ThelifeWhen looking at a Snapchat, every second counts.
To view a picture or video in the social media app, one finger must be kept on the phone screen at all times. Where you place that finger is the key. If you put your finger on the wrong section of the screen, you might miss something important.
GQ has found the sweet spot for Snapchat users, with a simple trick that anyone can use to to optimize their viewing time.
In the photo below - if I had held my thumb at the bottom of my phone - I might have missed this crucial caption from my colleague Will Haskell.
Will Haskell
But GQ says instead, try placing your index finger over the square in the upper right-hand corner where the Snapchat counts down your viewing time.
This way, you're only blocking a small portion of the screen that was already partially obscured.
If you're left-handed you can place your finger on the upper left-hand corner, GQ explains. However, because the countdown is always in the same spot, it's probably best if you stick to the right.
Madison Malone Kircher
The one-finger rule is supposed to protect images from being screenshotted, though it's totally easy to get around that. Snapchat is reportedly considering doing away with the finger requirement entirely.
"It's annoying to have to hold your finger there," Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel said this May at Code Conference.