Snapchat has quietly introduced a new feature called “Footsteps” to all iOS users this week, a company spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday. Previously available only to Snapchat+ subscribers, the feature utilizes Snap Map to show users the extent of their exploration and track their travel destinations.
Initially, Footsteps will determine your first steps based on Snaps in your Memories, meaning your past trips will be included. Subsequently, Snapchat will rely on location data to trace your travels, excluding any more Memories from contributing to your Footsteps count.
To populate your Footsteps, ensure Ghost Mode is turned off as it prevents Snapchat from showing your location to friends.
This rollout reflects Snapchat’s ongoing competition with Instagram and TikTok. By enhancing its Snap Map product, Snapchat is emphasizing a unique feature not found in its competitors’ platforms. Instagram has hinted at a similar feature with the development of a “Friends Map.”
The new feature allows users to track the countries they have visited and the areas explored. For example, it may indicate that you have discovered 30.4% of your city or 5% of Paris if you recently visited the location.
The accuracy of percentages relies on the places where users have taken and saved Snaps. Regular Snap savers will have more precise exploration percentages.
Moving forward, Snap Map will display actual Footsteps based on users’ travel locations using location data.
Your Footsteps data is private and can be disabled or cleared by accessing your Profile Settings. Navigate to Account Actions > Map, and toggle off “Save new Footsteps as my location updates on the map” to disable the feature or tap “Clear Footsteps History” to clear the data.
This feature is reminiscent of Google Maps’ “Timeline,” which tracks users’ trips and locations based on Location History.
Snapchat views this feature as a way for users to document their travels and share them with friends through custom stickers representing their adventures.
The company intends to extend this feature to Android users in the near future, according to a spokesperson.
