You may find yourself in a situation where you send someone a snap or a text message on Snapchat and see Pending with a gray arrow beside it instead of Delivered with a blue one. That's because your message or snap has not been delivered yet.

There may be multiple reasons for this. But there are plenty of quick fixes, too, so there's no reason to worry.

So, what does pending mean on Snapchat? Why does it happen? Let's explore the potential reasons and solve these issues.

1. You're Not Friends on Snapchat

If you've sent someone a friend request on Snapchat and it hasn't been accepted yet, you will see Pending next to their name. You'll have to wait for the person to accept your friend request, after which the snap or text will automatically be delivered to them.

Another reason could be that an existing friend has removed you from their friend list, and you're no longer in their contact list on Snapchat. Unfortunately, the fix for this one may not be as easy as a few taps on the screen. You will see Delivered with a blue tick as soon as they add you back.

2. You've Been Blocked on Snapchat

Snapchat doesn't send you any notifications if and when you're blocked by someone. There are many ways you can tell if someone blocked you on Snapchat, and seeing Pending is one of them.

You may want to know if you've been blocked or just unfriended by the contact. In that case, do a quick search for their username in the Search Bar. If the user pops up, you've been unfriended. If you don't see them at all, they've blocked you.

3. The Snapchat Account Has Been Deleted

Your friend may just have decided to delete their Snapchat account, which is why your snaps will not be delivered. The account could also have been banned and doesn't exist anymore as a result.

Related: Things That Can Get You Banned on Snapchat

You'll know if they're back once your snaps automatically go from Pending to Delivered, and recovering a Snapchat account is relatively easy. All you have to do is log back in within 30 days to reactivate it.

4. There’s a Glitch in the Snapchat App

Snapchat is usually a seamless, efficient social media platform, but it does have its downsides every now and then. There are certain times when the app has glitches. You might see a random Pending status pop up when it does.

There may be different reasons for an app glitching on your phone. One of them may be lack of storage or an overude software update. You could try clearing up some storage, remove cache from Snapchat in the settings and update your phone's software. Follow these steps to clear cache:

  1. On the top left corner, tap on your Bitmoji or avatar.
  2. Select the Settings icon in the top right corner.
  3. Scroll down tap on Clear Cache under Account Actions.
  4. Select Clear and you're done.

5. You or the Recipient Doesn’t Have a Secure Internet Connection

If your Snapchat says "Pending", a poor internet connection might be the culprit.

When connected to Wi-Fi, you can try disconnecting and using your mobile data to send the Snap fully instead. Alternatively, you can restart your router. Don't worry; you don't have to worry about your snaps getting lost in the mix.

In other instances, the recipient might not have a steady internet connection—or they could have switched it off. If this is the case, you'll need to wait until they're back online.

6. Snapchat's Servers Are Down

This usually causes a mass shutdown and no one is able to use the app properly. The app will either crash or produce errors like this one.

It doesn't take too long for Snapchat to get back up and running again, so your snaps and messages will be delivered as soon as the issue is resolved. In the meantime, try to restart the app a couple of times to speed up the process. You can also try deleting and re-installing the app.

7. The Recipient's Phone Is Off

Sometimes, the recipient will not have any problems with you on a personal level. Moreover, they might not run into connectivity issues. Instead, your snap could show up as "Pending" because the user's phone isn't on.

The recipient could have chosen to turn their phone off to focus on something important, or their battery might have died. As soon as they've turned their device on again and have an internet connection, your snap should deliver.

What Does Pending Mean on Snapchat? Now You Know

There are many reasons for the Pending status on Snapchat. A user may not have accepted your request, or you could have been blocked or unfriended.

In other instances, you might have an app glitch or problem with your internet connection. You can fix these technical issues quickly, but if someone has blocked or unfriended you, you must respect their decision.