Snapchat Decide The Priority Of Time-Sensitive Notifications?

After discussing what time-sensitive means on Snapchat, you may wonder how Snapchat classifies them as such. It’s currently unclear how Snapchat determines which notifications are classified as time-sensitive. The social media platform has only clarified that this new feature aims to prevent users from missing crucial updates, particularly for snaps and messages.

Nevertheless, the method for assigning priority to these notifications remains a mystery. Opinions among social media users are divided regarding how Snapchat determines which notifications are more important than others. Some users speculate that Snapchat designates notifications from their most frequent interactions as “time-sensitive.”

Conversely, some users claim that Snapchat gives this label to notifications from those they tend to ignore the most. It is still unclear which factors the Snapchat algorithm analyzes to distinguish between important and less important notifications.

We presume that messages, snap replies, and new snap stories from best friends could also fall into the Time-Sensitive category. The primary aim of this feature is to ensure that users do not miss anything crucial and receive it promptly.

Whatever the case, Snapchat’s time-sensitive notifications can serve a helpful purpose in specific scenarios, such as maintaining Snapstreaks. These notifications can remind users when they are on the brink of losing a Snapchat streak and allow them to keep it going.

How to Turn Off Time-Sensitive Notifications on Snapchat

Snapchat’s Time-Sensitive notification feature is a valuable addition for users who want to ensure they don’t miss important alerts. However, it could be excessive for individuals who prefer not to be disturbed. Therefore, here’s a guide on how to disable Time-Sensitive notifications on Snapchat.

On iPhone

Follow the steps to disable Time-Sensitive Notifications on your iPhone:

• Access your iPhone’s Settings.
• Scroll down and select “Notifications.”
• Locate and tap on the Snapchat section.
• Toggle off the Time-Sensitive Notifications feature.

On Android

For Android users, managing Snapchat notifications differs somewhat from iOS users. Android users typically do not receive Time-Sensitive notifications as a distinct category. Nevertheless, if you find Snapchat notifications on your Android device bothersome, here’s how to disable them.

• Launch the Settings app on your Android device.
• Navigate to the Apps section within the settings.
• If Snapchat is in your recent apps list, select the Snapchat tab. If not, tap “See all apps” and find the Snapchat app.
• Next, choose the Notifications option.
• Now, disable the Notification Toggles for notifications you don’t consider necessary.

That’s it. You will no longer receive these annoying notifications on your device.

How to Turn On Time-Sensitive Notifications on Snapchat?

Finally, you may also consider this a useful feature and want to enable it. To manually enable Time-Sensitive Notifications on Snapchat in case you’ve previously turned them off and wish to use them again, follow these straightforward steps:

• Open the Settings app and select “Focus.”
• Choose your preferred Focus mode.
• Under “Allowed Notifications,” click on “Apps” and enable “Time-Sensitive.”
• Within the Snapchat app, locate the dedicated toggle and turn it on.

Do Time-Sensitive snaps disappear?

You might wonder what is the duration of Time-Sensitive snaps. These notifications will stay on your lock screen for approximately one hour. Snapchat introduced this feature recently to prevent users from missing crucial updates and ensure they receive them promptly.

However, these notifications can disrupt essential events like meetings, presentations, or Zoom classes. Many users still hesitate to fully embrace this feature because it can override Focus Mode or Do Not Disturb (DND) mode.

What Does Time-Sensitive Snapchat Mean When Sending a Message?

Snapchat notifications are divided into four categories: Active, Passive, Time Sensitive, and Critical.

Passive notifications are the lowest priority and won’t trigger phone sounds, vibrations, or lock screen notifications.

Active and Time Sensitive notifications share similar triggers for notification pop-ups. However, Time Sensitive notifications have an added feature. Apple has prioritized these messages, ensuring that you see them by bypassing the Notifications summary and the Focus mode on your phone.

Critical notifications are a type of notification that the app deems to be of utmost importance and urgency. These notifications are typically reserved for significant and time-sensitive events or updates that require immediate attention from the user. Critical notifications may include alerts about security issues, important account-related updates, or other urgent matters that demand the user’s immediate response or awareness.

Snapchat’s MyAI tool

What time-sensitive Snapchat means was fairly straightforward. Along with this feature, Snapchat introduced many more features, and you may be familiar with My AI. Aside from users who expressed concerns or annoyance regarding time-sensitive notifications, there was also a backlash against the introduction of Snapchat’s new My AI chatbot. This chatbot, based on the same technology as ChatGPT, is intended to serve as a virtual companion for Snapchat users. While some users were eager to embrace this new feature, others harbored reservations about it for various reasons.

Certain teenagers and parents were worried about My AI. This was mainly because of their belief that it might be challenging for the younger teenage audience that forms a core part of Snapchat’s user base to differentiate between a human and an AI, especially when they appear nearly identical in the interface. Additionally, Snapchat grappled with the same issues related to hallucinations that have affected other chatbots, raising questions about the potential roles these chatbots may assume in the future.

Conclusion

To conclude what does time-sensitive Snapchat mean, the Snapchat Time-Sensitive notification feature prevents users from overlooking essential notifications. However, we don’t know the precise criteria and methods behind how this happens. In this article, we discussed what time-sensitive means on Snapchat and how Snapchat determines the priority of notifications. We also discussed how to get rid of these notifications when not needed.

Bonus Tips: How to Change Your Location on Snap Map?

Snapchat relies on your phone’s GPS or internet connection to determine your location and apply it to the location filter. Maybe you don’t wanna be seen in your real location for privacy protection. iFoneTool AnyGo is a free and powerful tool for location spoofing, making it easier to change a device’s GPS location. It allows users to create their movement pathways, giving the impression that their phone is moving between several GPS locations.

Here are 3 steps to download it for free.

Step 1: Download and install the iFoneTool AnyGo on your computer. Open AnyGo and click the Start button.

Step 2: Connect your phone to your computer by USB, and then you will see your location on the map.

Step 3: Click the location you want to go on the map or enter where you’d like to go on the top left. And then click “Move”.

Now you can get a new fake location! It will also be updated on your phone map. And no more worrying about people knowing where you are!

Why does my snap say time-sensitive?

Snapchat labels specific notifications as time-sensitive to ensure you don’t miss them.

Why am I not receiving notifications from one person on Snapchat?

You may not have message notifications enabled in your Snapchat app. To prioritize specific notifications, consider turning on the Time-Sensitive notifications feature.

How do I enable time-sensitive notifications?

To enable time-sensitive notifications, access the Settings app and tap “Focus.” Choose a Focus mode, then tap “Apps” under Allowed Notifications. Enable “Time-Sensitive.” To enable this feature for Snapchat specifically, go to the Snapchat app and activate the dedicated toggle.

Do Time-Sensitive snaps disappear?

Yes, these notifications remain on your lock screen for approximately an hour and disappear.

How does Snapchat determine the priority of Time-Sensitive notifications?

Snapchat employs an algorithm to determine which notifications should be prioritized for users.