Snapchat Introduces New Footsteps Feature to Track User Location History

Snapchat has announced the rollout of a new feature called 'Footsteps,' which allows users to track their location history and explore the places they have visited. Initially available to iOS users, the feature is set to be extended to Android users in the near future.

How Footsteps Works

The Footsteps feature utilizes Snap Map to create a visual representation of your travel history. When you first use Footsteps, it pulls data from your Snaps saved in Memories to calculate your previous travel activities. After the initial setup, the feature relies on real-time location data to update your travel footprints on the map.

To use Footsteps, users must have Ghost Mode turned off, a setting that prevents Snapchat from showing your location to your friends. However, the feature is private by default, meaning only you can view your tracked movements.

Key Features and Privacy

With Footsteps, you can see how many countries you have traveled to and how much of an area you have explored. For example, the app might display that you have explored 30.4% of your city or 5% of Paris if you visited there. These percentages are based on the different places where you took and saved Snaps.

Users have full control over their Footsteps data. You can turn off the feature by toggling off the 'Save new Footsteps as my location updates on the map' option under the 'Map' tab in the app settings. Additionally, you can clear your Footsteps history at any time using the 'Clear Footsteps History' option.

Sharing Your Adventures

The Footsteps feature also allows you to share your travels with friends through a custom sticker that showcases your adventures. This adds a social element to the feature, enabling you to highlight your explorations with your network.

Competitive Edge

By enhancing Snap Map with the Footsteps feature, Snapchat is strengthening one of its key differences from competitors like Instagram and TikTok, neither of which currently offers a similar feature. However, Instagram has confirmed it is developing a 'Friends Map' feature, which may change the landscape in the future.