How To Change the Ghost on Snapchat

Sydney Read more September 26, 2017

From trophies to friend emojis, Snapchat has been coming up with more and more ways to gamify their app. It’s no wonder that users suspected the new ghost icons that popped up in the January 2016 update. Ever since these silly little creatures appeared, users have been trying to figure out what they mean and how to collect them all. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.

Why Ghosts?

Snapchat’s famous logo depicts a ghost named “Ghostface Chillah.” This mascot is meant to represent the fleeting and “ghost-like” nature of snaps. It’s no big surprise that the app would choose ghosts as the format for their next series of icons.

What Are the New Ghost Icons?

These icons appear next to your friends’ names under My Friends. You can also see them next to the names of people who’ve added you as a friend under Added Me. There are a variety of ghost icons. Some have hearts for eyes, some are dizzy, some are angry, and some are downright crazy.

How Do I Change Them?

First of all, you have no control over the icons that appear next to other people’s names. That power lies with them. Secondly, you can’t exactly change yours either, at least not to another type of ghost. The only way to replace your ghost icon is by creating a Bitmoji for your account.

There are some wild internet theories that these ghost icons mean something and might change on their own depending on your Snapchat behavior. But there’s no clear evidence of this. The icons seem to be totally random – at least for now.

How Do I Setup a Bitmoji Icon?

To create a Bitmoji, you need to download the accompanying app. Luckily, it’s free and easy to use. Access it directly from Snapchat. Follow these directions from the Snapchat camera.

Tap on the ghost in the upper left hand corner.
Tap Create Bitmoji in the upper left hand corner.
Tap Create Bitmoji again. This will take you to where you can download the app.
Follow the directions for downloading and installing an app on your phone. m
Open the new app.
Tap Log in with Snapchat.
Tap Open.
Tap Create Bitmoji.

Now you have linked your Snapchat and Bitmoji apps. It’s time to create your Bitmoji. At any point in the Bitmoji creation process, you can tap the checkmark in the upper right hand corner to finish.

Choose the gender.
Choose the style: Bitmoji or Bitstrips.
Choose face shape. Tap on the faces below to view them in the window above.
Tap the right facing arrow for the next option. Do this to get to all future options.
Choose skin tone.
Choose hair color.
Choose the hair style.
Choose eyebrow shape.
Choose eyebrow color. By default, the eyebrows match the hair color.
Choose eye color.
Choose nose shape.
Choose mouth shape.
Choose eye details. These add lines under the eyes to show cheeks and under eye bags. Tap on the options below to see what they’ll look like. Some of them may not be completely visible, depending on the hairstyle you chose.
Choose cheek details. These add definition to the cheeks and mouth (like dimples).
Choose face lines. These add definition to various parts of the face. These can also help you make expressions.
Choose blush color. Now it’s time to add some makeup (or some natural color).
Choose eye shadow color.
Choose lipstick color.
Choose glasses.
Choose head wear.
Congratulations! Your face is complete. Now it’s time to build the body. Choose a body type and follow any gender specific prompts.

Now it’s time to save the figure and pick an outfit. Tap Save & Pick Outfit.

Tap on an outfit that matches your style. Make sure to scroll down for more options.
Now you can see the style on your character. scroll left and right with your finger to change outfits. You can also tap the arrow in the upper left hand corner to go back.
When you are happy with your outfit, tap the check mark in the upper right hand corner.

Your Bitmoji is complete. It’s time to connect it to Snapchat. Even if you are logged in with Snapchat, this won’t happen automatically. Tap Agree & Connect. You will be chance to make additional changes. If you’re happy with your character tap the back button in the upper left hand corner to return to Snapchat settings. Tap it again to get to your camera. You’ll notice that the ghost in the upper left hand corner is now your beautiful new Bitmoji face.

But What About the Ghosts?

As we said before, this is the only way to change the icon that appears next to your name. But stay tuned. Snapchat is always making exciting new changes.