The latest version of the app, which rolled out to iOS and Android Tuesday, adds a suite of new selfie tools, in-app purchases, a new Trophy case feature and more.
With so many updates it can be hard to know where to start. We've found all the most important features in the update and the best tips and tricks to using them whether your a Snapchat newbie or a hardcore power user.
Animated selfies 'Lenses'
The biggest change to Snapchat is the addition of "Lenses," which allow you to add an array of special effects to photos taken with the front-facing camera. You can unlock the lenses by holding down on your face when the front-facing camera is open in the app.
From there, select the effects from the row on the bottom and follow the instructions. The Lenses aren't limited to still images either: You can record videos with the effects by holding down on a Lens (just like you would record a video by holding down the app's shutter.
There are seven different effects right now, including a rainbow tongue and animated heart eyes, but Snapchat says the Lenses will be updated regularly, with a new effect being rotated in each day. If the effects look familiar, it's because they are powered by Looksery, the startup behind popular photo apps of the same name, which Mashable's sources have confirmed was acquired by Snapchat.
The effects seem to work best when you're facing the camera straight-on and you may need to remove glasses for the best results. The Lenses appear to have some difficulty distinguishing between glasses and eyeballs.
Friend emojis, explained
Though not exactly a new feature in itself, Snapchat's update also includes a guide to the app's "friend emojis" system. If you remember, Snapchat introduced the friend emojis after removingthe "best friends" feature.
Snapchat uses the emojis to describe your Snapchat relationship with the people you exchange messages with the most. But now, Snapchat makes it much easier to tell the difference between the yellow and red heart
and the smiling face and the smiling face with sunglasses
