Snapchat¶

Development line: project:snapchat · thread snapchat-lenses-and-filters
Last event: 2022-06-06 · 1 dated since 2022-06-06 · Researched: 2026-09-05 · confidence: medium

What it is¶

Snapchat is a camera app and the Lens Studio AR platform for users, creators, and developers: Face Lenses, World Lenses, templates, scripting, SnapML, and publishing to Snapchat, Camera Kit, and Spectacles.

Submitted lenses are capped at 8 MB, with up to 10 MB for a SnapML model. Lens Studio is a working route to build AR effects, not a tool to recreate a specific old viral filter.

Development line¶

• 2022-06-06 — A Snapchat Lens link was recorded in the development line. On 2022-06-06, a message linked a Snapchat Lens URL alongside a source reference. The dated links establish a lens-related Snapchat item in this development line, but do not establish its functionality, authorship, or release status.

What changed¶

2022-05-12 — Crying Lens became a widely discussed Snapchat AR effect; a third-party report notes its debut on 6 May and over 1 billion uses by 12 May.

2022-06-06 — A standalone Snapchat Lens page was cited, but we could not independently read its name, author, or features; a link to Crying Lens remains unconfirmed.

2022-12-06 — Snap described the platform as a way to publish lenses not only to Snapchat, but also through Camera Kit and for Spectacles, and reported over 3 million created AR lenses.

How to use this¶

As of 2022-06-06, practitioners tracking Snapchat work should include Lens URLs as a concrete implementation or distribution surface, while keeping unsupported claims about a lens's behavior or status out of the record.

1. Sign in to Lens Studio through Snapchat and choose a template for a simple lens or start from scratch; mobile and web tools serve casual creators, while desktop handles complex development. — https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-gb/articles/7012330991124-How-can-I-create-Lenses-for-Snapchat
2. Set project name, platform, and size; for mobile lenses, target the 8 MB cap and check built-in validation checks. — https://developers.snap.com/lens-studio/publishing/configuring/configuring-project-info?lang=en-US
3. In Lens Studio click Publish, create or select an organization and Lens Folder, then submit the lens as new or update an existing project. — https://developers.snap.com/lens-studio/publishing/submitting/submitting-your-lens
4. Choose Upload and Publish to publish in Snapchat, or Upload to Lens Folder if the lens is needed only for further distribution through Camera Kit or Business Manager. — https://developers.snap.com/lens-studio/publishing/submitting/submitting-your-lens

Best practices¶

• Check performance, device compatibility, and policy compliance before submission: publishing undergoes validation, automated testing, and content review. — https://developers.snap.com/lens-studio/publishing/submitting/submitting-your-lens
• Do not copy ML models or viral lenses; use a clear preview, set Lens Hints, and compress assets. Documentation recommends aiming below 8 MB. — https://developers.snap.com/lens-studio/publishing/submitting/submitting-your-lens
• Do not add irrelevant tags: they undergo moderation and do not improve lens reach. — https://developers.snap.com/lens-studio/publishing/submitting/submitting-your-lens

Superseded by this¶

• Before 2022-12-06: the view that lenses are only for Snapchat; Snap also documented using published AR effects in Camera Kit and on Spectacles.
• Before current Lens Studio 5: a desktop-only approach for all creators; current support separates desktop for complex AR projects from mobile and web tools for personal creation.

Still unknown¶

• Crying Lens and the 2022-06-06 lens link may be separate topics under Snapchat: the standalone lens page was unavailable for independent inspection.
• No primary Snap source was found with a release date for Crying Lens; the 6 May debut and early usage metric are confirmed by a secondary source from 12 May 2022.
• We cannot confirm whether the specific lens at the 2022-06-06 link is available today.

Sources¶

Agent brief¶

• Subject: project:snapchat, thread snapchat-lenses-and-filters, 1 dated events 2022-06-06 → 2022-06-06.
• Practical note: As of 2022-06-06, practitioners tracking Snapchat work should include Lens URLs as a concrete implementation or distribution surface, while keeping unsupported claims about a lens's behavior or status out of the record.
• Confidence: medium. Dated supersedes above are the authority for what is obsolete.